Bunkitsu (文喫) in Tokyo’s Roppongi neighborhood is a bookstore that stocks more than 30,000 titles. It also features something else: an admission fee. It costs 1,650 yen (USD $10.50) on weekdays and 2,530 yen ($16) on weekends. There’s also a “morning stroll” option for weekday AM that’s only 1,100 yen ($7).

It may seem outrageous to North Americans and Europeans to charge admission to a bookshop, but in crowded Tokyo it grants you access to an attractive, quiet 90-seat space in the city where you can hang out all day if you choose. Contrast that to the atypical book/cafe in Tokyo where you’re often limited to a two-hour maximum stay. Even in spaces that don’t impose a time limit, you may be made to feel guilty taking up limited space for longer than that.

Bunkitsu is divided into several areas, including a long row of lantern-lit desks with plenty of space to spread out and either read or work. Every seat has power outlets for plugging in a laptop, phone, or tablet.

The price of admission also includes free unlimited coffee or tea. You can also purchase more expensive drinks a la carte.

You can bring your own books to read or check out a new title in the bookstore. They also have an enormous selection of magazines to browse.

Other book cafes around Tokyo have also jumped on the pay-to-stay concept. Mori No Toshoshitsu in Shibuya offers food and drinks (including cocktails), a ton of books, and a flexible hourly charge system: 1,100 yen for an hour, 2,,200 for three hours, or 3,300 for all-day access with a free drink.