Buildings & Structures

Tomix
Kato
Greenmax
Kawai
Arii
Fujimi
Bandai
Happinet Robin
Takara


Most Tomix and Kato structure kits are pre-assembled in coloured plastic with some small details to add on, and come with comprehensive sheets of signs, advertising logos etc. However, these items could be used on layouts of any nationality just by not using the Japanese signage provided. Many buildings also come in sections and can be extended in height by using two or more of them.

Greenmax make mainly unpainted kits only (except where noted), again with plenty of signage available.

Kawai make a range of old type Japanese shops and food carts, as well as a range of other buildings that includes real growing grass !!!

Fujimi make traditional Japanese buildings like castles, temples and pagodas. Note that the scale is not always 1/150 - but smaller scale buildings can look effective in the background. I have built all 4 of the 1/150 kits, and they are excellent.

For pictures of most of these buildings, as well as variations that they can be used as the base for, please visit the page of my last layout 'Setagaya', and have a look at the 'Details of Buildings Used' page.

If you want to learn more about the general  techniques that can be used to add to the variety of items available, please have a look at this page.


Tomix

4001 - Rural type side platform - 350mm long.
4002 - Wooden rural station building - 210x108mm.
4003 - Rural type side platform extension - 420mm long.
4004 - Wooden double track footbridge - 110x90mm.
4006 - Thatched roof farmhouse - 120x80mm.
4008 - 3 small 2 story shops - 140x80mm.
4009 - City type island roofed platform - 720mm long.
4010 - City type island roofed platform extension - 280mm long.
4012 - 2 track diesel or electric loco shed - 175x85mm.
4013 - Suburban house with fenced yard - 110x100mm (available in 2 colors).
4014 - 3 track roundhouse with operating doors - 260mm deep.
4015 - 2 corner 2 story shops - 78x78mm.
4016 - Elevated double track with station entrance - 140x97mm.
4017 - Elevated double track with shops - 140x97mm.
4018 - 9 story (248mm) city building with ground floor shops - 140x70mm.
4019 - 3 city buildings 4 and 5 stories (105/145/159mm) - 45/40/55x70mm (kit) - NOW NOT IN PRODUCTION.
4020 - 3 story (128mm) city building with ground floor shops or cinema - 140x70mm.
4021 - Rural type island roofed platform - 720mm long.
4022 - Rural type island roofed platform extension - 280mm long.
4023 - Electricity substation - 140x70mm (kit).
4024 - 2 story small signal tower - 75x20mm.
4025 - 3 story administration/commercial building - 140x70mm.
4026 - 2 story small apartment block - 120x70mm (available in 2 colors).
4027 - Restaurant - Japanese style food signs - 138x165mm (including parking area).
4028 - Restaurant - Western style food signs - 138x165mm (including parking area).
4029 - Gas station - JOMO (beige and green) - 170mmx135mm.
4030 - Gas station - IDEMITSU (white and red) - 170mmx135mm.

4031 - City type side roofed platform - 700mm long.
4032 - City type side roofed platform extension - 280mm long.
4033 - Modern city type overhead station with footbridges - 165x162mm.
4034 - 6 story (145mm) modern condominium building - 140x140mm (available in 2 colors).
4035 - Modern house or Pension - 120x80mm (available in 2 colors).
4036 - Convenience store - Seven Eleven - 170x80mm (including parking area).
4037 - Convenience store - Lawson - 170x80mm (including parking area).
4038 - Pachinko parlour - 120x163mm (including parking area).
4039 - Suburban book or record/CD shop - 120x163mm (including parking area).

