In this day and age, if you want to know something, you can search for it right away, and you can easily access an abundance of information. Although the world has become convenient, it can sometimes feel a little dull. If you shift your gaze from the screen of your device to the letters dancing on paper, you may come across many words you never thought of.

You can enjoy the unexpected encounter of books and coffee at "Books and Coffee Fukuro Shosabo" on the 4th floor of Esola Ikebukuro, a commercial facility directly connected to Ikebukuro Station on the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line. Ikebukuro Station is a place where many people, including students, office workers, and tourists, come and go, but here you can enjoy a peaceful time that is far removed from the impression of a bustling city.

A world of fairy tales? The rows of "Fukuro Bunko" books are captivating

Once you pass through the entrance, you'll find yourself in a bookstore straight out of a fairy tale, with books of all different sizes lined up on the wooden shelves.

The books here are named "Fukuro Bunko" and are all wrapped in the same design of book jacket, hiding the title, author's name, and cover. Instead, the book jacket contains information about the book's appeal. Customers go on a journey to find the one book that is destined for them, relying on this limited information.

Fukuro Bookshop was born from the meeting of two people who love coffee and books.

Fukuro Shosabo was opened in 2017 as a collaboration between Doutor Coffee Co., Ltd. and Kyohei Yanagishita, owner of the bookstore "Kamome Books." Doutor Coffee was founded in 1962 and is extremely particular about and proud of the taste of its coffee, while Yanagishita is an editor and publisher with an unwavering love for books. Yuko Maekawa, public relations officer for Doutor Coffee, told us that when the two met, a new kind of book cafe was born.

"We have prepared 1,231 special books carefully selected by Mr. Yanagishita, and each book has a number. It was Mr. Yanagishita's idea to allow people who can't decide which book to buy to pick up a book with the same number as their birthday."

The book jacket also includes a recommendation for the next book to pick up depending on the feeling you get after finishing the book. Readers can continue enjoying their reading journey by following the recommendation. Fukuro Shosabo is packed with all kinds of ingenuity and playfulness.

Expressing the world of the story through aroma and taste. A strong commitment to coffee

The signature menu item, "Fukuro Blend," is an original blend made with specialty coffee. It's not too bitter but has a rich taste, so even those who don't like black coffee can fully enjoy it, a flavor that can only be found here. Just like the books, Fukuro Shosabo is also particular about its coffee.

"Coffee has different flavors and aromas depending on the origin of the beans and the degree of roasting, and you can create even more variety by blending them together. It's important to be able to provide a consistent flavor, like the Dotour Coffee Shops we have nationwide, but here we use specialty coffee and provide a full service so that customers can relax and enjoy a book. It's a lot of fun for us at Dotour to explore new coffee flavors that are different from what we've had before."

The "Book and Coffee Set", which is sold in limited quantities each month, is also popular. It comes with a bound book and a coffee blend that matches it. You can look forward to what words and flavors you will encounter after ordering.

Fukuro Shosabo, a beloved and relaxing place where people say "I'll come here"

▲There are window seats where you can immerse yourself in reading, bright sunny areas, and comfortable sofa seats...
One of the charms of Fukuro Shosabo is that you can enjoy different comforts depending on the seat you sit in.

In Ikebukuro, there are many owl-themed objects in the area, which is a reference to the area's name. Fukuro Shosabo is also based on the concept of owls, which is a reference to the area's character. The Fukuro Bunko books are wrapped in bags, which is similar to the pronunciation of the word "Fukurotoji".

"It was a new challenge for our company, but even now, seven years after opening, we are loved by many customers who visit not just because they're stopping by somewhere, but because they're the ones who come here. I think it's because we're in a town where people of all ages and genders gather that we've been accepted as a place where people can sit down and enjoy a book and a cup of coffee."

Fukuro Shosabo is a unique place that lovingly brings you the unexpected encounter of books and coffee. When you visit, please don't hesitate to pick up a book that catches your eye. The intuition you get from this experience will be your guide to a rich journey of time.

本と珈琲 梟書茶房
電話：03-3971-1020
住所：東京都豊島区西池袋1-12-1 Esola(エソラ)池袋 4F
アクセス：
東京メトロ有楽町線池袋駅直結
HP：https://www.doutor.co.jp/fukuro/
SNS：https://www.instagram.com/fukuroshosabo/

*For details on business hours and holidays, please check the link above.