Book and Bed Tokyo is a very well Instagrammed place. I have been admiring this concept of a hostel in a book shop for quite some time. So, last night, as we only had one night in Tokyo, and because Super Sake Boy had vigilantly checked second party booking sites, we stayed.
Winding our way initially through Shinjuku station, and then through Kabukicho (Shinjuku’s red light district), on a very busy Saturday night was an adventure in itself. Shinjuku is definitely the party area of Tokyo, and everyone was in the mood. We stepped over one punter who had gone a bit too hard, a bit too early. Still in his suit, he was passed out on the side of the footpath. Everyone was politely stepping over him. I always notice that the attitude to alcohol here is different. Firstly, people who are drunk are rarely biligerent and violence is rare. This in turn means other people are not threatened and therefore, very accepting of others getting completely sozzled.
Book and Bed is on the 8th floor of a building that houses mainly VR gaming centres. We took the lift up and the doors opened on a very, very funky and very chilled space. It was Tokyo cool. Concrete, plywood and very groovy, laid back staff. We instantly liked the space. Shared bathrooms, with usual Japanese cleanliness, and open, shared, book case space and a cafe. Lots of photography books, Japanese magazines and some English books, too. We got ourselves settled and set out for an adventure. Super Sake Boy is going to write the report on our evening in Omoide Yokocho (Piss Alley).
We slept in the bookcase, in a little pod, with a futon, a small shelf, a safe, a light and a double power point. Our bags tucked under the bed and we had two curtains to maintain our privacy. It was very cosy, but we had ample room. This was seriously a great option for staying in Tokyo. Around $85AUD for the two of us for the night, it was a bargain and an experience. The coffee in the little cafe space, overlooking Shinjuku station, this morning, was, perhaps, the best I have ever had in Tokyo. I loved this experience, and our night in Tokyo was an excellent beginning to our cheeky week escape in Japan.
I want to recommend Time Was Soft There–it is a book about the Shakespeare and Co bookstore in Paris and the people who slept there amongst the books.
Looks like it met all the expectations! What a funky place to stay.
It was really very cool, Shelley…. 😎