4040 - Suburban type overhead station with footbridges - 180x170mm.
4041 - Gas station - ENEOS(white and red) - 170mmx135mm.
4042 - 4 storey (105mm) Office Building (blue) - 45x70mm.
4043 - 5 storey (159mm) Office Building (white) - 55x70mm.
4044 - 5 storey (145mm) brick Office Building (brown) - 40x70mm.
4046 -
Elevated station entrance (cream) - 140x97mm.
4047 -
Elevated station with shops (cream) - 140x97mm.
4048 -
Modular Office Building x2 (round front - gray) - 180x90mm (2 buildings + footpath).
4049 -
Modular Office Building x2 (round front - beige) - 180x90mm (2 buildings + footpath).
4050 -
Modular Office Building x2 (square front - green) - 180x90mm (2 buildings + footpath).
4051 -
Modular Office Building x2 (square front - brown) - 180x90mm (2 buildings + footpath).
4101 - Elevated station set with centre platform - 1120mm long.
4102 - Elevated station set with side platforms - 1120mm long.
4103 - Shops/buildings to fit under elevated double track - set A.
4104 - Shops/buildings to fit under elevated double track - set B.
4105 - Children's playground to fit under elevated double track .
4106 - Car parking lot to fit under elevated double track

4200 - Structure set with 4018/4031/4033 and street templates.
3201 - 3 street lights (operational)

3202 - 3 street lamps (operational)
3204 - Yard light tower (operational - 163mm high)
0761 - Single lighting unit for buildings.
0762 - Double lighting unit for buildings.

Tomy (the parent company of Tomix) are also releasing a series of more traditional buildings, called the 'Machinami Collection'. This started in March 2004, and seems to be an ongoing series. Each of the series so far has 6 different buildings in it, with 2 colour variations, for a total of 12 different items. Usually the 12 are packaged in one carton, so if you buy a carton, you will get the full variety. The items are actually designed to be sold separately, and the contents cannot be seen until you open the box, so it is random which item you get (like trading cards !!!)

Mar 2004 - series 1 - 6 shop buildings
Oct 2004 - series 2 - 6 residential/shop buildings
Mar 2005 - series 3 - 6 shop buildings with streets & interiors
Sep 2005 - series 4 - 6 buildings around a small suburban station
Apr 2006 - series 5 - 6 larger type buildings (fire station, cinema, office building and old type ryokan & bathhouse)
Jul 2006 - series 1R - re-release of series 1 in a different set of colours
Nov 2006 - series 4R - re-release of series 4 in a different set of colours
Jun 2007 - series 6 - 6 old type wooden shops - soba noodle shop, soy sauce shop, tea shop, storage building & two type of ryokan
??? 2007 - series 7 - 6 entertainment buildings around a city station

Starting in 2006 was the 'Diorama Collection', which were buildings in a base with walls, outbuildings and other accessories.

Oct 2006 - series 1 - Farmhouse A/B/C - 3 different farmhouses
Feb 2007 - series 2 - Farmhouse D/E/F - another 3 different farmhouses
Mar 2007 - series 3 - Small Factory A/B/C - 3 different small factory complexes (woodworks, ironworks & food processing)
Nov 2007 - series 4 - large Shinto Shrine complex
Feb 2008 - series 5 - modern suburban houses A/B/C
Apr 2008 - series 5 - modern suburban houses D/E

Also starting in 2006 was the 'People Collection', which were sets of figures (usually 12) in various poses.

Nov 2006 - series 1/2/3 - Farm Workers x12 - series 1, 2 & 3 were the same sets but in 3 colour variations
Mar 2007 - series 4/5/6 - Factory Workers x12 - as above
Jul 2007 - series 7/8/9 - Railway Passengers x12 - as above
Aug 2007 - series 10/11/12 - Railway & Bus Workers x12 - as above
Oct 2007 - series 13/14/15 - Entertainment Area People A - as above
Oct 2007 - series 16/17/18 - Entertainment Area People B - as above
Nov 2007 - series 19/20/21 - Festival People - as above

Starting in 2007 was the 'Scenery Collection', which were other miscellaneous items to use on a layout.

