Sweet Transit: Japan’s Cute Fruit-Shaped Bus Stops

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The fourteen bus stops take the forms of five different types of fruit: watermelon (3), strawberry (3), orange (3), muskmelon (3), and tomato (2). The route National Highway 207 takes as it scenically skirts the Ariake Sea is mainly free from urban/suburban sprawl, helping the bus stops retain their essential charm and avoid being overshadowed by subsequent development.

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The stops have no moving parts to break down and require little to no maintenance – no more, really, than a standard bus stop (cleaning, sweeping out leaves and debris, etc).

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Inside, the stops feature a circular floor plan with a continuous shelf running along the structure‘s inner shell featuring round individual seating areas.

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Many of the stops have standard benches installed just outside; presumably this allows travelers to enjoy the fresh air and gorgeous scenery along the Ariake Sea coastline. Hard to explain the reasoning which led to the bench above practically blocking the entrance of this orange bus stop while being shaded from the sun. The better to see oncoming buses, perhaps? If so, then this would indicate a minor design flaw: the windows may be too small, or bus drivers can’t see if any potential riders are waiting at the stop.