The Library Hotel

Japan’s love of paper and the written word has seen the country’s “bookshops” flourish in unusual ways. Though some of the country’s regions have seen bookshops close their doors due to an ageing population & a youth moving to bigger cities, a movement to keep physical books alive has seen “unmanned” bookshops opening near train stations or bookshops renting “shelves” to locals to sell their own 2ndhand books and other bits and bobs; hotels & onsen ryokans throughout the country have started to curate their own “hotel libraries” for guests to enjoy, with works selected often celebrating the area or region and chosen by an acclaimed book lover from one of Japan’s famous remaining bookstores like Tsutaya.

Shiba Park Hotel (aptly nicknamed “The Library Hotel”) can be found in the Shiba area of Tokyo serving as a gateway to Edo’s rich history which was profoundly influenced by Tokugawa Ieyasu. Surrounding the hotel amidst all the other skyscrapers, one can still see and discover remnants of Japan’s cultural history and heritage. The iconic Zozoji Temple with Tokyo Tower in the background still lies impressively a short walk from the hotel; whilst the historic Takanawa Okido Ruins and Shiba Maruyama Kofun can be found a stone’s throw away.

INGLENOOKS (6F - 11F)

From floors 6 - 11, guests can discover charming little book nooks by each elevator. Dubbed “Inglenook” each little nook hopes to convey a cozy reading space with a “warm, comfortable atmosphere” where guests can discover books on specific topics. The 6F: Craft; 7F: Architecture, 8F: Photography, 9F: Travel; 10F: Fashion and finally Art can be found on the 11F.

DINNER at “THE DINING”

It was a rainy time when I stayed at Shiba Park Hotel, and when I mean rainy - it was bloody torrential! So we stayed in and decided to try their restaurant aptly named “The Dining” . Three cuisine dinner course types are available - Western, Chinese & Japanese courses. We, of course went for the Japanese course; of which 3 different tiers are available. If in Japan, I always, always choose the Japanese course (unless I’m specifically in a steak/italian restaurant etc)

The Chinese also has 3 different tier courses to choose from whilst the Western courses only have 2 tiers to choose from.

Out of the 3 Japanese “Hanasanshou” dinner course, we went for the middle tier (~ 11,000JPY per person) which consists of 8 dishes celebrating the seasonal ingredients & fresh produce. It was delicious and I was particularly pleased that our “main” rice dish was ‘chazuke” (tea poured over flavoured rice and ingredients) which is one of my utmost favourite Japanese comfort foods in cold, rainy weather.

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