manhole covers

Lisa and I went biking around Yukuhashi last weekend. we usually catch the train somewhere but we figured it's about time we explore our own town. too bad it was sunday and most everything was closed though. we'll have to try again sometime. but i did take a picture of this manhole cover. every city in japan has their own manhole cover design. this is yukuhashi's. the flowers there are called "cosmos" and come out in the autumn (now), and that river is imagawa river, the river right by my house. not sure what those other things on there are, but they paint it really pretty :) if you can see those yellow bumpy things on the sidewalk near the top of the picture, those are put along all the sidewalks for blind people. when the bumps turn into lines, it means that there is an intersection or turn running perpendicular to the sidewalk. cool! on the other hand though, i've noticed that facilities for people in wheelchairs are not as great. wonder what's up with that?