This is an ornamented stick that fire fighters used in Edo era - about 130 years ago from now. MATOY played a role of the siren of today's fire engine. The fire fighters in that era informed people of the fire, or of their hurrying to the scene by yelling and swinging this stick. I found this manhole near the Hasuda station today, which is less than ten minutes' walk from where I live. Gee, there ARE many different designs of manholes!

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