Yokohama, Japan - 33 Things To Do Guide + Photos

Say yes to Yokohama, Japan’s second biggest city which has transformed its historic port area into a huge array of attractions. From Japan’s largest Chinatown to the gorgeous Red Brick Warehouse, there are so many things to do in Yokohama.

So what is Yokohama famous for? From cable cars to craft beer bars, Ferris wheels to fine food (plus a sky deck offering incredible views of Mount Fuji), there is something to suit all tastes and budgets in Yokohama.

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Given all the theme-parks and fun waterfront attractions, Yokohama is suitable for all ages and you can shop ‘til you drop in Yokohama with many malls and seaside shopping centres.

A short train ride from Tokyo, this is our ultimate guide to visiting the coastal city of Yokohama in Japan in 2024:

SKIP TO THINGS TO DO IN YOKOHAMA LIST >

Table of Contents

Yokohama things to do map

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How to get to Yokohama from Tokyo

The best way to reach Yokohama from Tokyo is to take the Tokaido Shinkansen high-speed rail from Tokyo Station to Shin-Yokohama Station. The journey takes just 18 minutes and the trains leave every 15-30 minutes.

A one-way ticket for a reserved seat is 3,210 yen; and 1,380 yen for an unreserved seat. If you have a Japan Rail Pass then this route is included.

To transfer to downtown Yokohama, take the Yokohama Subway blue line to Yokohama Station.

Alternatively you can take a regular express train from Tokyo direct to downtown Yokohama:

From Tokyo station (27-45 mins, 470 yen) – Take the JR Tokaido line (orange), Yokosuka line (blue) or Keihin-Tohoku line (light blue) to Yokohama Station.

From Shinjuku station (30 mins, 560 yen) – Take the Shonan-Shinjuku Line (red) to Yokohama Station.

From Akihabara station (45 mins, 560 yen) – Take the Keihintohoku Line (light blue) to Yokohama Station.

From Shibuya station (27 mins, 270-390 yen) – Take the Tokyu-Toyoko Line (pink) or Shonan-Shinjuku Line (red) to Yokohama Station.

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Where to stay in Yokohama

Budget

Hotel Plumm
Contemporary hotel with stylish rooms close to Yokohama Station. Facilities include two on-site restaurants, cafe/bar and hot tub. Check out prices and availability for Hotel Plumm

Hotel Edit Yokohama
Stylish boutique hotel located in the centre of Minato Mirai. Facilities include an on-site restaurant, shops, bar and 24-hour library space. Check out prices and availability for Hotel Edit Yokohama

Midrange

APA Hotel & Resort Yokohama Bay Tower
Popular chain hotel with amazing views from the higher floor rooms. Facilities include a spa with 10 open-air baths, indoor and outdoor pool and a fitness center. Check rates and availability for APA Hotel & Resort Yokohama Bay Tower

*APA Hotel & Resort Yokohama Bay Tower pool*

Yokohama Royal Park Hotel
Sleek hotel located above the 52nd floor of Yokohama Landmark Tower. All rooms have views of the city or the Bay Bridge. Facilities include an indoor pool, fitness centre, beauty shop, six restaurants and two bars. Check out prices and availability for Yokohama Royal Park Hotel

Intercontinental Yokohama Grand
Hotel set in a modern sail-shaped building offering views of Yokohama Harbour. Facilities include a 31st-floor Chinese restaurant, indoor pool, on-site shops and a spa. Check out prices and availability for Intercontinental Yokohama Grand

Luxury

The Yokohama Bay Hotel Tokyu
Located in the heart of the Minato-Mirai area, this spacious and luxurious hotel has beautiful bay views. Facilities include four restaurants, indoor and outdoor pools, spa and gym. Check out prices and availability for The Yokohama Bay Hotel Tokyu

Hotel New Grand
This ornate hotel was built in 1927 and has panoramic views of the port. Rooms have large windows offering ocean or city views, and facilities include a hot tub, spa, grand banquet hall, cafe, two bars and four restaurants. Check out prices and availability for Hotel New Grand

Hyatt Regency
Chic hotel located in Chinatown near the Yokohama Marine Tower. Facilities include a grill restaurant, buffet eatery, bar and fitness centre. Check out prices and availability for Hyatt Regency Yokohama

Japan checklist

We love using booking.com and agoda.com for researching and booking all our hotels, and Hostelworld for booking hostels. You can also purchase eSIMs from Airalo.

For booking tours, transfers and SIM cards we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator or Klook.

For booking rental cars visit Discover Cars.

Check out our Japan travel resources page >

Things to do in Yokohama

1. Yokohama Chinatown (横浜中華街)

The largest Chinatown in Japan, Yokohama’s vibrant and colourful Chinese neighbourhood was developed after Yokohama’s port opened to foreign trade in 1859 which attracted many Chinese people to settle in the city.

Today you’ll find a large number of food stands lining the narrow streets, plus around 500 restaurants – many of which offer all-you-can-eat deals.

Visiting Chinatown is a real culinary treat and popular food items you must try include panda-man (panda-shaped steamed buns), koshou mochi (Taiwanese black pepper buns), Peking duck wraps, xaio long bao (soup dumplings) and milk tea.

There are some examples of amazing traditional Chinese architecture located throughout the neighbourhood such as Kanteibyo Temple, plus four main gates on the edge of Chinatown marking the various entrances (each of which stands for the four different directions).

Although there is a lively atmosphere during the day, we also recommend exploring Chinatown at night when all the lanterns and neon lights are lit up.

We were fortunate enough to visit Yokohama’s Chinatown during Chinese New Year and it was one of our most joyful Japanese experiences, with thousands of lanterns adorning the streets, colourful dancing dragon performances and special ceremonies in the temples.

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2. Cup Noodles Museum Yokohama

Oodles of instant noodles! No trip to Yokohama in Japan is complete without a trip to the famous Nissin Cup Noodles Museum in the port area.

An interactive experience inspired by Japan’s iconic original instant noodles, the Cup Noodles Museum is a must visit for any cup noodle converts.

From the design your own instant cup noodle to one of Japan’s most quirky gift-shops and themed food-courts (World Noodles Road), there are many fun things to do (and eat!) in the museum.

From admission prices to the epic exhibits (and tips on booking in advance), read our ultimate floor-by-floor guide to visiting the Cup Noodles Museum here >

Opening Hours: 10am – 6pm (Last admission is at 5pm). The museum is closed every Tuesday.
Admission fee: Adults (500 yen); children (free)

Try this – Top Japanese Experiences by city with Klook >

3. Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum

If you love your noodles (who doesn’t eh?), also make time to visit Yokohama’s other famous noodle museum – the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum.

Like the Cup Noodles Museum, the Shin-Yokohama Ramen also offers delicious tasting menus and immersive sets.

The Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum celebrates various ramen types and noodles from all over Japan and has a small museum.

However the best bit is the vintage food court recreation (complete with skyline) and historic street sets where you’ll find several ramen shops each selling different ramen from various Japanese prefectures and districts.

The streets are incredible with so much detail including retro shops you can visit plus a vintage ice-cream parlour.

The World’s first Ramen Museum, Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum costs 450 Yen admission per adult and 100 Yen for children (6 to 18 years) and seniors. The ramen dishes in the food court cost extra.

Opening Hours: 11am to 10pm (from 10:30am on Sunday/holidays)
Admission fee: Adults (450 yen); Children 6-12 / senior (100 yen); children under 6 (free)

Watch our Ramen Museum video on Instagram!

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4. Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse

Two former storage warehouses built in the 19th century to store and process goods from all over the world, this prime port location has now become one of Yokohama’s top shopping spots and cultural hubs.

Yokohama’s historic red brick warehouses have now been lovingly restored into row upon row of restaurants and cute shops, selling everything from kawaii gifts to gachapons (otaku heaven).

As we based ourselves at the APA Yokohama Tower Resort, we had aerial views of the warehouses from our window and headed there most days.

As well as trendy shops like B-Side Label or make your own terrarium boutiques(!), we found lots of restaurants to enjoy as well as a huge street food tent outside.

There are lots of events and pop-ups at the Red Brick Warehouse. We visited in January and it had a huge seasonal ice-skating rink that had popped up for Christmas time in Yokohama, Japan.

Opening Hours: 11am to 8pm

Try this – Yokohama One Day Tour with a Local >

5. Yokohama Landmark Tower viewing deck

2026 update – Yokohama Landmark Tower viewing deck has closed for a renovation and will re-open in 2028.

One of our top 10 places to visit in Yokohama has to be the Yokohama Landmark Tower viewing deck located on the 69th floor and the tallest observation deck in Yokohama (once Japan’s tallest building, until it was overtaken in 2014).

We visited the Yokohama Landmark viewing tour (cost 1,000 Yen per person) at dusk and were treated to sunset views of the harbour and the Cosmo 21 Wheel all lit up at night.

Better yet, we were lucky enough to see a clear sunset view of Mount Fuji in the distance; one of our most memorable nights in Japan.

Yokohama Landmark Tower view mount fuji at sunset

The Yokohama Landmark Tower viewing deck is laid out in a circular route which also includes a small lounge area and bar / cafe.

We were lucky enough to grab one of the chairs in the window looking out directly towards Mount Fuji – this really is a million dollar view for just 1,000 Yen.

Skip the line – book your Yokohama Landmark Tower Ticket here >

Opening Hours: 10am – 9pm
Admission fee: Adults (1,000 yen); High school student / senior (800 yen); elementary school student / junior high school student (500 yen); children under 4 (200 yen)

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6. MEGA Don Quijote

Regular readers of Plan My Japan will know we are HUGE Don Quijote fans. If you are also a Don Quijote addict or occasional shopper, you’ll be glad to hear there is a massive MEGA Don Quijote in Yokohama.

Open from 9am to 4am daily, the MEGA Don Qujote Yokohama branch is one of the biggest discount stores in Japan and this particular Don Quijote has an underwater sea theme (very appropriate for Yokohama, given it is famous port city).

It even has an elevator designed to look like a submarine plus a huge aquarium featuring their main mascot, Donpen the penguin.

If you haven’t heard of this chain before, Don Quijote is Japan’s most famous discount store, and sells thousands of items generally at low prices, from sneakers to stationary, Hello Kitty to Kit Kats (plus more interesting ‘adult sections’).

You might like our guide to Don Quijote, Japan’s famous discount chain >

Opening Hours: 8am – 3am

Do you love all things Don Quijote and Don Don Donki? Join our Donki Fans Facebook group!

7. Minato Mirai Manyo Club Hot Spring

Ready to splash out on a spa or jump into an onsen? The Minato Mirai Manyo Club Hot Spring is one of Yokohama’s premier spas.

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Sit back in the stone sauna room or enjoy a massage whilst listening to soothing sounds – there is also an onsite restaurant to grab some healthy snacks.

One of the most unique features at Minato Mirai Manyo Club Hot Spring is the roof deck where you can relax taking in views of the ocean and nearby Cosmo Clock 21 and Yokohama Cosmo World.

Book your discounted Yokohama Minatomirai Manyo Club Onsen Experience with Klook >

Opening Hours: 24 hours a day
Admission fee: Adults: 2,950 yen, Children (Elementary School Students): 1,540 yen, Children (3 to under school age): 1,040 yen, Children under 3: Free

8. Yokohama Air Cabin Cable Cars

Up, up and away with the iconic Yokohama Air Cabin (pictures of it feature in so many tourist brochures and Yokohama souvenirs).

Billed as the world’s first urban gondola, this classy cable-car offers incredible panoramic views of Yokohama and traverses the port and coastal areas – so you’ll see a cityscape and also the sea!

Opened in 2021, the Yokohama Air Cabin is open both by day and in the evening so it is an excellent thing to do in Yokohama at night.

The 600 metre route is quite short as cable cars and air cabins go, running from JR Sakuragicho Station to Unga Park.

However, if you want to arrive at the Cup Noodles Museum or the renowned red brick warehouse in style, jump aboard the Yokohama Air Cabins.

Opening Hours: 10am-9pm
Admission fee: One-way Ticket Adults (1,000 yen); children (500 yen); Round-trip Ticket Adults (1,800 yen); children (900 yen)

9. Yokohama Cosmo World

A cute and chintzy waterfront theme park, Cosmo World is a fun thing to do with kids in Yokohama (although it seems to be mainly aimed at the very little ones).

We wandered around Yokohama Cosmo World a couple of times as part of our harbour walks and it was fun to see all the rides, including remote control cars that kids can get it (including a huge Doraemon driving machine).

It isn’t no Ghibli Park but entry to Cosmo World is free with charges for rides (or park passes) – it is quite quiet in the daytime but becomes busy at night with students, teenagers and young romantic couples.

The two more adult attractions here are the roller coaster plus the ferris wheel (more on this in a moment…)

Opening Hours: Monday-Tuesday and Thursday to Friday: 11am-9pm; Saturday and Sunday: 11am-10pm
Admission fee: Varies by attraction

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10. Cosmo Clock 21

Once the largest ferris wheel in the world, the Cosmo Clock 21 has been around since the late 1980s, built for a previous Yokohama Expo.

A bit like the London Eye in the UK, it was meant to be a temporary observation wheel but so loved by locals that it still lives on to this day.

Spanning 100 metres diameter and with 60 passenger cars, Cosmo Clock also lights up at all hours of the day with some incredible LED light shows.

Opening Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 11am – 8pm (closed Thursday); Saturday and Sunday: 11am – 10pm
Admission fee: 900 Yen

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11. Yokohama World Porters Mall

A stupendous shopping mall just across the road between the Cup Noodles Museum and Cosmo World, Yokohama World Porters Mall has around 200 stores and restaurants including some novelty items like a rooftop golf course and eating pods.

There are seven floors of shopping, including themed zones like Unique Casual World on level 3 (stores like Village Vanguard and HMV) and Family Paradise zone on level 2 featuring top toy shops and gachapon machines.

Level 5 is the Gourmet Zone which includes such Japanese restaurant chains as Seizeriya Italian (so cheap!) and Tonkatsu Katsuraky.

One of the interesting features of Yokohama World Porters Mall is Hawaii Town, which is decked in tiki huts, palm trees plus a Hawaiian food-court. We even saw a Haiwaan hula performance one weekend we visited (not something we expected to see in Yokohama!).

Opening Hours: 10.30am – 9pm

12. Yokohama Bandai Namco Cross Store

Love gachapon? Then the Yokohama branch of Bandi Namco Cross store is for you, with thousands of gachapons under one roof – Yokohama Bandai Namco Cross store is one of the largest gachapon shops in Japan and will tickle your inner ‘otaku’.

Located on level 2 of World Porters Mall, this is the best place to get trading cards like One Piece. Most capsule toys cost around the 300 to 400 Yen mark.

Gachapon are vending machines that dispense capsule toys in a small round plastic case. From scaled down sauna animals to small sushi conveyor belts, here is our guide to the gachapon stores in Japan and our favourite and most unusual gashapon capsule toys >

13. Yokohama Museum of Art

The Yokohama Museum of Art is closed until mid March 2024 for a huge refurbishment programme.

Designed by renowned Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, the Yokohama Museum of Art celebrates his legacy with a huge collection of photography and modern art.

The museum focuses on local and Japanese artists with links to the city including Chizuko Yoshida, Kanzan Shimomura and Imamura Shiko.

Opening Hours: 10am – 6pm (Last admission 30 minutes before closing)
Admission fee: Varies depending on the exhibition

Try this – Kimono rental in Yokohama >

14. Yokohama Stadium

If you want to see a baseball game in Japan, Yokohama has one of Japan’s biggest baseball arenas, the Yokohama Stadium which is home to the Yokohama DeNA BayStars.

Baseball is a big hitter in Japan and one of their biggest sports to watch in person or on the television (you’ll see it on the TV in bars and pubs too). The NPB baseball season in Japan typically runs from late March through to October.

Yokohama Stadium was opened in 1978 and seats around 34,000 baseball fans when at capacity.

In the past, it has also hosted international music stars for sell out concerts like Tina Turner, Prince, Michael Jackson and more recently, Japanese idol bands like AKB48.

Try this – Top Japan Sporting Events with Viator >

15. Disney Harvest Market Cafe

On the subject of Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, inside you’ll also see the Yokohama branch of the rather dazzling Disney Harvest Market Cafe (there is another branch in Shibuya, Tokyo).

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A healthy living concept diner with a dash of Disney, the House of Mouse is packed full of your favourites characters with a huge gift shop too.

The Disney Harvest Market Cafe often has seasonal specials (plus an awesome afternoon tea) and is a great place to dine with children or Disney devotees.

Opening Hours: Monday-Tuesday: 11am-9pm; Wednesday-Friday: 10am-9pm; Saturday: 10am-10pm; Sunday: 10am-9pm

16. Nippon Maru Ship / Yokohama Port Museum

Located in Yokohama’s port area, the Nippon Maru is a vintage vessel and sailing ship that was built in the 1930s as a training ship for Japanese cadets.

Popular with school groups and maritime enthusiasts, the Nippon Maru Ship is part of the Yokohama Port Museum which details the rich history of the area, one of Japan’s most important port and trading areas in years gone by.

Although the ship no longer sails on a regular basis, you can go aboard the Nippon Maru Ship for 400 Yen or combine it with the museum for a fee of 600 Yen.

Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm (closed on Mondays)
Admission fee: Ship Only: 400 Yen; Museum Only: 400 Yen; Ship & Museum: 600 Yen

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Brewery Tours and Craft Beer Bars

Yokohama is the perfect place to visit for Japanese craft beer connoisseurs – it is also home to one of the cheapest brewery tours in Japan costing just 500 Yen including lots of beer.

Often referred to as Japan’s ‘City of Beer’, raise a glass to Yokohama and check out these craft beer bars and late night pubs:

17. Kirin Brewery Tour and Factory

‘Kanpai’ to the Kirin Brewery Tour in Yokohama, Japan – a fun and cheap way to try lots of Japanese beers and walk around an actual brewery, learning about the brewing process.

Many Asian breweries offer brewery tours but the Yokohama Kirin Brewery Tour is one of the best beer and tasting tours in Japan.

The tour lasts 90 minutes (plus ample beer drinking time) and costs only 500 Yen (as of early 2024).

Kirin Brewery Village in Yokohama is home to the Kirin Brewery tour plus a tasting bar and boozy gift shop.

Read our guide to the Kirin Brewery Village and Kirin Brewery Tour in Yokohama here >

Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday; 10am – 4pm (tour), 11am – 10pm (restaurant)
Admission fee: Adults (500 yen); children under 19 (free)

18 Revo Brewing

A ‘review’ of Revo Brewing in Yokohama. Located in the basement area of our hotel (APA Hotel and Resort Tower Yokohama), the Revo Brewing taproom serves up a huge range of own-brewed craft beers plus has an industrial interior.

The Revo Brewing Yokohama bar offers a nice lookout of the cable cars and the Cosmic Clock 21 ferris wheel – we are talking serious brews with views!

The bar has lots of nice flourishes and features like the heart-shaped beer can holder on the wall plus has a huge food menu with beer pairing.

Opening Hours: 11.30am to 9pm

Try this – Yokohama Private Food Tours with a Local >

19. Yokohama Brewery

The original Yokohama Brewery was high on our Yokahama craft beer hit-list and we had such a fun night working outr way through the taps.

Located across two floors, Yokohama brewery has a cute and compact brewery bar on the ground floor plus a much bigger restaurant (‘Umayano-Shokutaku’ and seating area on the upper levels).

The original Yokohama Brewery was established in 1999 and such is the following, it even has a gift-shop and beery merchandise you can take home.

There are around a dozen or so beers on tap at Yokohama Brewery, costing 800 Yen for medium pours or 1100 Yen for large beers (for their core / standard range).

We liked the old-school chalkboard menu behind the bar so we could choose which craft beers to go for plus the vasy menu with tasting notes.

The bar staff at Yokohama Brewery were also very warm and welcoming. If you only go to one craft beer brewery in Japan’s city of beer, make it the original Yokohama Brewery.

Opening Hours: Monday-Thursday 4pm – 10pm; Friday 4pm-11pm; Saturday 11.30am-10pm; Sunday 11.30am-9pm

Try this – Sweat out the beer with a session at Hot Spring RAKU SPA Tsurumi >

20. Baird’s Bashamichi Taproom

We had some ‘Baird Company’ whilst at this Yokohama Craft Beer Brewery (but in a good way).

We recently sat down at the Baird Brewery Yokohama branch in Basamichi to enjoy some Kofune Porter and Suraga Bay Fireworks IPA – at 8% ABV, it was very strong and goes off like a ‘rocket’.

Originally hailing from Numazu, Baird Brewery has around 12 core lines plus BBQ food galore – there are around 9 Baird Brewery taprooms in Japan to work your way through.

Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 5pm-11pm; Saturday 12pm-11pm; Sunday 12pm-10pm

You might like – Guide to visiting the oldest beer hall in Japan, Ginza Lion in Tokyo >

21. Yokohama British Hub Pubs

Walk around Yokohama at night and it won’t be long before you see the gleaming lights and hanging pub sign of a HUB Bar or 82 Ale House (there are four Hub Pubs in Yokohama and 2 x 82 Ale Houses).

One of Japan’s biggest bar chains with over 100 pubs, the 82 Ale House and HUB pubs are British themed pubs that have (VERY) happy hours, pub grub style food like fish and chips plus bar interiors just like British pubs.

You might like our guide to the Japanese Hub Pub chain of British style bars and Ale 82 pubs >

22. 7-Eleven Yokohama Hammerheads Craft beer store

We round up our Yokohama craft beer section with something slightly unusual.

Did you know there is a famous Japanese 7-Eleven craft beer store in Yokohama Port at the front of the Yokohama Hammerhead mall which specialises in international and Japanese craft beer?

7-Eleven Yokohama Hammerheads Craft beer store

This Yokohama 7-Eleven beer store has since gone viral featuring in numerous TikToks and online videos

We’ve visited this viral craft beer 7-Eleven and it is amazing! There are over 500 different craft beers from all over the world plus lots of beer merchandise – Yokohama is a Japan craft beer lover’s dream!

You might also like our guide to 7-Eleven stores in Japan or a guide to using 7-Eleven ATMs.

Opening Hours: 24 hours a day

Try this – Tokyo beer tasting & brewery tours with GetYourGuide >

23. Streets of Noge in Yokohama at Night

A curious curve of late night bars, secret izakayas and hidden restaurants, walk along Noge’s streets in the daytime and you’ll wonder what all the fuss is about.

However, return at night and Yokohama’s Noge district is a hotbed of hedonstic hang-outs and super cool pubs, many of which overlook the river.

A retro riverside district with vintage drinking places and dimly lit lanterns, half the fun of exploring Noge is just going from bar to bar, drinking beers and savoring yakitori skewers or noshing noodles with the occasional sake.

You might like – Things to do in Nagoya, Japan >

24. Hikawa Maru

Moored in Yokohama harbour by Yamashita Park, Hikawa Maru is a majestic cruise ship that was originally built in the 1930s which spent much of its time as a hospital ship during World War II.

It is said it carried more than 25,000 passengers when in service and Hikawa is now a permanent museum ship and floating attraction (quite close to the huge Gundam robot / mech so a rather jolly juxtaposiiton).

Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday; 10am-4.30pm
Admission fee: Cash payment only – Adults 300 Yen; Seniors 200 Yen; Children 100 Yen

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25. Yokohama Motomachi Shopping Street

Located between Chinatown and traditional Yamate neighborhood, we discovered the Motomachi Shopping Street after a trip to the Mega Donki store nearby – the difference in shopping experiences was quite extreme!

Motomachi Shopping Street is a peaceful boulevard style shopping street full of cute cafes, stylish fashion shops and restaurant retreats.

Famous brands along Motomachi street include Fukuzo, Star Jewellery and the Tudor style Poppy Menswear (the latter could almost be a British style Japanese Hub Pub, what with its black and white wooden facade!)

26. Yamate Italian Garden / Yokohama Yamate Seiyoukan

A little bit of Italy in Yokohama, the Yamate Italian Garden has gorgeous views of the port and is just a short (but steep) walk uphill from nearby Motomachi Street.

