The design of this manhole cover is based on Norakuro (real name: Kurokichi Norainu), the protagonist of the manga Norakuro. The manga’s creator, Suiho Tagawa, lived in Tabata in Kita City, Tokyo, from 1929 to 1931 before releasing Norakuro. Its depiction of a character carving out his own path in life despite harsh circumstances won it substantial popularity, making this one of the foremost manga of the early Showa period. Look for Norakuro in the “Tabata writers’ and artists’ village,” an historic area inhabited by many writers and artists in the Meiji and Showa periods.