There Are A Few Buildings In Japan,

where what you see is what you get, sums up their design so nicely,

photograph Nikken, or makes a statement, take this sausage dog building, the dachshund-shaped building was designed by Nikken and completed in 2011, no prizes for guessing what it stocks, everything you can think of for your pet, the building is DoggyMan’s warehouse and distribution centre, based in Osaka,

another building that needs no explanation, photograph Kirin, whilst traveling 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 glass of beer, and now the good news, if you’re actually in Nagoya you can schedule a free tour and tasting, this one has got my vote!

photograph Meiji, it can not be, but it is! it is a 28 m high and 166 m long, bar of chocolate, it is equivalent to 38,000 normal size bars of chocolate, the JR Kyoto train line runs directly south, Taisei Design proposed an idea that to make the entire façade look like a gigantic bar of chocolate that can be seen from the train, again another one to visit, as they offer free tours, have a look here,

photograph Shunkado, again no mistaking this one! but you would be wrong if you thought the company sold furniture, to mark the 130th anniversary of the company’s founding, Shunkado redesigned their headquarters to resemble oversized tables and chairs, the idea is that their snacks bring families together around the dining table,

photograph Taru Tonneau, and lastly the Barrel Restaurant, or as it is known Taru Tonneau (taru means barrel in Japanese), looking like an enormous beer barrel with a tap half way up the front of the barrel the building serves food and drinks, I must say it must have taken a lot of shall we say courage to devote so much money to designs like these, and for myself I say well done to bring your products so uniquely to the publics attention.