A Triangular Building with a 20-Degree Angle
It's a five-story structure with a basement, painted in bright yellow and orange. The bold colors stand out, but what really caught my eye was the shape. The building is a narrow triangle — so thin from certain angles that it barely looks like a building at all.
I took a closer look at the sharpest point. The wall there was only about 60 centimeters wide. Using Google Maps' aerial view, I measured the interior angle — it came out to just 20 degrees. The Nerima Triangle Building has five floors above ground and one basement level. Old signs show it used to house small bars.
Curious about what the inside of that narrow tip might look like, I took the opportunity to go in. The basement had been converted into a multipurpose rental space, so I was able to take a look around. Entrance to the basement rental area | Stairs leading to the basement
Just inside the door was a spiral staircase. It was steep and narrow, like something out of a cave or hidden passage. I carefully made my way downstairs, ducking my head as I went.
To my surprise, the space below was warm and inviting. It looked like it could comfortably host a small party of about five people. In the back, there was space for a fridge, a kitchen sink, a washing machine, and even a shower room.
"Please enjoy the space like your own secret base," said Mio Aoki, who manages the rental. The basement rental space. The space includes Wi-Fi and a projector.
I headed toward the narrowest part of the building. There, neatly tucked beneath the spiral stairs, was a toilet. According to floor plans I found on a housing website, it seems every floor has a toilet in the same spot. The toilet in the corner of the basement space.
The building is certainly one of a kind. I wondered what else it was used for beyond the rental space.
According to Aoki, the upper floors are occupied by residents. Before the basement was converted, it served as a storage area. Old signage on the side of the building suggests it once housed a snack bar or izakaya.
As for living in the basement, Aoki laughed and said, "That would take a bit of courage." From the front, it looks like a relatively normal building.
( Read the article in Japanese . )
Author: Ikue Mio, The Sankei Shimbun
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