Sleep Inside a Bookshelf at This Genius Hotel
Bibliophiles, rejoice! Cozy up surrounded by thousands of books in this pod hotel.
Imagine the beauty of falling asleep with not one book—but 5,000.
Book and Bed, a no-frills Tokyo hostel, first opened in 2015. Owned by R-Store and designed by the acclaimed Suppose Design, the hostelry now has four locations, with a fifth opening in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo this spring.
For less than $50 per night, visiting bibliophiles can sleep in simple larch-wood bunks tucked into a massive central bookshelf. Each cubby has its own Edison-bulb reading light, electrical outlet, a safe, and a curtain to close when you just can’t finish that last sentence. The hostel offers thousands of titles, from Manga to Murakami, including English translations of classic Japanese literature. [Read your way around the world with these 12 books.]
Guests enjoy free Wi-Fi, super-clean bathrooms, basic toiletries, and rentable towels. While you can’t buy the books, you can purchase Book and Bed’s popular striped pajamas, complete with a book-sized front pocket. And if you do find a title you can’t live without, chances are there’s a copy at trendy Shibuya Publishing & Booksellers (Book and Bed’s official library curator).
Related: World's Most Epic Libraries
Claustrophobics who can’t handle tiny bunking should stop by the lounge during afternoon hours. The TV-less common room is perfect for consulting helpful city guides, letting kids peruse the children’s section, or snagging some Internet-time.
Book a bunk at the Ikebukuro location for top-notch neighborhood ramen shops and a visit to Sky Circus observatory, Fukuoka for beaches and ancient castle ruins, or Asakusa for unbeatable proximity to Sensō-ji Buddhist temple and Suzukien’s addictive matcha gelato. Or opt for Kyoto to see cherry blossom allées, cushy moss gardens, and the city’s 17 UNESCO sites … that is if you can get your nose out of that book.
Freelance writer Cait Etherton studies for her M.F.A. in Poetry and Creative Nonfiction at Virginia Commonwealth University. Follow her travels on Twitter.
You May Also Like
Go Further
Animals
- This ‘saber-toothed’ salmon wasn’t quite what we thoughtThis ‘saber-toothed’ salmon wasn’t quite what we thought
- Why this rhino-zebra friendship makes perfect senseWhy this rhino-zebra friendship makes perfect sense
- When did bioluminescence evolve? It’s older than we thought.When did bioluminescence evolve? It’s older than we thought.
- Soy, skim … spider. Are any of these technically milk?Soy, skim … spider. Are any of these technically milk?
- This pristine piece of the Amazon shows nature’s resilienceThis pristine piece of the Amazon shows nature’s resilience
Environment
- This pristine piece of the Amazon shows nature’s resilienceThis pristine piece of the Amazon shows nature’s resilience
- Listen to 30 years of climate change transformed into haunting musicListen to 30 years of climate change transformed into haunting music
- This ancient society tried to stop El Niño—with child sacrificeThis ancient society tried to stop El Niño—with child sacrifice
- U.S. plans to clean its drinking water. What does that mean?U.S. plans to clean its drinking water. What does that mean?
History & Culture
- Séances at the White House? Why these first ladies turned to the occultSéances at the White House? Why these first ladies turned to the occult
- Gambling is everywhere now. When is that a problem?Gambling is everywhere now. When is that a problem?
- Beauty is pain—at least it was in 17th-century SpainBeauty is pain—at least it was in 17th-century Spain
- The real spies who inspired ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’The real spies who inspired ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’
- Heard of Zoroastrianism? The religion still has fervent followersHeard of Zoroastrianism? The religion still has fervent followers
Science
- Here's how astronomers found one of the rarest phenomenons in spaceHere's how astronomers found one of the rarest phenomenons in space
- Not an extrovert or introvert? There’s a word for that.Not an extrovert or introvert? There’s a word for that.
- NASA has a plan to clean up space junk—but is going green enough?NASA has a plan to clean up space junk—but is going green enough?
- Soy, skim … spider. Are any of these technically milk?Soy, skim … spider. Are any of these technically milk?
- Can aspirin help protect against colorectal cancers?Can aspirin help protect against colorectal cancers?
Travel
- What it's like to hike the Camino del Mayab in MexicoWhat it's like to hike the Camino del Mayab in Mexico
- Is this small English town Yorkshire's culinary capital?Is this small English town Yorkshire's culinary capital?
- Follow in the footsteps of Robin Hood in Sherwood ForestFollow in the footsteps of Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest
- This chef is taking Indian cuisine in a bold new directionThis chef is taking Indian cuisine in a bold new direction