New Manhole-Cover Announcements for Autumn 2026

Iruma: an October 4 unveiling

Iruma City’s September 29 announcement introduces a cover featuring characters from Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun. The background includes the red sawtooth roof of Atelier Amigo, connecting the anime collaboration to the cultural venue’s industrial past.

The city schedules the unveiling for Sunday, October 4, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Atelier Amigo. As of this article’s check date, that event is still ahead. The announcement welcomes visitors, asks them to use public transport because parking is limited, and says no manhole cards are being distributed for this design. Check the city’s event page before setting out.

Nikko: a design marking 50 years

Tochigi Prefecture announced its regional sewerage project’s 50th-anniversary cover on September 14. It specified September 16 as the planned installation date, on the footpath near the large parking-area entrance at Nikko Daiyagawa Park, 844 Segawa, Nikko.

The design puts a large 50 at its center, with 15 strawberries and the prefecture’s sewerage publicity character. It offers a different kind of discovery from a character-franchise hunt: a local infrastructure milestone made visible in the street.

The scheduled date has passed, but the announcement reviewed here does not confirm completion. Treat this as a location to verify with the prefecture or park before a dedicated visit, rather than a confirmed on-site report.

Yokohama: a larger rollout from December

Yokohama’s September 15 announcement describes roughly 360 planned locations for covers featuring the GREEN×EXPO 2027 mascot. The program spans all 18 wards, including station areas, roads near parks and schools, and the route from Seya Station toward the exposition site.

The important date is December 2026: installation is scheduled to begin then and proceed in stages. The announcement is not a claim that hundreds of new covers are already available to visit.

Two covers already exist near Tsurugamine Station and in the Seya Station plaza, according to the same release. They belong to the earlier donation project; they should not be counted as new autumn installations. Watch the city’s official updates for the later rollout’s individual locations.

What about new Poké Lids?

This review did not verify an official announcement or completed Poké Lid installation after August 13, 2026. That is a limit of the sources checked, not proof that none exists. A recently updated page or a new visitor photo does not establish when a cover was installed.

For a Pokémon-focused trip, start with the official Pokémon Local Acts catalog and follow the relevant municipality’s current information. We will only describe a cover as newly installed when a source supports the installation date.

Turn an announcement into a realistic visit

This is editorial coverage of municipal announcements. It does not confirm that the new designs are already included in Manhole Quest or supported by its scanning system. Check the app’s current catalog separately before planning an in-app collection.

• Check the status: announced, scheduled, or confirmed installed. A passed target date alone does not confirm completion.
• Save the official location and access information before leaving. Recheck event details and venue notices on the day.
• Choose the stop that fits your trip. These three announcements are not a single suggested walking route.
• Keep paths clear while looking or taking a photograph, and follow any barriers, signs or staff directions.

Official and primary sources

Open the current source before travel. These links support the guide; they do not imply affiliation or permission to reproduce official images.

• Iruma City announcement — September 29, 2026 (Japanese)
• Iruma City official event and installation information (Japanese)
• Tochigi Prefecture: 50th-anniversary cover — September 14, 2026 (Japanese)
• Yokohama City announcement — September 15, 2026 (Japanese)
• Yokohama rollout schedule and existing covers — official PDF (Japanese)
• Poké Lids — official Pokémon Local Acts catalog
• Manhole Quest — Apple App Store version history