Yokohama - Walkable-distance attractions to enjoy this port city in Japan

Updated: Jan 12

Yokohama is an incredible port city in Japan. Its port offers a lot of attractions you can enjoy easily on foot. So if you are planning to visit Yokohama, this mini guide will certainly help you build a smooth itinerary.

Yokohama is part of the Greater Tokyo area, the most populous metropolitan area of the world, located in Tokyo Bay, it played an important role in Japan history since it was there where Japan opened itself for the West again after being closed for 300 years. From Tokyo, Yokohama is easily accessible by train, you will spend likely half an hour and less than 500 yen. The Minato Mirai 21, a seaside urban area, makes the city's landscape remarkable, and from that you can walk to a range of attractions that will certainly be enrich your experience in Japan. The alluring atmosphere of the port is completed by the ships docked, the night lights and the green park where a lot of people enjoy daily activities such as running mixed with the awed tourists strolling in the port. Walking by the sea enjoying all beautiful places Yokohama offers will definitely be a memory worth keeping.

Yokohama Marine Tower

Yokohama Marine Tower is a 106 meter tower located in Naka-ku, Yokohama. The deck is 100 meter high, and in clear conditions it is possible to see Mount Fuji from there. The deck is a two story observatory where you can see Yokohama famous Minato Mirai 21, and moreover you can also spot Tokyo. The deck view is incredible, you can see the whole seaside area, the famous Hikawa Maru docked, the famous Yokohama cityscape, and you can even have a view of the Moving Gundam. To get to the deck you use a panoramic elevator the starts your view of the city. After getting to the observatory deck you will get astonishing views from the city and the bay and will have the opportunity to take a lot of unbelievable pictures. Take your time to see all sides because each one offer different views. The tower offers two types of tickets - the day ticket and the night ticket - so if you are using the day ticket you will have to exit the tower at 6 o'clock (time differs on summer). I highly recommend entering the tower a little before 4 o'clock, this way you will see it in day light and get a fascinating sunset, after sun is down you will also have the opportunity to see the city lights at dark time and enjoy a five minute show they play at 5:30pm(it may change without notice). Mixing nature and future, Yokohama Marine Tower is definitely a place worth going to appreciate the beautiful port city of Yokohama.

You can buy tickets on line here.

Google Maps: click here

Hikawa Maru Yokohama

Hikawa Maru is the big ship berthed at Yamashita park waterfront and nowadays she servers as a museum. The ship has an incredible history, she was a luxurious ocean liner owned by Yokohama Dock Company that traveled between Kobe and Seattle on her first years, during the Pacific war she served as a hospital ship and also as a repatriation ship. After the warended, Hikawa Maru was one of the only two large passenger ships that survived the conflict and after some years she returned to her original duty of ocean liner. In 1961, she was berthed in Yokohama.

The ship was one of the most incredible visits to museum I have had in Japan. Getting to know the history of the ship, the paintings she had during different times of her serving lifetime, the difficulties she has endured, the glorious years of luxury, the famous passengers she has taken along with the amazing super detailed museum is fascinating. The museum is extremely complete, while visiting the Hikawa Maru you will be able to see the ship as people that travelled on her saw, the cabins, the dinner room, the wheel room, the deck, it is possible even to see the machinery levels of the ship, which for most of us is totally different and curious. Take time to read how the trip from Yokohama to Seattle was, and how people enjoyed the 13 days at sea and how the cargo was transported, it is really worth it to know this part of the history that for us is so far of imagination.

As the Ship Museum is very complete, have in mind that this attraction takes some time to be completed.

You can find a discount coupon for Hikawa Maru here

Google Maps: click here

Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse

Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, also known as Akarenga, is a historical building that in the old days served as a customs house and was transformed into a complex including a shopping mall, restaurants and an event venue. It is an iconic building in Yokohama with a totally particular atmosphere. Inside the complex there are lots of shops offering a wide variety of products, an interesting point to note is that the products sold there are different from usual shopping malls, as most of them are handcrafted and from local shops, high quality products decorate the shop windows in a very enticing way. The unique restaurants offer many gourmet options that you may only find there. As it was primarily a harbour facility, the construction type and the lighting are also an attraction, they create a unique atmosphere, as if you were shopping inside a former port itself. In the outside area there are long balconies with a lot chairs and benches to sit and relax while enjoying the view and the sea breeze. From the outside, the building is marvelous, and produces a lot of beautiful pictures, specially on night time. Take time to enjoy this place, make some good shopping and eat delicious meals and after you finish, enjoy the outside building beauty.

