Yokohama walking tour & city guide

Minato Mirai and the waterfront

Minato Mirai 21 is Yokohama's futuristic harbor district, built on reclaimed land. The Landmark Tower, the giant Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel and modern shopping centers line the bay, and at night the whole area glitters with reflections on the water, especially around the Christmas illuminations.

A waterfront promenade leads to the Red Brick Warehouses, early 20th-century customs buildings now filled with shops and event spaces, and on to Osanbashi Pier, whose wooden, wave-shaped deck offers one of the best views of the skyline. Yamashita Park stretches along the shore with the historic ocean liner Hikawa Maru moored nearby.

Chinatown and old Yokohama

Yokohama Chinatown is the largest Chinatown in Japan, with colorful gates, temples and hundreds of restaurants and food stalls selling steamed buns and dumplings. The Kanteibyo temple, dedicated to the Chinese hero Guan Yu, is richly decorated.

Up on the Bluff (Yamate), Western-style houses and the Foreign General Cemetery recall the foreign merchants who settled here in the 19th century. The old Noge district, by contrast, is a maze of tiny bars and izakaya loved by locals.

Visiting tips

Yokohama is easy to visit as a day trip from Tokyo, but staying for the evening is worth it for the night views. The Cup Noodles Museum, where you can design your own instant noodle cup, is a fun stop for all ages. Sankeien, a large traditional garden with historic buildings, is beautiful in spring and autumn.