MLB honors Japanese baseball heroes with manhole covers in their hometowns

Major League Baseball (MLB) will be honoring its active Japanese players with a unique art installation in Japan.

They have announced the installation of 12 original, artist-designed, manhole covers across various locations across Japan.

This celebratory project will see these distinctive pieces of art placed in areas significant to each player’s baseball roots.

mlb japan manhole covers 3 — The manhole installations have been sponsored by JAL (Japan Airlines)

Japanese players have had a profound and growing impact on Major League Baseball, with stars like Shohei Ohtani and Ichiro Suzuki transcending the sport to become global icons.

This project by MLB Japan seeks to recognize these “heroes” in their hometowns and celebrate their inspiring journeys from local fields to the world stage.

mlb japan manhole covers 44 — Each manhole cover features a design created by a different artist

The choice of manhole covers as a medium is particularly fitting, as decorative manhole covers are a unique and cherished part of Japanese urban culture.

While manhole covers often featuring intricate designs related to local history, landmarks, or famous figures they occasionally feature other designs such as Gundams and anime series.

Anime themed manhole covers have proven to be tourist attractions in Japan

Each of the 12 manhole covers has been designed by a different artist, with each piece uniquely expressing the career and personality of the respective player.

This artistic diversity ensures that each tribute is personalized and reflective of the athlete’s individual journey.

mlb japan manhole covers 5 — The manhole covers uniquely represent the player and their career

Adding an interactive layer to the physical installations, each manhole cover is equipped with Augmented Reality (AR) content.

By scanning the manhole cover on-site with a smartphone, visitors can unlock and enjoy a short AR movie, bringing the designs to life and offering a dynamic tribute to the players.

mlb japan manhole covers 1 — All twelve manhole covers were photographed together before being shipped to their new homes

The installation schedule spans across several prefectures and cities and has been timed to coincide with each player’s MLB games where possible.

mlb japan manhole covers 2 — Twelve manhole covers will be installed across Japan

The first wave of installations began on June 16th, in Iwate Prefecture, home to some of Japan’s most prominent baseball talents:

June 16th (Monday):
- Shohei Ohtani (from Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture)
- Yusei Kikuchi (from Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture)
- Roki Sasaki (from Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture)