Don’t miss visiting Yokohama while traveling in Tokyo
Are you planning to visit Tokyo? If so, don’t miss the chance to head south and visit her charming neighbor Yokohama. The second largest city in Japan, Yokohama lies on Tokyo Bay south of Tokyo in the Kanto region. It takes about 40 minutes from Shibuya station to get to Yokohama station by train. Read this article if you’d like to know what I, a native Japanese person who grew up in Yokohama, recommend to do in the port city. The following places range from popular tourist spots worth the hype to hidden gems only a local would know.
The history of Yokohama
Yokohama was a small fishing village before Japan opened up trade with other countries in 1859. After that Yokohama developed rapidly and became the leading city for foreign trade. Even today it continues to be a hub of foreign exchange.
In 2019, Yokohama celebrated the 160th anniversary of the opening of its port. Since the opening of the port in 1859, many foreigners have lived in Yokohama, therefore the city has a lot of Western influence. It was the first place in the country to establish a daily newspaper, install gas street lamps, and build a railway. Even now Yokohama remains a very international and innovative city in Japan. So don’t miss a chance to see what the lively seaside city of Yokohama has to offer. Here are 15 of the most interesting places to visit in Yokohama recommended by locals.
Why local people love to live in Yokohama
I was born and grew up in Yokohama and while I might be a bit biased I think Yokohama is a better place to live than Tokyo. First, you can get to Tokyo easily by train. Even though you live outside of the urban center, in an hour you can easily get to the central wards of Tokyo such as Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Roppongi. Second, there is more green than in Tokyo. Tokyo has some natural spaces depending on where you live, however, there are more parks, and vegetation throughout Yokohama and the air feels more crisp and fresh in comparison to the concrete jungle of Tokyo. At the very least you will feel less stressed about the density of people and buildings. In my opinion, living in Tokyo can be a bit overwhelming because there are so many people.
1) The Red Brick Warehouse
- Location on Google map: 14 min walk from Sakuragicho station or a 16 minute walk from Minato Mirai station
- Open: 10am – 7pm
One of the most popular spots to visit in Yokohama, the Red Brick Warehouse, was built as a model national warehouse between the late Meiji period to the early Taisho period (1868-1926 years.) No matter how the times earthquakes have hit the city or the feel of the city has changed, the warehouse has remained a symbol of Yokohama’s port for over 100 years after it was built. It has also retained its original appearance. There are many restaurants and stores in the warehouse and food trucks outside of the building when they’re hosting various events such as Yokohama Oktoberfest, music festivals, and Christmas markets.
2) Yokohama Cosmo World
- Location on Google map: 10 min walk from Sakuragicho station
- Open: 12pm – 8pm on weekdays, 11am – 8pm on weekends
- Non-business day: Every Thursday
This small amusement park is located in the middle of the city of Yokohama. There are actually 28 attractions including roller coasters, arcades, and a ferris wheel. Yokohama Cosmo World is the place to be at night, where the lights shine brightly in Yokohama Minato Mirai. Many couples visit to see the lights, especially during the Christmas season. The symbol of Yokohama is the ferris wheel Cosmo Clock 21, with its clock function, is a sight to behold! It is the shining jewel of the night view, and is a popular date spot. After enjoying a dinner date in Minato Mirai, take a ride on the ferris wheel and see all the lights in Yokohama from the air!
3) Yokohama Chinatown
- Location on Google map: 4 min walk from Motomachi-Chukagai station
Yokohama Chinatown is the best place to have a variety of Chinese food and sweets in Japan. There are many restaurants, ranging from long-established high-class locales to more modest eateries that offer take-out. Some of the most popular selections are dumplings, peking duck, chimera, xiaolongbao, Taiwanese shaved ice, egg tarts, shark fin soup, sweet red beans, and goma dango (fried sesame balls!) You’re bound to find something to sate your craving!
4) Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum
- Location on Google map: 4 min walk from Shin-Yokohama station
- Open: 11am – 9pm
At the Shin-Yokohama ramen museum you can try different varieties of ramen from all over Japan. The concept of the museum is a space where visitors can enjoy regional foods from renowned restaurants across Japan without ever stepping foot on a plane.The restaurants featured in the museum change regularly, so don’t hesitate to return, you will have a completely new dining experience.
5) Yokohama Landmark Tower
- Location on Google map: 4 min walk from Sakuragicho station
- Open: 11am – 8pm
The Yokohama Landmark tower is 296m tall and there are various facilities in the building. At the top of the building is the sky garden. For 1,000 yen you can go up to the sky garden and see a 360° panoramic view of Yokohama. If the sky is clear you might also see Tokyo Tower, Sky Tree and Mt. Fuji. It’s a wonderful view. If you buy an e-ticket here, you can get a discount.
6) Yamashita Park
- Location on Google map: 2 min walk from Motomachi-Chukagai station
Yamashita park is a romantic park with a view of the Bay Bridge. Along the shore their are many benches where people sit and watch the ships coming and going in the Port of Yokohama. Rubble from the earthquake of 1923 was used to fill the area where the park is now. The park is connected to the red brick warehouse by a walkway, so it is a great place for a picnic and walk.
