‘Higashi Sanchome Toilet’ by Product Designer Nao Tamura
Public toilets are often overlooked, yet they play a crucial role in shaping how people experience a city. In Tokyo, a groundbreaking initiative ‘The Tokyo Toilet’ — has redefined what public sanitation can be, combining architecture, accessibility, and social responsibility into spaces that are both functional and beautiful.
Japan’s leading architects were invited to redesign public toilets in Shibuya. And one of them is Nao Tamura, whose approach shows how even the most everyday spaces can be elevated through care, clarity, and respect for users. Nao Tamura realized that a comfortable experience consists of 3 aspects — safety, privacy and urgency.
Given the opportunity to live in New York, she witnessed the LGBTQ+ community living in alignment with their sexual identities. While working on this public toilet located on a small triangular lot in Shibuya, she imagined a more inclusive society — one that welcomes the LGBTQ+ community and creates safe spaces where individuals can feel seen, respected, and free to be themselves.
Safe, Open, and Inclusive Space
Drawing layout of ‘Higashi Sanchome Toilet’ project in Higashi
Image Credit : Copyright © Shibuya City / The Nippon Foundation
Located on a narrow triangular plot beside the railway in Higashi Sanchome, Tamura’s design started with a simple insight; that everyone needs a restroom, regardless of age, gender identity, nationality, or background.
Drawing inspiration from ‘origata’, the traditional Japanese art of gift-wrapping, she created a structure that feels inviting and thoughtful — like a carefully wrapped present for the city, symbolizing hospitality and care for visitors around the world.
Design That Respects Every User
Overall design of the ‘Higashi Sanchome Toilet’ project in Higashi
All images in this article are sourced from The Tokyo Toilet project, © Shibuya City / The Nippon Foundation
To respond to these needs, the ‘Higashi Sanchome Toilet’ is divided into three distinct spaces — a universal toilet, a men’s section, and a women’s section — each designed to feel comfortable and intuitive.
The bright red exterior not only makes the structure easy to spot in the urban environment, but also carries cultural meaning: in Japan, red is traditionally a colour that symbolizes protection and good fortune.
More Than a Restroom
Toilet layout of the ‘Higashi Sanchome Toilet’ project in Higashi
All images in this article are sourced from The Tokyo Toilet project, © Shibuya City / The Nippon Foundation
What makes the ‘Higashi Sanchome Toilet’ special isn’t just its striking design — it’s what the design represents.
Inside, the facility includes features that accommodate people with different needs, such as accessible toilets, baby care rooms, and priority facilities for elderly visitors.
Nao Tamura’s ‘Higashi Sanchome Toilet’ stands out not just for its appearance, but for what it stands for: accessibility, community, and creativity. She envisioned a society where everyone can live authentically and be accepted as they are. By creating a space that feels safe, thoughtful, and welcoming, she turned an everyday necessity into a small yet powerful symbol of inclusion.
Disclaimer: This article includes references to publicly available information and images from The Tokyo Toilet project — an initiative by the Nippon Foundation and Shibuya City. To explore all unique toilet designs and learn more about the initiative, please visit the official website : https://tokyotoilet.jp/en/
