People tend to watch the ground for safety reasons. After all, nobody wants to trip over. But in Japan I have found some interesting things underfoot. First are manhole covers, unique for every city or distract. They will often feature designs ranging from ocean themes to flowers and emblems to local specialities like temari balls in Matsumoto.
Second, pedestrian areas are often paved with titles that form geometric designs. The surface of Osanbashi Pier in Yokohama is made of wooden boards giving off the distinct feeling of walking on a floor. A similar ‘wooden floor’ can be found in the rest zone near Mori Tower in Roppongi, Tokyo.
Third, graphic symbols used on train platforms tlo indicate the location of train doors, numbers of cars and so on can be quite interesting as well as being useful. Pavements are divided into zones for bicycles and pedestrians and yellow perforated stripes help the visually impaired to navigate on public streets.
There is a lot to see and do in Japan but sometimes what is beautiful or fascinating can be found literally beneath your feet.
