Weathercock

What Weathercock does

Weathercock (株式会社ウェザーコック) is a privately held Japanese model-making design company incorporated on May 21, 1984 in Sapporo, Hokkaido, specializing in custom physical models — projection-mapping models, cultural-heritage replicas, dioramas, terrain and GIS-based models, large-scale sculptures up to 10 meters, mechanical automata clocks, animated models, corporate mascots and mascot costumes, and photo-spot installations. Its technical foundation combines artisan craftsmanship with digital fabrication: Rhinoceros/MAYA/Blender 3D CAD, two in-house NC machining centers (up to 2M), 10+ FDM and stereolithography 3D printers, a KEYENCE VL-700 3D scanner, and proprietary projection-mapping software branded P+MM (the '3D-fit' engine achieving 1-pixel registration on 3D surfaces). The Physical Photography Model technique is a registered trademark (2010-026030), and the Pasharium photo-spot line and its P+MM Projection Mapping Model are the signature commercial products.

The company sells exclusively through direct project-based engagement — quote-driven custom projects covering design, fabrication, and installation — with no e-commerce or resellers. Customer segments are vertical by design: museums and cultural/educational facilities (primary), local governments and public institutions (primary, including dioramas, tourist attractions, and disaster-evacuation visualizations), and enterprise/corporate clients (secondary, including automotive suppliers and construction/HVAC firms). Pricing is reference-based for Pasharium products (¥600k-¥880k per unit) and project-quoted for everything else.

Since October 2024 the firm has operated within the Yabushita Group following a business succession from founder Yamamoto to new Representative Director Yamazaki. It reorganized into three departments (Direction / Creative / Corporate), roughly doubled headcount from 12 to 24, opened a Tokyo office hosted in Yabushita's Tokyo branch, and relocated its Hokkaido headquarters to a ~600 sqm facility in Higashi-Sapporo roughly three times the prior footprint. As of April 2025 headcount stood at 24 with average age 37.9; capital is ¥10 million and revenue is undisclosed.

Name

Weathercock

Legal name

株式会社ウェザーコック

Website

https://weathercock.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Weathercock is a Sapporo-based, 40-year-old Japanese model-making design company that builds custom exhibition models — projection-mapping models, cultural-heritage replicas, dioramas, terrain models and photo-spot sculptures — for museums, local governments, and corporate clients, using in-house 3D CAD, CNC, 3D printing and proprietary P+MM projection mapping.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Exhibition and Scale Model Fabrication

NAICS

Interior Design Services (541410)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Event Fabrication & Scenic/Set Build (Custom Builds, Installations) (BPAFAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Event Design, Decor & Styling (HSACAAAB), Event Signage, Props & Custom Installations (HSACAOAG)

Keywords

• Exhibition model making
• Projection mapping models
• Cultural heritage replicas
• Diorama fabrication
• Terrain model production

Headquarters

HQ city

Sapporo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Custom Model Creation Services: Project-based custom model creation covering the full lifecycle from design to installation. Includes projection mapping models, cultural heritage replicas, dioramas, large display models, mechanical/moving models, mascot costumes, character figures, and mechanical clocks. Revenue is generated through one-off project fees negotiated per engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Weathercock designs and fabricates custom 3D physical models for museums, government facilities, and corporate clients in Japan. Core offerings include projection mapping models (P+MM) with proprietary 3D-fit technology, museum-quality cultural heritage replicas, diorama and terrain models, large-scale sculptural models, mechanical automata clocks, mascot costumes, and GIS data processing services as an authorized agent of the Remote Sensing Technology Center.

Product overview

Weathercock is a 3D modeling and sculpture company offering a portfolio of custom physical models centered on its proprietary P+MM (Projection Mapping Model) technology. The core offering combines 3D models with high-precision projection mapping using the '3D fit' software. Supporting products include the Pasharium (3D photo spot) line for tourism, physical photograph terrain models, dioramas, terrain models, cultural heritage replicas, large-scale sculptures, architectural models, moving/animated models, mascot costumes, and custom mechanical automata clocks. Services include GIS data processing as an authorized agent. The company serves museums, cultural institutions, corporations, and tourism facilities throughout Japan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 40 years of continuous operation in exhibition model and replica production
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Mizumaru Kazuki (水丸和樹)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Mizumaru Kazuki, an MITOH Creator (未踏ereau) and representative director of Mazure Miru Co., Ltd., serves as a Weathercock board member. He actively participates in Weathercock's monthly 'Explosive Prototyping Meetings' (爆速試作会議) and contributes cross-disciplinary technical collaboration, bridging software, hardware, and 3D technology domains.
• Yabushita Group (ヤブシタグループ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Weathercock became part of the Yabshita Group in October 2024 as part of business succession arrangements. The affiliation provides Weathercock with access to Yabushita's Tokyo office space (hosting Weathercock's Tokyo office), strengthens governance with a Yabushita executive on Weathercock's board, and enables broader business collaboration within the industrial equipment/construction group.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tanseisha Co., Ltd. Tanseisha is Japan's leading museum/exhibition display design and production company. Already documented working with Weathercock on the Churui Naumann Elephant Memorial Museum project; it competes directly in museum dioramas, cultural-heritage replicas, and exhibition space design.
• Space Co., Ltd. (株式会社スペース): Space is a Tokyo-based exhibition, event, and spatial design company serving museums, brands, and corporate showrooms. Comparable in custom displays, exhibition environments, and integration of digital + physical media for institutional clients.
• Naiko Co., Ltd. Naiko is a Japanese exhibition and event space design company producing displays, exhibits, and signage for museums and corporate clients. Comparable in custom fabrication, exhibition design, and event installation work for institutional buyers.
• Nomura Kougeisha Co., Ltd. Nomura Kougeisha is a Tokyo-based museum/exhibition display specialist. Already worked with Weathercock on the Matsumoto Castle town diorama. Directly comparable on museum dioramas, terrain models, and exhibition fabrication for public institutions.

Emerging players

• Takenaka Corporation (Architectural Models Division): Takenaka operates a large in-house architectural model workshop producing presentation models for its own construction projects. Comparable on architectural scale models and CNC/3D printing workflows, though its model shop serves primarily internal real-estate clients.
• Oriental Consultants Global Co., Ltd. Oriental Consultants is an infrastructure consulting firm that produces terrain and GIS-based physical models for government planning and disaster-preparedness projects. Comparable to Weathercock's PLATEAU/CEATEC P+MM work with PLATEAU data partners.

Broad incumbents

• Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP): DNP operates a Spatial Design division producing museums, exhibitions, and immersive environments using printing, digital signage, and projection technologies. Comparable at the intersection of physical models and digital display but at much greater scale.
• GK Design Group: GK Design is a major Japanese industrial, communication, and spatial design firm with work in environmental graphics, signage, and exhibition design. Overlaps with Weathercock on signage/props and exhibition design for institutional clients.
• Toppan Holdings Inc. Toppan is a large diversified conglomerate whose Spatial Design business designs museum, exhibition, and digital signage installations. Overlaps with Weathercock on cultural-property and exhibition fabrication but serves a far broader portfolio of communications clients.

Others

• Mori Building Co., Ltd. (Sales Gallery Model Operations): Mori Building operates high-end sales galleries with detailed architectural and urban models for Hills series developments. Adjacent to Weathercock's architectural-model capability but a real-estate end-user rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Weathercock