The 11 essential things to do in Yokohama

Visit Yokohama, the great neighbor of Tokyo: find our selection of the 11 things to do!

Yokohama is a port city and the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. With more than 3.7 million inhabitants, it is the second most populous city in the country, behind the agglomeration of Tokyo. Its international port is considered to be one of the most important of the archipelago and represents most of its activity.

In the late 1850s, after two centuries of isolation, Japan signed a trade treaty with the Americans and Yokohama began to attract many foreigners. The village of Nippon then sees the activity of its port developing, its architecture metamorphosed and its center enriched considerably with the rise of international trade. Rich in this mix of cultures, its history and its proximity to the capital, Yokohama is an interesting step during a stay in the country of the rising sun!

What are you looking for in Yokohama? Find the must-sees of this modern, vibrant and innovative city both urban, societal and environmental!

1. Chinatown

Visit Yokohama necessarily involves a passage to ! Beginning around 1860, shortly after Japan’s reopening abroad, Yokohama’s Chinese quarter is now considered the largest of the Japanese archipelago and one of the largest in the world.

Four beautiful main doors provide access to this lively, colorful and popular neighborhood of the city that is full of Chinese shops, restaurants and shops, and houses some temples ( Masobyo and Kanteibyo ). Choose the pleasures by tasting Chinese specialties!

2. Minato Mirai 21 and his Landmark Tower

Business district Minato Mirai 21 translating itself to the Port of the Future of the 21st century, symbolizes the modernity of the city alone. It houses some of the best attractions to do in Yokohama, including:

• Landmark Tower, second highest skyscraper in Japan (296 meters)
• The Cosmo World family amusement park and its Cosmo Clock, a large giant wheel (112.5 meters) that serves as a clock
• The museum ship Nippon Maru, moored since 1984 in the port of the city
• Akarenga Sôkô or Red Brick Warehouse, a complex divided into a cultural place and a shopping center
• The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Yokohama
• The onsen Yokohama Minato Mirai Manyo Club, for a relaxing moment

3. Yamate

Perched on a hill, the old quarter Yamate which offers a breathtaking view of the bay and its port, is absolutely worth visiting in Yokohama. At the time of the deployment of international trade in the city, it was here that new foreign arrivals elected to their homes. It is therefore no wonder to fall on Christian churches, a Western cemetery and houses in the colonial style of the time (end of the nineteenth – early twentieth century) in the street Yamate-Hon-Dori . Moreover, the latter have been preserved, some transformed into museums, and can now visit.

4. Motomachi

Motomachi , at the foot of Yamate Hill, is a chic and commercial district created by the settlers. Composed of five streets of Japanese boutiques and Western influences, this street is ideal for satisfying all your shopping desires!

5. Yokohama Bay Bridge

What to do in Yokohama to take a full view of it? See you on Yokohama Bay Bridge (1989), passing through Tokyo Bay! This bridge offers a pedestrian walk (Skywalk of Yokohama) over 50 meters above the water, with a prime view of the bay and the Minto Mirai district.

6. Museums

Do you like museums? You should then be conquered by the great neighbor of Tokyo and its lot of museums of all kinds. From the fun museum of the Noodles Cup to the historic Marine Museum, everyone will find their account! What to do in Yokohama? Choose:

• The Noodle Cup Museum, dedicated to instant noodles and their creator
• The Marine Museum, which retraces the maritime history of the city
• The Hikawa Maru Museum, boat become symbol of the harbour city

But also: The Silk Museum, the Yokohama Art Museum , the Musée de la Poupée, the Hara Railway Model Museum, the Ramen Museum .

7. Parks and gardens

The many green spaces of Yokohama, which contrast with the industrial character of this large Japanese city, will allow you to alter between visit and relaxation. Here is a small selection of places and walks to make in Yokohama, all season:

• Traditional garden Sankei-en, recognized as “scenic beauty” by the Japanese government in 2007, houses a pond, tea houses and nearly 17 historical monuments.
• Kishamichi and Sakura-Dori, a street lined with cherry trees, is a long walk, formerly used as a railway, which connects Nippon Maru Memorial Park to the Shinko islet.
• The pier Osanbashi is an urban space designed to welcome the passengers of the cruise ships who accostent, as the visitors and inhabitants of the city looking for a pleasant walk.
• The seaside park Yamashita extends on the docks of the city, facing the museum paquebot Hikawa Maru.

8. The temples

As in all major Japanese cities, there are important temples in Yokohama such as Shômyô-ji and its garden, Jôdo teien, founded at the time Kamakura (1185-1333), south of the city; or Sôji-ji , temple of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism rebuilt in Yokohama following a fire, north of the city.

In addition to the colourful religious and cultural spaces of the Chinese quarter, Kanteibyo (1862), dedicated to the guard of Chinatown, and Masobyo (2006).

9. The Nissan stadium

Formerly Yokohama International Stadium, the Nissan has 72,327 seats, making it the largest stadium in Japan. It was in his enclosure that Brazil won the World Cup in 2002, in front of Germany. The stadium will host the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

10. Nightlife of Noge

Once the night has fallen, it is in the Noge district, in the heart of Yokohama, that everything is happening. Des izakayas , small Japanese bistros, combines foreign restaurants, bars and clubs, where locals and tourists mix to enjoy the unique atmosphere of the neighborhood.

11. Kamakura

If you have a little time left, continue your way to Kamakura , this charming seaside resort 30 minutes from Yokohama. Very appreciated by Tokyoites and foreign visitors, Kamakura is visiting for its Buddhist temples (Kotoku-in) and shinto shrines, or simply for its surf beach Yuigahama, in the bay of Sagami.

How to go to Yokohama?

Would you like to visit Yokohama? You will then have to fly to Tokyo Haneda International Airport (the Narita Airport being further away). Moreover, to prepare your trip, think of anticipation of your departure, especially by booking your flight in advance on flight comparisons: just like Ulysses , you will find tickets at the best price according to your departure dates. You can then reach Yokohama in 20 minutes if you opt for the car rental , otherwise special buses connect in 30 minutes.

Already at Tokyo ? Yokohama is available in about 30 minutes train with the line Toyoko , from Shibuya, with the lines Tokaido or Yokosuka , from Tokyo or Shinagawa stations, or with the line Shonan Shinjuku from Shinjuku or Shibuya.

Where to stay in Yokohama?

There is only to take a look at this Compare hotels to see that it is not difficult to find accommodation in this great modern city. But in which area to sleep to visit Yokohama? In Chinatown, close to many tourist attractions? Near the central station, in the dynamic Minato Mirai 21 or the oldest Sakuragicho? In Yamate or Motomachi, both quiet and lively neighborhoods that seduce both the premises and the tourists? Find our article “ In which quarter house in Yokohama? ” to prepare for your stay at best!