MARCH 14, 2023 / JOHNNY

The other day we stumbled upon a building in Osaka that was shaped like a dachshund. As it turns out, it was a warehouse and distribution center for the Japanese pet food company DoggyMan, which made sense; what you see is what you get.

But it made us wonder: what other novelty architecture is there in Japan in which buildings are shaped like the things they sell? Or are a visual representation of what is inside? Unsurprisingly, there are quite a few and many of them are open to the public, or offer tours, and could make for a fun destination.

DoggyMan Kansai Logistics Center

The aforementioned dachshund-shaped building was designed by Nikken and completed in 2011. It functions as DoggyMan’s warehouse and distribution center and is located in Osaka. It can be seen if you’re driving along the Hanshin Expressway No. 4 (Gmap). An outline along the roof lights up at night, allowing drivers to see the adorable shape even when its dark.[…]

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Kirin Beer Factory (Nagoya)

Located along the Tokaido Shinkansen Line (and viewable as you’re pulling out of Nagoya Station) is the Kirin Beer Factory. The tanks are immediately recognizable because they’re painted to look just like a tall glass of beer: golden brown on the bottom with white foam at the top. If you’re actually in Nagoya you can also schedule a free tour and tasting! (They even have a hip-looking restaurant)

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Taru Tonneau in Okinawa

In Okinawa there’s a bar and eatery known as the Barrel Restaurant. The real name is Taru Tonneau (taru means barrel in Japanese) and the shop is shaped like a gigantic whiskey barrel. It’s been around since at least 2012 but its website looks like it’s from the 90s. It’s one of the more wild novelty architecture designs we’ve come across but it certainly does the trick in announcing its business.

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Much more: Japanese Buildings that are Shaped Like the Things They Sell