Oct 2007 - series 1 - Double & Single Track Level Crossing (1 each)
Nov 2007 - series 2 - 3 Festival stalls - cotton candy stall (wataame), goldfish catching (kingyo sukui) & water balloon catching (yo-yo matsuri)
Nov 2007 - series 3 - 3 Festival stalls - menthol pipe candy (hakka paipu), fried egg noodle (yakisoba) & octopus balls (takoyaki)
Nov 2007 - series 4 - 3 Festival stalls - quoits (wanage), target practice (shateki) & apricot candy (anzu ame)
Nov 2007 - series 5 - 3 Festival stalls - face masks (omen), alcohol sales (sakaya demise) & a haunted house (obake yashiki)
Nov 2007 - series 6 - 2x Portable Shrine & stands with 12 bearer figures + 10 street lanterns

Also starting in 2007 was the 'Tree Collection', which was made up of trunks and branches that you attached together and then glued scenery material on to simulate the leaves.

Jan 2007 - vol 1 - series 1/ Zelcova (keyagi) x2, series 2/.Cedar (sugi) x3 & series 3/ Pine (kuromatsu) x3
Jul 2007 - vol 2 - series 4/ Cherry Blossom (sakura) x3, series 5/ Bamboo (take) x3 & series 6/ White Birch (shirakaba) x2
Aug 2007 - vol 3 - series 7/ Elm (muku) x3, series 8/ Sawtooth Oak (kunugi) x3 & series 9/ Japanese Larch (karamatsu) x2
Nov 2007 - vol 4 - series 10/ large (20cm) Japanese Cedar (sugi) x1

Unfortunately, once these sets are sold out, they are not re-run, and cannot be ordered again.


Kato

23-100 - centre platform middle section with kiosk and roof.
23-101 - centre platform middle section with railway office, subway entrance and roof.
23-102 - centre platform end section (straight).
23-103 - centre platform RH end section (718mm radius).
23-104 - centre platform LH end section (718mm radius).
23-105 - centre platform end section (418mm radius - 2 pieces).
23-106 - centre platform middle section.
23-110 - side platform middle section with kiosk and roof.
23-111 - side platform middle section with railway office, subway entrance and roof.
23-112 - side platform end section LH.
23-100 - side platform end section RH.
20-806 - centre platform set (23-100, 23-101, 23-103, 23-104).
20-815 - side platform set (23-110, 23-111, 23-112, 23-113).
23-125 - Shinkansen station set.
23-230 - Shinkansen station add-on - station entrance.
23-231 - Shinkansen station add-on - shops.
23-232 - Shinkansen station add-on - platform base.
23-300 - Modern two track engine shed.
23-310 - Three floor office/industrial building.
23-315 - Two station platform offices.
23-200 - Overhead suburban station.
23-210 - Ground level suburban station.
23-211 - Suburban ground station.
23-212 - Suburban station accessory set.
23-126 - Double plate track double track station.
23-127 - Double plate track station platform set.
23-128 - Double plate track station platform extension.
23-130 - Rural station set.
23-131 - Rural station platform extension set.
23-132 - Rural station accessories.
23-220 - Rural station building.
23-221 - Rural freight shed and platform.
23-222 - Two section houses.
23-224 - Wooden footbridge.
23-225 - Steam era two track engine shed.
23-226 - Set of four station/engine terminal buildings.
23-229 - Water town/coal/sanding facilities.
23-233 - Set of eight station/engine terminal buildings and accessories.
23-234 - Suburban overbridge.
23-401 - Three electricity pylons.
23-054 - Single track catenary poles (12).
23-055 - Double track catenary poles (6).
23-057 - Arched double track catenary poles (11).

ジオタウン (Dio-town) is the general term for the new advanced KATO layout system which consists of various kinds of structure and accessories by using a road plate as a base. You can enjoy easy and high-grade town planning (sic). It is based on "248mm" which is the basic size of Unitrack track, and is designed to be combined with the double-tracked plate track series. The first items are based around the 23-126 suburban station, and were first seen at JAM2002..

