Capsule Hotels

Here the beds are built into the bookshelves. Guests climb into a sleeping nook set behind rows of spines, with a curtain for privacy and a reading light within reach.

The Kyoto branch of the Book and Bed chain opened in 2016, a few minutes on foot from Gion-Shijō station. Thousands of books line the walls, in Japanese and English, and the lounge is designed for reading late.

Bathrooms and washing areas are shared. It is a hostel-style stay at heart, closer to a sleepover in a library than to a hotel room, and it suits light packers with a book habit.

Call it a capsule with ambitions. The Millennials Shibuya has around one hundred and twenty smart pods across several floors, a short walk from Shibuya station.

Each pod is bigger than a classic capsule. The bed reclines into a sofa and lifts to reveal storage underneath, and lights and bed position are controlled from a device in the room. One floor is given over to pods with artwork by Japanese and international artists.

Downstairs, the lounge and co-working area run around the clock. Showers and bathrooms are shared, kept separate from the sleeping floors.

This is where the brand began. The Millennials opened in Kyoto before it moved to Tokyo, and the format here is the same: smart pods, shared bathrooms, a large common space.

Pods are designed for sleeping, sitting and working. Beds fold upright into a seat, storage hides underneath, and controls sit beside the pillow. The lounge does the rest of the work, with long tables and a kitchen for guests.

The location is central. Downtown shopping streets, the Kamogawa river and the Nishiki market area are close, so the pod is mostly for sleep.