Google Maps: click here

Gundam Factory

In Gundam Factory you will see a giant robot of the famous anime series Gundam. Even if you are not a fan, it is worth paying a visit to see the enormous robot moving during its presentation. The 18 meter Gundam "mech" performs twice an hour, and it is really impressive seeing it moving while music and lights complete the show. If you are a fan of the famous series, it worth it paying the dock tower ticket, this way you will see it very close, what for a fan might be incredible fun.

You can find ticket information here

Google Maps: click here

Cosmo Clock 21

If you have seen a picture of Yokohama landscape, you certainly saw a big Ferris Wheel with a clock on it together with the Minato Mirai 21 skyscrapers. One of the most famous Ferris in Japan, Cosmo Clock 21 has a diameter of 100 meters, and is equipped with 60 gondolas and can carry up to 480 passengers. On clear days you can see Mount Fuji and Tokyo Skyscrapers. A memorable ride that will give you the opportunity to see Yokohama seaside and famous buildings. I enjoyed taking photos of the outside and also taking incredible pictures from inside the cabin featuring the city outside. From the outside, the ferris is imposing and at night it is illuminated in beautiful colors and patterns, the clock on it ends up being very practical as it is easy seen from all seaside, so if you want to check the time, you just look in direction of Cosmo Clock 21.

Google Maps: click here

Cup Noodles Museum Yokohama

Cup Noodles Museum is fun activity specially with you are with children. Owned by Nissin Food Company, this mix exhibits with workshops. You can learn about the history of the instant noodles, see a wide variety of packages along the year and make you own designed package, in fact you will see a lot of people carrying them in Yokohama in transparent airbags, this is, in my opinion, the most fun part of the museum. In the museum, is also possible to see the replica of the shed where instant ramen was invented and enjoy the Noodles Bazaar, a food attraction with an ambiance of an Asian night market featuring eight varieties of noodles. Have in mind that some activities inside the museum are paid. At the end of the visit, there is the souvenir shop, which features a variety of chicken noodles items, I must say, it was one of the most cute museum shops I have been. The museum is one of the famous activities in Yokohama among Japanese and foreigners, and it a good choice with you traveling with kids.

Google Maps: click here

Yokohama Landmark Tower - Sky Garden

Yokohama Landmark Tower is one of the highest skyscrapers in Yokohama, it is maybe the most iconic building of Yokohama bayside skyline. The 296 meter skyscraper contains shops, restaurants, clinics and offices on its lower floors, on higher floor it houses a five-star hotel. But, for tourists, the best part of the building is located on the 69th floor, a 360 degrees observatory where you can see the whole city of Yokohama and on clear days you can also see Mount Fuji. An excellent option to take pictures and videos of the city and its fascinating cityscape. Another interesting fact is its elevator that is the second fastest elevator in the world, you can reach the 69th floor in approximately 40 seconds. The big clear windows allow you an amazing view you can only see on Yokohama's tallest building. It is definitely worth paying a visit for the cityscape lovers. At night with the city lights the view gets more appealing.

Google Maps: click here

Yamashita Park

Yamashita Park is a public park in Yokohama's waterfront. The park is about 750 meters long and covers an area of almost 75 thousand square meters, and consists most of open green space. A place full of recent history, is an incredible vivid place of the Yokohama city. Together with lots of trees, there is a part of the park dedicated to a garden of roses, an alluring scene that seems to have come out of a movie. A lot of runners will make the visit to the park even more interesting, as you will be able to see how the park is a full of life place. A walk by the seaside will clean your heart and bring you a peace of mind you can only find near the sea. An excellent point of Yamashita Park is that it is full of benches you can sit, and perhaps even read a book or just recharge your energies. This was one of my fond memories from Yokohama, walking by the seaside at a cold night. It truly refreshes your mind, heart and soul. I highly suggest you strolling around the park, it is a nice experience.

Google Maps: click here

Yokohama is an excellent destination in Japan, and as most of its famous attractions are at the port, it is very easy to walk and get to places using Google Maps. Ideally, you would need two or three days to know these places, but if you are in a short schedule you can squeeze one day and dedicate it to Yokohama. You won't regret visiting one of the most famous port cities in Japan and certainly will take a lot of memories in the baggage with you.

Hope you have lots of fun making new memories in Yokohama

Michelle Motoki

Yokohama - Walkable-distance attractions to enjoy this port city in Japan

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