Though apparently unconnected to the National Police Agency, I found a site called "Koban KOBAN Bulletin Board" (http://www.atlas-web.com/cgi-bin/fudo35/fudo.cgi?). Fans post photos of koban nationwide with comments. Enthusiasts exist in every world. On January 16 this blog featured the old Takebashi koban (now Takebashi Community Safety Center) west of Palaceside Building — shaped like an officer's cap. Maybe posting it would get a reaction... just kidding.
The board features many distinctive koban: Ginza 1-chome with a gas-lamp-shaped roof near Kyobashi; Suitengu-mae with a shrine-like entrance (Tokyo); Hamamatsu Castle Park modeled on a castle (Shizuoka); Iga Marunouchi inspired by ninja houses (Mie); Motomachi in Western-style (Kobe); Takachiho-dori in Miyazaki shaped like a rocket, and more.
One favorite is Yamashita-cho koban at the entrance to Yokohama Chinatown. A large landscape relief covers the entire second-floor facade — photo top — depicting a Chinese mountain temple, very fitting for Chinatown (photo bottom: full view from the koban homepage). The site notes it sits at the entrance to Japan's largest Chinatown and on holidays is so busy with directions and lost-and-found that officers barely have time to sit.
"Good Tokyo" also has a page on koban architecture (http://www.ee-tokyo.com/kenzoubutsu-2/kouban/kouban.html) featuring unique Tokyo koban.
Look closely and you may find surprises. Why not study your local koban — koban enthusiasm?!
