“Book and Bed is a Hostel in Tokyo where you sleep in cubbies tucked away among bookshelves.”

Book and Bed - Tokyo

The Japanese have always had a reputation for the weird and the wonderful and have always been the frontrunners in innovative design when it comes to offering accommodation on a miniature scale. Space is at a premium in Japan and Tokyo is a typical example of this; with a population of 9.24 million and covering 2,191 square kilometres the population density is an eye watering 6,158 persons per square kilometre.

Of course this means that Tokyo bound travellers are also limited when choosing somewhere to stay but who needs an entire suite of rooms when they can snuggle into a personal pod style bedroom that is hidden behind a bookshelf? Book and Bed describes itself as “an accommodation bookshop” with shared bathroom facilities and thirty bedrooms that have ” no comfortable mattresses, fluffy pillows nor lightweight and warm down duvets.” This may not sound the most luxurious of accommodation but it does fit in with the Japanese ethos of functionality.

There are 10 little spread rooms of 120cm x 200cm and 12 little tight rooms of 80cm × 200cm, where the extra 8 beds come from I have no idea but I am sure they are there somewhere. Each room is furnished with its own booklight, power outlet and free Wifi and there are roughly 1,700 books available for you to select and enjoy during your stay.

Book and Bed state that their rooms cost ¥4,500 (£27:95, $40:25) for the little spread rooms and ¥3,500 (£21:74, $31:31) for the little tight rooms (higher rates at weekends and holidays) which is very reasonable indeed for staying in Tokyo.

~ Shan Williams

Address: 1-17-7, Lumiere building 7th floor, Nishi Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku Tokyo

Website: www.bookandbedtokyo.com