In Japan, sewage plates are not simple elements of urban furniture: some are real graphic works, specific to a city, prefecture or territory. Since 2016, the Manhole Cards have been able to search for them and keep track of his discoveries. With Manhole Cards Collection Japan, this hunt becomes even simpler: the Android app turns Japan into a huge collection ground and allows you to track its progress directly on an interactive map.
A thought app for Manhole Cards hunters
Manhole Cards Collection Japan is intended for travellers who want to discover the Manhole Cards as they travel to Japan, but also for collectors who want to organize their progress.
The app gathers official maps and allows to view their location on a map of Japan. Each map is associated with a specific municipality or location and can be viewed directly from its geographic location.
The objective is simple: to know which maps exist, to find those on its route and to keep track of those already obtained.
Download the Manhole Cards app – Android
Hunting Manhole Cards in Japan
Interactive map, album and progress region by region.
Download on Google Play Android application · FR / EN / JP
- Interactive mapMaps and Live Position
- DetailsIllustration, place, timetable
- Personal albumCheck your collected cards
- ProgressRegion after region
- Sewer platesMark the plates viewed
- BackupExport and import
An interactive map to prepare your research
The card is the heart of the application. The different Manhole Cards appear in the form of icons allowing to quickly identify the places where they are available.
Just move the map or zoom in to explore a region. When many cards are concentrated in the same area, icons are grouped to keep a clear reading of the map. By zooming more, the different locations become progressively accessible.
A tracking system is also used to restore its position in Japan. A first support re-focuss the map on its current position while a second allows for a more accurate zoom.
The application is particularly convenient during a trip: it allows to quickly check if a Manhole Card is close to the visited place.
Open a Manhole Card
Each icon allows access to the corresponding file. It presents the illustration of the map and the main information needed to organize its search.
The card shall include the name of the place or municipality, the image of the Manhole Card and the information available concerning its place and delivery times.
The image can be enlarged to observe the details of the drawing, often inspired by history, landscapes, characters or local specialties.
The card also allows you to mark the card as collected.
Build your own album
Once a Manhole Card has been obtained, just check the “Collected Card” option. The application automatically records this information and changes the appearance of the icon on the map.
The already collected maps become semi-transparent, allowing for an immediate distinction between the remaining discoveries and the maps already present in its collection.
The history of the dates of obtaining is also kept. It is therefore possible to uncheck and then pick up a card without losing previously recorded information.
When a single Manhole Card has multiple locations or entries corresponding to the same official identifier, the collection is automatically synchronized.
Monitoring regional progress by region
Since Japan is particularly large, a collection of Manhole Cards can quickly become difficult to follow. The application therefore offers a tool dedicated to regional progress.
Each region indicates the total number of cards available and the number of cards already collected. This makes it possible to visualize areas already well explored and those still to be discovered.
By selecting a region, the album can be limited to the corresponding maps. This function is particularly interesting to prepare a trip dedicated to a specific part of Japan.
Filter the map according to your needs
The filters enable the map display to be adapted to its search.
It is possible to select or deselect the different regions of Japan. The maps corresponding to the masked areas then disappear from the map.
The “View Collection” mode adds another level of filtering: it allows to display only the Manhole Cards already collected.
This function is convenient when the objective is simply to visualize its collection geographically, or instead to spot cards that are still missing during a trip.
Do not forget the plates themselves
Manhole Cards Collection Japan is not limited to cards.
The application also allows you to display the physical sewage plates on the map with an optional layer. It can be activated from the side menu and complements the locations of the Manhole Cards.
By selecting a plate, it is possible to access its plug and mark it as “Viewed Plate”. As with maps, already observed plates become semi-transparent and their history is preserved.
This function adds a second dimension to the hunt: it is no longer only about recovering the official card, but also looking in the streets for the plaque represented on it.
A centralized menu to customize the experience
The side menu brings together the main functions of the application.
The language can be selected in French, English or Japanese. The user can also choose an avatar from nine icons, which is used to represent his position on the map.
The menu also gives access to the album, filters, “View Collection” mode, general information about the Manhole Cards and the user guide.
A section dedicated to news finally allows you to consult the new application. A visual notification indicates when new information has not yet been consulted.
Save collection
A collection built over the course of travel deserves to be preserved.
Manhole Cards Collection Japan allows you to export your data to a file. This backup includes the cards collected, the plates viewed and the different user preferences.
An existing backup can then be imported to retrieve or merge its data. Personal preferences, such as the language, avatar and filters, can also be retained.
This function is particularly useful to avoid losing a collection made up during several trips to Japan.
A New Way to Travel to Japan
The Manhole Cards give an additional reason to leave classic tourist routes. A map can be found in a small town, in front of a tourist office, in a museum or in another place sometimes far away from major tourist sites.
The app thus accompanies another way to discover Japan: by following the plates, you cross residential districts, small municipalities and territories that you would sometimes have no reason to visit otherwise.
Each map tells something about its territory. A castle, a local mascot, an animal, a culinary specialty or a landscape can become the motif of a plaque and the associated map.
Manhole Cards Collection Japan thus transforms a collection into a pretext for exploration.
An Android app for collectors
Designed for Android, Manhole Cards Collection Japan brings together in one interface the interactive map, album, regional filters, progress tracking and SEO of physical plates.
It can be used before departure to prepare a map hunt, during the trip to locate nearby distributions and after return to organize its collection.
For those who like to discover Japan differently, Manhole Cards Collection Japan offers a new way to explore the country. Behind each map is a city, a history or a local curiosity: there is only one plaque after the other left to search for them.
If this article has brought you useful information and can help other travellers prepare for their stay, a Google review will always be appreciated. |
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