Yokohama (Tokyo area)

THE CITY OF YOKOHAMA

Yokohama is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshū. The city is an important commercial hub of the Greater Tokyo Area. Yokohama's population of 3.6 million makes it Japan's largest incorporated city.

It is also a city of distinct neighbourhoods, including Chinatown, the historic Motomachi and Yamate districts, and the new seaside development of Minato Mirai 21. Yokohama's foreign population of nearly 75,000 includes Chinese, Koreans, Filipinos, and Brazilians. Among the attractions are festivals and events. Today it is one of its major ports along with Kobe, Osaka, Nagoya, Hakata, Tokyo, and Chiba.

Yokohama developed rapidly as Japan's prominent port city following the end of Japan's relative isolation in 1854. At the forefront of the Meiji restoration, the first train line in Japan connected Tokyo and Yokohama. However, Yokohama was devastated by the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. The city was devastated a second time during the air raids of the Second World War. After the war the occupation forces were initially based here but later moved down the coast to Yokosuka.

The late 20th century saw redevelopment of the harbour area, including some fancy skyscrapers, and in 2002 Yokohama hosted the finals of the FIFA World Cup.

THE PORT OF YOKOHAMA

The Port of Yokohama is the largest cruise harbour in Japan. It was opened in 1859 as Japan's first modern international trade at the end of the isolation period of Japan. The port is located within the Tokyo Bay and surrounded by a rich assortment of tourist attractions, both modern and cultural. The port plays a vital role as the gateway for metropolitan Tokyo as well as Eastern and Northern Japan.

Osanbashi Pier is the main international pier at the Port of Yokohama, located in Naka Ward, Yokohama, Japan. Osanbashi is the oldest pier in Yokohama, originally constructed between 1889 and 1896. Extensively rebuilt between 1987 and 2002, today the Osanbashi Terminal has been reborn as part of the high-tech Minato Mirai 21 waterfront restoration project.

TRANSPORT IN YOKOHAMA

Although trains are more convenient, Yokohama has an extensive bus network.
A special Akai-kutsu (red shoe) bus loops every 30 minutes during daytime through the tourist areas for ¥100/300 per ride/day pass.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN YOKOHAMA

The historic port area is Kannai. Next to the waterfront Yamashita Park is Yokohama Marine Tower, the tallest inland lighthouse in the world.

The small but fashionable Motomachi shopping area leads up to Yamate, or "The Bluff" as it used to be known, a 19th/early 20th century Westerners' settlement overlooking the harbour, scattered with foreigners' mansions.

One of the biggest and most beautiful Japanese gardens in Japan, Sankeien is also popular for its historical attractions, as it contains over a dozen ancient buildings which were salvaged from around the country and reconstructed in breathtaking landscape gardens at Sankeien.

Running from the futuristic Minato Mirai 21 district to the Yokohama waterfront, this promenade takes visitors past some of the liveliest attractions in the city, most notably the hip Red Brick Warehouses, where the most fashion-conscious locals dine in high-class restaurants and stylish boutiques.

Yamashita Park is Japan's first seaside park. It was created after the 1923 earthquake. The park is popular with locals as a recreational spot. The park is also home to a Silk Museum and a Yokohama Doll Museum. The Silk Museum is a delightful museum that portrays the role that silk has played in the history of Yokohama.

Hakkeijima Sea Paradise is a very popular attraction with children.  It is an amusement park/aquarium that offers a number of thrilling rides.

Yokohama has Japan's oldest and largest Chinatown district. Here visitors can enjoy hundreds of small restaurants offering Chinese cuisine. Many of the restaurants have been owned by the same family for generations, and they are generally very popular with locals. Kanteibyo, or the Kuan Ti Miao Temple, has been the spiritual heart of Chinatown ever since it was built in 1887. Kuan Ti Miao Temple is dedicated to Kuan Yu, a mythical hero from the legendary "Tale of Three Kingdoms".