HOKKAIDO, Feb. 25 — FRP Uchiyama, a firm in Obihiro, Hokkaido, manufactures life-size cow statues displayed at tourism ranches and dairy-related events.
It has so far sold more than 100 statues across the country.
Some of the statues are also used at livestock farming schools as learning material to practice taking care of cows including milking and calving.
The statues, made of fiber reinforced plastics (FRP), are lightweight, strong and highly water-resistant.
They come in three breed type designs — Holstein, Wagyu and Jersey. The statue of an adult Holstein cow appears big and powerful, measuring 90 centimeters wide, 245 cm long and 170 cm high.
JA Shihoro, an agricultural cooperative in the town of Shihoro, Hokkaido, covering Hokkaido’s Tokachi region including Obihiro, is known for marketing Shihoro Beef, a brand of Holstein bulls fattened in the region.
Two Holstein cow statues made by FRP Uchiyama are displayed at JA Shihoro’s memorial hall, letting visitors see them up close and feel the sheer size of the structures.
“We are making the statues with particular care to accurately depict the Holstein cows’ body shape,” said Hiroshi Uchiyama, 56, who heads FRP Uchiyama.
“We hope to support dairy farmers nationwide with our cow statues.”
Hiroshi Uchiyama polishes a completed cow statue in Obihiro, Hokkaido.