23-411 - Set to go in front of the 23-126 station
23-412 - Extension set for 23-411.
23-413 - Cross road.
23-414 - T-junction road.
23-415 - Straight road.
23-416 - Accessory set for 23-411.
23-417 - Station area detail accessories (includes police box, old type public toilet, ATM building, telephone boxes, vending machines, kiosk, post box, underground entrances).
23-418 - Park/garden area and toll car parking set (includes modern type public toilet building).
23-419 - Road accessory set 1 (includes traffic signs, road signs, fire hydrant).
23-420 - Road accessory set 2 (includes bus stop, curved mirror, traffic signal, parking meter, road congestion sign, traffic cones, hand road roller and small hydraulic excavator).
23-421 - Town accessories set (includes sign flag, planter box, post box, vending machine, shop awning, telephone box and special building sign sheet).
23-422 - Road marking set 1 (includes road lines, direction arrows, pedestrian crossing, manhole etc.).

23-213 - Guard rail set.
23-214 - Traffic light & street sign set.
23-215 - Telegraph pole & street light set.
23-216 - Bus stop set.

23-402A - 2 storey apartment building (light blue).
23-402B - 2 storey apartment building (pinky gray).
23-403A - 2 storey suburban house with yard (geige).
23-403B - 2 storey suburban house with yard (gray).
23-404A - 2 storey suburban house with yard (brown).
23-404B - 2 storey suburban house with yard (geige).
23-405A - 3 storey 2 family residence (gray).
23-405B - 3 storey 2 family residence (tan).
23-406 - Family restaurant (Dennys) with rear car park.
23-407 - Family restaurant with car parking underneath.
23-408A - City shop / convenience store (red) x2.
23-408B - City shop / convenience store (blue) x2.
23-431A - 4 floor Office building (brown)
23-431B - 4 floor Office building (green)
23-432A - 6 floor Business building 1 (gray/green)
23-432B - 6 floor Business building 1 (tan)
23-433A - 6 floor corner Shopping building (blue)
23-433B - 6 floor corner Shopping building (ivory)
23-434A - 6 floor Office building (gray/green)
23-434B - 6 floor Office building (beige)
23-435A - 6 floor Business building 1 (ivory)
23-435B - 6 floor Business building 1 (gray)

23-450A - Old style wooden Japanese shop 1
23-450B - Old style wooden Japanese shop 1
23-451A - Old style wooden Japanese shop 2
23-451B - Old style wooden Japanese shop 2
23-452 - Old style wooden Japanese corner shop 3
23-453 - Old style wooden Japanese corner shop 4
23-454 - Local Post Office
23-455 - Public hall  
23-456 - Taxi company office 
23-457 - Transport company office 
23-??? - Local Bank
23-??? - Local bus depot
23-??? - Local government office
23-??? - Local Police station
23-480 - Single story wooden house 1
23-481 - Single story wooden house 2
23-482 - Double story wooden house 3
23-483 - Double story wooden house 4


