A Perfect Weekend in Tokyo, Per It-Girl Rina Sawayama

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by Condé Nast Traveler editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, Condé Nast may earn an affiliate commission.

If you want to do Tokyo right, do it like Japanese-British popstar Rina Sawayama. Born in Japan, raised in the UK, and just back from a two-year stint living in Tokyo, Sawayama knows that the city has more than one side—and she takes advantage of each of them. After all, Tokyo is the place where you can go from zenning out in a beautiful homeware store or headspa to dancing in the face of a perfectly calibrated sound system until way too late. “I still can’t put my finger on it,” Sawayama says when asked about the singular quality that defines the city, where she says a meal out can look like farm-to-table pizza (“the best place to eat pizza outside of Italy is Japan” Sawayama says), or a late-night stumble into convenience store Family Mart for its “so crispy” fried chicken. It’s also, if you can believe it, a place where you can find serenity. “It’s a lot of people, it’s very, very populated, but Tokyo is peaceful,” Sawayama swears.

Over the years, Sawayama has maintained an ever-growing Google Map layer with her favorite places, from vintage shops to “hidden spots” for discreet cocktails. Perhaps it’s no wonder she is the first-ever brand ambassador for Haku, House of Suntory’s rice-derived vodka brand, which she uses to mix briny martinis just like her favorite go-tos in Tokyo. We wanted a peek at the places she has starred, and keeps returning to.

Below, Sawayama shares her favorite haunt for a perfect weekend in Tokyo—”with the best martinis” she’s ever tried included.

Where does your perfect weekend in Tokyo begin?

I would start going to Pizza 4P’s in Azabudai Hills in Tokyo. It’s really hard to get a reservation, and you need to call ahead. It’s farm-to-table pizza, and their burrata pizza is incredible. They also have a nori [seaweed] one that is really, really good. A lot of people who love pizza know this, but the best place to eat pizza outside of Italy is Japan. Japanese people just take things to the next level.

After a long dinner, I would go to Tremolo, which is a karaoke bar with an open space where lots of people are singing together. I’ve had really great nights there. After that, I would end up at my friend’s club called HVEN [pronounced heaven]. It’s a small club, but it’s got the most amazing sound system. It doesn’t feel too loud, but it’s very punchy and very, very crisp sound. I’m an AV geek, so that stuff matters to me. I’d probably go to 7/11 afterwards.

What’s your late-night convenience store haul usually looking like?

Actually, I would go to Family Mart and get the Famichiki—like “Family Chicken.” It’s a karaage [fried chicken]. So, so good and also so bad for you. I don’t know how they make it so crispy and juicy, but when you’re pissed, it’s perfect. I get that and Ukon drink which is a ginseng drink in a little glass bottle. I’ll chug that and a Pocari Sweat, which is a rehydration drink, and the next day I don’t have a hangover.

What does a slow weekend morning look like after a great night out?

There’s this tofu restaurant called Sorano—there’s one in Shibuya, and one in Ebisu—and they serve tofu in so many different ways. It has a very peaceful interior, and so I’ll eat there. Something gentle on the stomach. If I were really going to indulge myself, I would go to a head spa. I don’t think I’ve found “the one” yet to recommend, but definitely a head spa.

I also love walking around malls. Japan does malls really well, like Ginza 6, though you can even just go to Muji or Tokyo Hands.

Are you a coffee or matcha drinker?

Both. My favorite matcha is at Wasachi in Roppongi, and the owner Takuma is actually one of the first friends I made when I moved to Tokyo. I just found Wasachi on Google and it looked amazing, so I went and we started talking—funnily enough, Anna Sawai did ‘A Day in the Life’ for Vogue, and she also went to Wasachi. It’s the best matcha latte you’ll ever have. You can buy the matcha there as well, and I’ve gifted it to a lot of people.

Whenever you return to Tokyo, what do you fill your suitcase with?

I’m really into stationery. I’m very particular about pens. Go to Itoya in Ginza: It’s eight floors of stationery. Actually, that’s also a place I’d go if I were hungover. Having lived in Tokyo for two years, I have maxed out my stationery. I’ve got my holy grail items. I like thick ballpoint pens, like a 1.0 ballpoint pen. I love a pen, I love a journal. I just fucking love stationary.

When you’re writing music, do you ever go ballpoint pen and paper?

Weirdly, never. When I’m writing music, it is the Notes app on my laptop. But I journal a lot. I write poetry in notebooks. But I never write songs on paper. The songwriting process doesn’t start in the studio for me—it’s the journaling, so I’ll go back to my journal and go through it, and I’ll even highlight stuff that I think is significant.

I guess that’s why living life is really important [as a musician], because you live life, you experience, you feel things, you get your heart broken, you journal, then you go to the studio.

Where do you go in Tokyo to get fully lost in music—whether it’s late at night or otherwise?

My favorite karaoke spot, other than Tremolo, is Rainbow Karaoke in Shibuya. It’s just really clean. I always take my friends there if they’re in town, and they have a great time. And I will frequently go by myself, get a room, and just sing it out. It’s a really good stress release.

You’ve always had great style. Are there fashion brands or shops you always go back to?

Some of the most experimental fashion brands in the world come from Japan. There are the flagships for Comme des Garçons, Yohji Yamamoto, Junya Watanabe; Gr8 is a really incredible concept store, a little more street style, and it’s been around for a long time in Harajuku.

The vintage is incredible in Japan. Ragtag is a really accessible, amazing second-hand clothes shop. Also, Brand Off. There’s a place called Brand Collect Vintage in Omotesando, which has incredible bags—obviously, if you want a Birkin or a Chanel bag, Tokyo is the place to go. There’s also Casanova vintage in Ginza, Amore vintage in Aoyama.

Your best tip for vintage shopping in Tokyo?

Just don’t go somewhere that has no reviews. They’re usually fake. I use Google Maps to check reviews for shops. But separately from the clothes, if you’re gonna look for food recommendations, I would get Tablelog, which is more accurate. Japanese people are quite savage with the reviews, so if anything’s above a 3.5 on Tablelog, then it’s really good.

Any other must-buys?

There’s a place called Kimura Glass that is amazing. They do incredible barware. I was at Bar Legacy in Shibuya and they also had amazing barware, which they told me was from Kimbera Glass. It’s actually more affordable than Waterford or other crystal.

Speaking of bars, you’re the current ambassador for Haku. Where do you love to get a great cocktail?

There’s a place called SG Club and it’s quite lively there. They have a tomato basil martini [in their basement bar Sip], which is pretty cool. Ishinohana in Shibuya is amazing, and then Bar Legacy has the best martinis I’ve ever tried. Both their gin and vodka martinis are phenomenal. I’m not really into really sweet cocktails, but they made me an “Italian martini” and it was a truly incredible pistachio martini. They make a dashi martini as well, which my cocktail with Haku is inspired by.

Originally Appeared on Condé Nast Traveler