7) Osanbashi International Passenger Boat Terminal
- Location on Google map: 14 min walk from Motomachi-Chukagai station
Osanbashi has the most superb view of the Minato Mirai cityscape. It’s a very popular spot for photos. You can also sit and watch the activity in the bay. The terminal is right next to Yamashita park, so you can easily walk to it from there. Don’t forget to come here and watch the firework shows in the summer. This is one of the best places to see fireworks in Minato Mirai and it’s very crowded on the event day. You need to come here really early and save a spot!
8) Yokohama Marine Tower
- Location on Google map: 2 min walk from Motomachi-Chukagai station
This tower is a symbol of the Port of Yokohama. It is located near Yamashita Park and functioned as a lighthouse in the past. In 2010, it was certified as a sacred place for lovers and became a popular place to take dates. The view of Yokohama Harbor and Minato Mirai from the observation deck, which is 100m above the ground, is beautiful and highly recommended. Furthermore, weddings can also be held on the observation deck, and the 360-degree view of the aisle makes for an excellent ceremony. Check out their website if you’re interested.
9) Yokohama World Porters
- Location on Google map: 13 min walk from Sakuragicho station
- Open: 10:30am – 9pm
Yokohama World Porters is the shopping mall located near Cosmo World and the red brick house. In addition to retail the mall has a wide variety of restaurants many of which offer international cuisine! At the food court in this mall, there is a Hawaiian Town where you can try a variety of Hawaiian foods, drinks, and sweets. You should definitely stop by during your exploration of Yokohama!
10) Yokohama Museum of Art
- Location on Google map: 11 min walk from Sakuragicho station
The Yokohama Museum of Art is one of the largest art institutions in Japan. In addition to the 3 story granite Grand Gallery, the museum features a total of seven gallery spaces, as well as a publicly accessible art information and media center that holds over 110,000 art-related books. There are workshops for children and adults hosted in the museum as well as art and cultural events.The museum’s collection focuses on modern and contemporary art created since the late 19th century, when the port of Yokohama opened, alongside many themed exhibitions. Currently the museum is closed due to renovations, however it will reopen in 2023. We can’t wait to see the new museum!
11) Nogeyama Zoo
- Location on Google map: 8 min walk from Sakuragicho station
- Open: 9:30am – 4:30pm
- Non-business day: Every Monday
The Nogeyama Zoo does not have an entrance fee. There are about 1,500 animals consisting of 100 species in this zoo. This zoo is small compared to some other zoos in Japan but it’s family friendly and still worth a visit if you enjoy animals.
12) Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise
- Location on Google map: 9 min walk from Hakkeijima station
- Open: 10am – 5pm
Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise is a marine leisure complex that includes an aquarium, amusement park, shopping mall, restaurants, a hotel and a marina. The marine animal shows attract children and adults alike. You can also shop or have some fresh seafood at a restaurant in the park.
But Sea Paradise is not only an aquarium but also has many fun rides in its amusement park. If you’re a fan of rollercoasters check out the ones below.
13) Mitsui Outlet Park Yokohama Bayside
- Location on Google map: 7 min walk from Torihama station
- Open: 10am – 8pm
This place is called an outlet park for a reason, it’s very large! And it offers more to visitors than discounted prices. It also has dining options with a view of one of Asia’s largest marinas and hosts outdoor events in its plaza. The mall underwent a huge renovation in 2020. The updated building is beautiful and clean! Click here for more details about stores.
14) CUPNOODLES MUSEUM
- Location on Google map: 15 mins from Sakuragicho station by walking
- Open: 10am – 6pm
- Non-business day: Every Tuesday
The museum caters to the creativity and curiosity of children and provides a fun educational experience. Yuki’s little sister loves going to this museum and making her own cup noodles by hand in the factory. At the museum you can see how one of the most popular Japanese instant noodles “chicken ramen” was invented and spread all over Japan and the world. Even if you’re an adult, you can enjoy making your own cup of noodles from scratch!
Those are the best and most popular places to visit in Yokohama. You should definitely visit them with your friends, date or even alone. But before finishing up this post, I want to tell you about a hidden spot in the seaport city. For a fee you can see wonderful views of Yokohama from the sky garden in Landmark Tower, or the ferris wheel in Cosmo World. But actually there’s a hidden place which even many locals don’t know about where you can see a lovely view of Minato Mirai for free.
15) A secret night view of Yokohama
Yokohama World Porters, a shopping mall in front of Cosmo World, has a rooftop which is open to the public. You can hang out with your friends while enjoying a BBQ and you can even play mini golf there! At night, you can actually go to see an amazing night view there. You just need to go over to the BBQ place. This is a “secret” lookout point where you can see a gorgeous view of Yokohama for free!
Thank you so much for reading this post. I hope you can visit these places and see the beautiful views of Yokohama with your friends, love interest, or partner. Let us know if you have any questions. The hours of these locations might vary because of Covid-19. Please check online for the current hours before going.
Yuki posted some pictures taken in Yokohama on our Instagram. Please also check it out!