A residential area built in the 1900s for western traders and foreign diplomats, It has lots of colourful flower beds and beautifully manicured lawns along with some wonderful water features.

Yamate Italian Garden is free to visit with several vintage villas and western style wooden houses plus various miniature recreations of huge homes and landmarks.

When we popped along, there was a huge group of elderly Japanese ladies doing watercolour paintings of the rose garden and old houses; a lovely scene and great lookout point in Yokohama.

Opening Hours: 9.30am-5pm

27. Harbor View Park Observatory

Yokohama is blessed with many viewpoints and panoramic vistas – one of the best is Harbor View Park Observatory, with a lookout facing towards Yokohama Bay Bridge and the port.

A former British Army barracks, many of the original structures and gardens have been retained including a rose garden plus an English style lawn and outhouses.

Free to visit, the Harbor View Park Observatory is a nice place to unwind after a day of sightseeing, with multiple benches to sit down on looking out over the water.

Opening Hours: 24 hours a day

28. Yokohama Museum of Tin Toys

Home to thousands of toys from all over Japan, the Yokohama Museum of Tin Toys is easy to spot – the exterior has vintage memorabilia and signs posted all over plus a retro garage and gasoline pumping station complete with classic cars.

Founded by Teruhisa Kitahara, the Museum of Tin Toys opened in 1986. This ‘Toys Club’ is known for its gorgeous gift-shop and has everything from Godzilla to toy robots. A small admission fee applies.

Opening Hours: 9.30am-5pm
Admission fee: Adults 200 Yen; children 100 Yen

29. Nogeyama Park & Nogeyama Zoo

Amazingly, the Nogeyama Zoo is free to visit and is resplendent with animals and creatures such as giraffes, lions and monkeys plus has one of the largest bird avaries we’ve seen.

Our favourite animal at the Nogeyama Zoo was the red panda who just seemed to enjoy the sunshine and wander about in his enclosure all day, striding back and forth.

You can also buy lots of furry creatures of the fluffy kind (teddies and plushies) in the zoo gift-shop.

Given the hillside setting, the views from the top are stunning and we even caught a glimpse of Mount Fuji from a nearby footbridge on our way into the zoo.

As well as the animal park, there are several lawns and gardens to explore around Nogeyama Park plus some free lookout / observation towers.

Opening Hours: 9.30am-4.30pm (closed Tuesdays)
Admission fee: Free

30. Yokohama Temples and Shrines

There is a multitude of temples and shrines to explore in Yokohama, but perhaps two of Yokohama’s finest (Taoist) temples can be found downtown, in Chinatown.

The two main Chinese temples in Chinatown are the Mazu Miao temple and the Kuan Ti Miao temple.

We were lucky enough to visit both during Chinese New Year and they were a flurry of activity, festooned with red lanterns and colourful banners – both temples were free to visit and packed with workshippers.

Other renowned Buddhist temples include Shomyo Temple, Myokoji Temple and the three storey pagoda Tomyoji temple.

31. Yokohama Marine Rouge / Sea Bass Cruise (Kanagawa)

As Yokohama is on the coast, you may want to get out on the water and see the city from the sea.

Yokohama’s Sea Bass cruise is a wining and dining experience that offers both lunchtime and night-time cruise options.

The latter evening cruise allows you to see all the main landmarks all lit up like the Marine Tower and huge Cosmo World Ferris wheel.

There are two different night cruises to choose one with the Sea Bass cruise including an epic line up of entertainment and singing every evening.

Find out more about Yokohama dinner cruises by day or night here >

32. Go on a food tour

There are lots of incredible places to eat in Yokohama, from oodles of good noodles and delicious dumplings in Chinatown to waterfront eateries or trendy diners in the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouses.

However, if you want to eat like a local or cook up your cuisine (or even make wine!), seek out of these local dining experiences and food tours:

Japanese cuisine making tour with wine experience by Yokohama Winery >

A delicious journey through the ramen museum with a former chef >

Yokohama private food tours with a Local >

33. Gundam Factory Yokohama – closes 31 March 2024 (Unless Extended)

You used to be able to get up close to a huge Gundam robot (18 metres high!) which would also spring into life with moving parts, lights and smoke but it closed on March 31st 2024.