Greenmax

7-1 4x Double Track Piers
11 2x Bridge Girders
12 Wooden Signal Box
13 Trackside Hut
14 2x Single Stone Tunnels
14-1 2x Double Concrete Tunnels
14-2 2x Single Concrete Tunnels
15 City Island Platform Set (600mm)
16 Local Island Platform Set
17 Footbridge
18 Small Washer & Catwalks
18-1 Larger Washer & Catwalks
18-2 4x Inspection Catwalks
19 EMU Shed
20 Roof Tile Sheet
21 Diagonal Stone Wall Sheet
21-1 Cobble Stone Sheet
21-2 Concrete Block Sheet
22 2x Buffer Stops
23 6x Wooden Fences
23-1 12x Concrete Fences
23-2 3x Concrete Walls
24 Small Country Station (with signals)
25 Electrical Substation
26 Gents Toilet & Storeroom
27 Small Suburban Station
28 Modern Side Platform Set (600mm)
29 City Station Building
30 City Overhead Station (with footbridge)
31 2 Storey Railway Office Building & Signal Box
32 2x Girder Bridge (230mm)
33 6x Small Shops
34 6x Suburban Houses (alternate building ideas)
35-1 Pavement set
35-2 8x Traffic Lights
35-3 Road Sign set
35-4 16x Street Lights
35-5 Store & Subway Entrances
36 Elevated Track over Shops
37 Factory with accessories
37-1 Factory Accessories (A)
37-2 Factory Accessories (B)
37-3 Factory Accessories (C)
38 Maintenance Shed
39 Agricultural Land
39-1 Park Objects
40 3x Station platform Offices/Waiting Rooms
41 2x Concrete Trackside Huts
42 2x Concrete Staff Huts
43 2x Maintenance Trolleys
44 2x 3 storey Apartment Block
45 Level Crossing set
46-1 4x Trams & Roadway
46-2 2x Tram/Bus Stops
46-3 2x Pedestrian Footbridges
46-4 4x 3 Floor City Buildings
46-6 2x 5 Floor City Buildings
46-7 2x 5 Floor City Buildings
46-8 4x Elevator Shafts - NOW NOT IN PRODUCTION
47-1 2x Old Corner Shops
47-2 2x Old Shops
47-3 Shop & Warehouse
47-4 2x Shops with 1930's type front
47-5 3 Bridges, small boat & wave obstacles
47-6 2 Country Shops
47-7 Walls & Gates (3 types)
48-1 Lighthouse, seawalls, wave obstacles & fishing boat
48-12 Fire Lookout Tower
48-2 2x Fishing Boats
48-3 Wave Obstacles (2 types)
48-4 2x Rowing Boats
48-5 School & playground items
48-6 Local Government Office
48-7 Bus Terminal/Garage
60 Luggage & Trolleys
851 4x Old Style Buildings - prepainted
852 4x Old Style Buildings - prepainted
74 Trackside Cabinets & Signs
75 3x Transformers
76 AWS Ramps & Trackside Cabinets
77 12x Electricity Poles
78 24x Single Catenary Poles
79 6x Double Catenary Poles
81 5x Colour Light Signals


Kawai

KF01 Sobaya - Soba Noodle shop 1/60 scale
KF02 Oden food cart 1/25 scale
KF03 Suishagoya - Small house with water wheel 1/60 scale
KF04 Sushi shop 1/60 scale
KF05 Chamise - Traditional café 1/60 scale
KF06 Dangoya - Traditional sweet shop 1/60 scale
KF07 Funayado - Riverside accommodation 1/60 scale
KF08 Unagi - Eel restaurant 1/60 scale
KF09 Ishiyakimo - Sweet potato cart 1/25 scale
KF10 Yataisoba - Soba noodle cart 1/25 scale
KF11 Meshi - Traditional 'home-cooked meals' restaurant 1/60 scale
KF12 Takoyaki - Octopus ball cart 1/25 scale
KF13 Kamishibai - Children's storyteller bicycle 1/25 scale
KF14 Kingyoya - Goldfish sellers cart 1/25 scale
KF15 Furinya - Windchime sellers cart 1/25 scale
KF16 Tsukudaniya - Preserved food shop 1/60 scale
KF17 Dagashiya - Traditional confectionary shop 1/60 scale
KF18 Izakaya - Drinking place with food 1/60 scale
KF19 Shibaigoya - Stage theatre 1/60 scale

KG01 Farm buildings 1/100 scale
KG02 Pagoda & bridge 1/250 scale
KG03 Farmhouse 1/60 scale
KG04 Pagoda & bridge 1/250 scale
KG05 Barn 1/250 scale
KG06 Small country temple 1/60 scale
KG07 Fishing house 1/60 scale
KG08 Golden temple 1/200 scale
KG09 Watermill 1/60 scale
KG10 Rural country station (box art) 1/150 scale
KG11 Mountain hot springs resort (box art) 1/150 scale


