Japanese coffee shops not only cater to the caffeine cravings of the very busy (overworked) citizens, they also provide an illusion of calm in the noisy and 'light-noxious' concrete jungles. In Tokyo alone, specialty coffee shops gratify a vast array of subcultures and cliques that thrive in Japan's capital.
Curiously, however, there are only several well-known shops in the city that are well-known for combining books and caffeine. Coffee and literature are the hallmarks of sophistication. Visiting one of these shops is a great luxury addition to the succinct low-cost Tokyo itinerary.
Brooklyn Parlor
This shop is one of Tokyo's best cafes for book lovers. Owned by the renowned company called the Blue Note Tokyo, this coffee shop imitates the vibes of its namesake New York district. Three wall sections are made of shelves with an abundance of multi-various volumes. Other than coffee and snacks, this shop in Shinjuku district also serves its signature Brooklyn lager.
Blue Books Cafe
Another shop owned by Blue Note Tokyo, this café for book lovers differs from its sister shop in terms of design and placement. Blue Books Café is a basement coffee shop, smaller and relatively cozier in terms of interior sound ambiance - hence a more conducive place for reading. This café in Jiguyaoka district also has a lesser selection of books.
Anjin
Located on the second floor of Tsutaya Building in Shibuya district, this is one of the Japanese coffee shops that perfectly combine traditional Japanese interior design with posh Western accouterments. Anjin boasts a very wide selection of rare books, high-tech Ipad menus and first class barista and waiter service.
Rainy Day Cafe
Among Tokyo's best cafes, this place proves to be one of the hardest to locate. However, the Rainy Day Café is definitely everything one would expect for a booklover's quiet lounge. Like a stringent library, its interiors block all mobile phone signals.
Paperback Cafe
What makes this place a genuine café for book lovers has a lot to do with its location. Jimbocho neighborhood is famous for selling used books. Paperback Café is stationed in a bookstore that is almost 100 years old. Like an alternative library, this place is an ideal lounge for those who are grappling with heavy writing drudgery (e.g. novel, report, etc).
