Tokyo Love Hotel

Song by Rina Sawayama

"**Tokyo Love Hotel**" is the eleventh track from Rina Sawayama's debut album, *Sawayama* (2020). Written by Sawayama, Lauren Aquilina, and Oscar Scheller, and produced by Clarence Clarity, the song is about, in Sawayama words, "people's obsession with Japanese culture that hardly ever extends to the welfare of the people who live there."

## Background

Sawayama debuted "Tokyo Love Hotel" live on 27 March 2019 for AMP London. She wrote the song because she was getting frustrated by people "having casual sex" with Japanese culture.

> I'd just come back from a trip to Japan and witnessed these tourists yelling in the street. They were so loud and obnoxious, and Japan's just not that kind of country. I was thinking about the [upcoming 2021] Olympics. Like, "Oh god, the people who are going to come and think it's like Disneyland and just trash the place." Japanese people are so polite and respectful, and I feel that culture in me.
>
>

On the song title, Sawayama explained, "There are places in Japan called love hotels, where people just go to have sex. You can book the room to simply have sex. I felt like these tourists were treating Japan as a country or Tokyo as a city in that way. They just come and have casual sex in it, and then they leave. They'll say, 'That was so amazing, I love Tokyo,' but they don't give a shit about the people or don't know anything about the people and how difficult it is to grow up there."

## Live performances

"Tokyo Love Hotel" is part of the regular set list of the Dynasty Tour, which began on 8 November 2021 in Dublin, Ireland.

## Lyrics

(Tokyo)

(Tokyo)

(Tokyo) People don't know what they're taking until it's gone

You got that something that everyone wants

You got that movie star glow

You got them askin' to have you on their skin

Even though they don't know

They don't know you like I know you, no, they don't

Use you for one night and then away they go

Thought I was original, but after all

I guess this is just another song 'bout Tokyo (東京)

I don't wanna check into the Tokyo Love Hotel

I just want your love all to myself

Everybody's staying at the Tokyo Love Hotel

I just want your love all to myself

Tokyo

Tokyo

Tokyo

I guess this is just another song 'bout Tokyo

I know there's nothing that I could say

That hasn't already been said

You got that neon lights, Golden Gai

Falling for a stereotype

Has it all gone to your head?

'Cause they don't know you like I know you, no they don't

Use you for one night and then away they go

All that love for you is simply just for show

I guess this is just another song 'bout Tokyo (東京)

I don't wanna check into the Tokyo Love Hotel

I just want your love all to myself

Everybody's staying at the Tokyo Love Hotel

I just want your love all to myself

Tokyo (I just want your love)

Tokyo (All to myself)

Tokyo

I guess this is just another song 'bout Tokyo, ooh

If you've been through what I have

Then you know what is true love

Yes, I see, yeah, I see it now (Yeah, I see it now)

All the years figuring out

Spent my life shutting you out

Yes, I see, yeah, I see it now

Yeah, I see it now

I don't wanna check into the Tokyo Love Hotel

I just want your love all to myself (All to myself)

Everybody's staying at the Tokyo Love Hotel

I just want your love all to myself

Tokyo

Tokyo

(Tokyo) Yeah, your fascination's my world

(Tokyo) Yeah, your fascination's my world

(Tokyo) Yeah, your fascination's my world

(Tokyo) Yeah, your fascination's my world

(Tokyo) Yeah, your fascination's my world

(Tokyo) Yeah, your fascination's my world

(Tokyo)

(Tokyo)

(Tokyo)

## References

1. ↑ "Rina Sawayama Tokyo love hotel live". YouTube (30 March 2019). Retrieved on June 28, 2021.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Rina Sawayama – Tokyo Love Hotel Lyrics". Genius. Retrieved on July 1, 2021.
3. ↑ "SAWAYAMA by Rina Sawayama on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved on July 1, 2021.