Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on May 2013

These stuffed toys are shaped after the four-legged concrete structures that form breakwaters on Japan’s coastlines. The Tetogurumi gets its name from a conflation of tetrapod and nugurumi (soft toy), and is suitable for manly men because of its neutral non-kawaii form, its usability as a head rest and because it could look like a woman in an inviting posture if you squint a little. Made from polyester, felt and cotton, these cuddly toys are a lot safer than the real thing, which has been lambasted for its tendency to disrupt natural cycles of erosion. Another item in the line of cuddly architectural features is the “Damgurumi,” or cuddly dam.

Available from Village Vanguard and other stores in mini (12cm; ¥1,575); middle (25cm; ¥2,940) and deka (38cm; ¥7,350), and in both light and dark gray.