Arii (all 1/32 scale)

1 En'nichi - Festival 
2 Daihachiguruma - hand cart 
3 Niwasaki - Garden with water pump 
4 Akachouchin - Sake sellers cart 
5 Yuubin-ya - Postman on bicycle 
6 Kosaten - Pedestrian crossing 
7 Aisukandii-ya - Ice cream sellers bicycle 
8 Ramen-ya - Ramen noodle cart 
9 Tabako-ya - Tabacco shop 
10 Riyaka - Bicycle with trailer 
11 Daiku-san - Carpenter 
12 Kamishibai - Storry teller bike 
13 Gyozui - Outdoors bath 
14 Gyunyuya - Bicycle milk seller 
15 Yakiimoya - Sweet potato cart 
16 Odenya - Oden cart 


Fujimi

Horyuji Yumedono 1/150 scale
Horyuji 5 story pagoda 1/150 scale (21.3cm high)
Horyuji Kon Doh 1/150 scale
Kinkakuji (Golden Temple) 1/100 scale (15.8cm high)
Yomeimon 1/80 scale (15.8cm high)
Yakushiji to Toh (East Pagoda) 1/100 scale (36cm high)
Koufukuji (5 story pagoda) 1/100 scale (46.4cm high)
Uji Byodouin 1/150 scale (35.6cm long)
Izumo Taisha 1/100 scale (29cm high)
Tahou Toh 1/100 scale
Kiyomizudera 1/400 scale
Himeji Castle 1/300 scale (18cm long)
Shureimon 1/100 scale (8.1cm high)
Himeji Castle 1/850 scale
Osaka Castle 1/700 scale
Edo Castle 1/800 scale
Kumamoto Castle
Inuyama Castle 1/300 scale
Ogura Castle
Nagoya Castle 1/700 scale


Bandai

This company has produced a range of buildings to go with their 'shorty' range of train models. They are theoretically advertised as 'N' scale, but appear smaller when place with buildings from other manufacturers. The style is an older, often wooden, type of building, and the series is call 'My Home Town'. Each series has had 12 different buildings (sometimes the same type but different colours) except for series 1, which had 6 buildings and 12 buses in 2 types. Each item usually comes with some sort of accessory - figures, street lamp or electricity pole etc. This series started in 2003 and so far there have been  ...

Unfortunately, because of the way the hobby distribution system works, these items are not often carried by the model train dealers, and therefore can be hard to locate and purchase. Also once these sets are sold out, they are not re-run, and cannot be ordered again.


Happinet Robin

In April 2004, this strange sounding company produced a series of Showa era buildings, which consisted of 4 trams (2 x Toden 6000 series + 2x Enoden 600 series), 3 buildings (one type being a post office & a barber, and another type being an electrical appliance store) & a different secret building.

In August 2004 another series was released, this time with 2 different coloured Toden 6000 trams and 2 Hanshin trams, as well as 3 more shops (one of which was the same type as the secret version in the first series !!!!


Takara

As part of the Tomy empire, this series was only released in convenience stores in February 2004, and consisted of a square block of plastic with nice upper floor details but the ground floor was reproduced using colourful stickers. Even though they were 4 & 4 storey buildings with apartments on top of ground floor shops, the size was smaller than N scale, but could be used in the background to simulate perspective. There were 5 types of buildings with 2 variations of each, and the series consisted of stores like a fish shop, barber, dry cleaner, sweets shop, bar & stationery. One building came with a battery operated interior lighting kit, and the others included details so you could order more of these if you wanted them.

Apparently in July 2004 another series was released which included a 7/11 store and other shops. I have not seen these at all :-(


Whole page contents and images copyright Doug Coster 2007
E&OE - all details subject to change without notice. Details current at 17/11/2007.