Futaba Cake Building

Tokyo's largest birthday cake is something to see. Fseika (Public Domain)

Kichijōji, a neighborhood popular for shopping, leisure, and its close proximity to Inokashira Park, frequently tops lists ranking the most desirable places to live in Tokyo. Ride past the area on the Chūō line and you can catch a glimpse of one of its oddest attractions: a giant two-tier celebration cake perched on the roof of a confectionery college.

Established in 1987, Kichijōji Futaba Confectionery Vocational School offers courses to aspiring confectionery and pastry chefs, where they’ll learn to craft spectacular desserts and sweet treats. What better way to advertise the school than with an equally eye-catching cake sitting on the roof of the college directly facing passengers of the adjacent railway line?

The two-story cake comes complete with candles and strawberries, and is topped with a circular board featuring the Futaba school logo. A banner on the front of the cake reads “Confectionery and bakery department for those aiming to become a pâtissier or boulanger (1 year)”.

The cake underwent renovations and a repaint in 2014, which saw the candles change color from their original blue and pink stripes to solid colors, and the Futaba logo change from black to red.

Know Before You Go

The Futaba Cake Building was constructed to be seen from the adjacent railway line. Heading west on the Chūō line towards Mitaka Station, you’ll see the cake shortly after pulling out from Kichijōji Station, on the right-hand side.

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