"Never Fall Down" Before the College Entrance Exam in Japan, 'Manhole Cover Amulet' Gains Popularity

Focus on Preventing Items from Falling and Slipping
Special Love for Manholes... Cover Auctions and Design Contests Also Held

In Japan, where the exam season for tests such as the National Center Test for University Admissions, the country's equivalent of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), and high school entrance exams is underway, manhole cover talismans are gaining popularity as good luck charms for passing exams. Just as manhole covers prevent people from falling into sewer holes, these talismans are intended to prevent failure and slipping in exams. Local governments are leading events to distribute these talismans.

Manhole cover talisman released by Kamagaya City, Chiba Prefecture. (Photo by Kamagaya City official website)

On the 15th, the Asahi Shimbun reported that manhole talismans have recently become popular as good luck charms ahead of the exam season. In Japan, the main National Center Test for University Admissions was held on the 13th and 14th, and additional exams will begin on the 27th and 28th, followed by sequential entrance exams for national, public, and private universities.

Asahi explained the popularity of manhole covers by stating, "They prevent objects from falling into the sewer pipes, and the raised patterns on the covers help prevent shoes from slipping in the rain." The talismans carry the meaning of "Don't fall, don't slip," similar in spirit to Korea's chapssaltteok (glutinous rice cakes) and hagjok yeot (passing taffy) given for exam success.

In response, local governments are competing to hold events distributing manhole cover talismans for exam success. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Sewerage Bureau and Transportation Bureau jointly created talismans for examinees. The Sewerage Bureau offers tote bags printed with manhole covers featuring cherry blossom patterns, the official flower of Tokyo.

The Transportation Bureau released "sand from the non-slip Toden (都電)." Toden refers to Tokyo's only streetcar line, famous for sprinkling sand on tracks to prevent trams from slipping on steep hills covered with fallen leaves or snow. The bureau packaged this sand in small bottles as talismans.

Students entering to take the College Scholastic Ability Test. (Photo by NHK)

In Ibaraki Prefecture, starting from the 22nd, 300 limited sets of cards and talisman straps featuring manhole cover designs will be distributed for free. The manhole cover modeled features the city mascot "Mairyu," a dragon figure, and comes with coasters and aluminum badges. Elementary, middle, and high school students preparing for entrance or qualification exams can visit the sewerage department to receive them. Due to the local governments’ manhole talisman craze, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism compiled a list of distributing municipalities on its website, currently showing 24 locations holding such events.

Japan’s love for manhole covers is well-known, to the extent that they are made into good luck charms for passing exams. The Toyohashi City Water and Sewerage Bureau in Aichi Prefecture announced a competitive bidding sale of manhole covers manufactured in 1975 and 1996 that had reached the end of their service life. Manhole covers depicting the city’s port are highly popular among collectors, with a competition rate of 25:1 recorded last year.

A manhole cover design contest will also be held. In Kokubunji City, Tokyo, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of its city status, a design contest for manhole covers is underway. Submissions will be accepted until the end of this month, followed by a public vote to select the representative design.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.