Yokohama is Japan’s second-largest city and one of its most historically important international ports. Its transformation began when the Port of Yokohama opened in 1859 after centuries of restricted foreign contact. Merchants, diplomats and travellers soon arrived from Europe, China and the United States. Their presence changed the city’s architecture, cuisine, commerce and everyday culture.
Today, a Yokohama historical travel guide leads visitors through foreign settlements, landscaped gardens, old warehouses and atmospheric trading streets. Chinatown and the Western houses of Yamate reveal different sides of the same international story. Yokohama offers an unusually accessible introduction to the dramatic changes that shaped modern Japan.
A Little Bit of History
Before the nineteenth century, Yokohama was a small fishing settlement beside Edo Bay. That changed after Commodore Matthew Perry reached nearby Japanese waters with American warships in 1853. The Convention of Kanagawa followed in 1854, ending much of Japan’s long policy of restricted foreign contact. Under the 1858 Treaty of Amity and Commerce, Yokohama was selected as a port for international trade. The port officially opened on 2 June 1859.
Foreign merchants established trading houses, while a separate foreign settlement developed beside the Japanese town. Silk became one of Yokohama’s most important exports and connected the port with international markets. When the Meiji Restoration began in 1868, Yokohama became a major gateway for Western technology, ideas and customs.
Modern innovations appeared quickly, giving Yokohama an important place in Japan’s industrial and cultural history. Japan’s first railway opened between Yokohama and Shinbashi in Tokyo in 1872, strengthening the port’s economic importance. The city expanded rapidly, but disaster struck during the Great Kantō Earthquake of 1923. Much of Yokohama was destroyed by collapsing buildings and fires, and thousands of residents died. Reconstruction produced new civic buildings, parks and infrastructure, yet another catastrophe arrived during the Second World War.
American air raids devastated large parts of Yokohama in 1945, and occupation forces later requisitioned important properties. Post-war redevelopment transformed the waterfront, while preserved districts and buildings protected significant pieces of the older port city. Yokohama now combines nineteenth-century trading heritage with the urban landscape of one of Japan’s largest cities.
Best Time to Visit Yokohama?
Spring and autumn are usually the best seasons for exploring historic Yokohama on foot. March to May brings mild weather, spring flowers and cherry blossoms, although weekends can become crowded. Sankeien Garden is particularly attractive when seasonal blossoms frame its historic buildings. June brings the rainy season, while July and August are hot, humid and often uncomfortable for long walks.
Autumn offers pleasant temperatures from October into November, with colourful foliage appearing later in the season. Yokohama also hosts seasonal celebrations connected with its port, Chinatown and international heritage throughout the year. Winter is cooler but relatively dry, making December to February a good alternative for travellers who prefer fewer crowds.
How Many Days Do You Need in Yokohama?
One full day is enough to see several famous Yokohama historical attractions, but two days provide a better experience. A day trip from Tokyo can combine Yamashita Park, Chinatown, Yamate and the historic port district. With two days, visitors can explore Sankeien Garden and museums without rushing between neighbourhoods. A third day allows more time for architecture, restaurants and lesser-known streets around Bashamichi and Kannai.
Yokohama also makes a useful base for visiting Kamakura, which is roughly 25 to 35 minutes away by train. Historic temples, shrines and the Great Buddha make Kamakura an excellent cultural day trip. Hakone is another possibility for a longer stay, especially for travellers interested in hot springs, mountain scenery and views of Mount Fuji.
Accommodation in Yokohama
For history-focused visitors, the area between Yamashita Park, Kannai and Bashamichi offers the most convenient base. It places travellers close to Chinatown, the old port, Yamate and several important historic buildings. Minato Mirai is nearby and offers a larger selection of modern hotels with harbour views. Budget travellers can find reliable business hotels around Kannai and Sakuragicho stations.
Mid-range properties generally provide compact but comfortable rooms with excellent public transport connections. Luxury travellers should consider the waterfront, particularly the landmark Hotel New Grand, which opened in 1927. Prices change significantly around weekends, festivals and Japanese holidays, so the figures below should be treated as approximate starting rates.
Some Tips & Ideas for Hotels Include:
Hotel New Grand – A landmark hotel dating from 1927 beside Yamashita Park. Its historic main building gives a stay genuine cultural character. Prices from approximately €130 per night.
Hyatt Regency Yokohama – A polished modern hotel close to Chinatown and the historic waterfront. Rooms are spacious by Japanese urban standards. Prices from approximately €140 per night.
Richmond Hotel Yokohama-Bashamichi – A practical mid-range choice near Kannai and historic Bashamichi. The location is excellent for sightseeing on foot. Prices from approximately €65 per night.
Sotetsu Fresa Inn Yokohama Sakuragicho – A reliable budget-friendly hotel near transport and central attractions. Rooms are compact but conveniently located. Prices from approximately €50 per night.
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Sightseeing in Yokohama
Yokohama’s history is easiest to understand around its former port and foreign settlement districts. Unlike Kyoto or Nara, the city is not defined by ancient temples and imperial monuments. Its heritage instead reflects nineteenth-century diplomacy, international commerce and Japan’s rapid modernisation. Earthquakes, wartime destruction and redevelopment erased many early structures, making the survivors especially valuable.
Yamate preserves the atmosphere of the former foreign residential district above the port. Sankeien brings historic architecture from different parts of Japan into one remarkable landscaped setting. Together, these sites explain how Yokohama developed from a fishing settlement into an international city.
Below are some of the country’s most interesting historical attractions.
Sankeien Garden – Opened to the public in 1906, this landscaped garden contains historic buildings transferred from locations including Kyoto and Kamakura.
Yamate Historic Western Houses – Preserved residences recall the foreign community that developed on the hills above Yokohama’s nineteenth-century international settlement.
Yokohama Foreign General Cemetery – Established during the early international era, the cemetery contains graves connected with foreign residents who helped shape modern Yokohama.
Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Cultural History – Housed in the former Yokohama Specie Bank headquarters, this imposing 1904 building explores Kanagawa’s cultural development.
Red Brick Warehouse – Completed during the early twentieth century as customs warehouses, these restored brick buildings preserve the commercial character of the old harbour.
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Food & Drinks – Taste the Local Cuisine
Yokohama’s food culture reflects more than 160 years of contact between Japanese and international communities. Chinatown contributed dumplings, noodles and Chinese culinary traditions that gradually became part of the city’s identity. Kiyoken shumai became another Yokohama institution after the company developed its famous version in 1928. Western-style Japanese cooking, known as yoshoku, also has unusually strong local roots.
Hotel New Grand helped popularise dishes including seafood doria, while its post-war kitchen created the famous spaghetti Napolitan associated with Yokohama. Beer also has deep connections with the port’s early adoption of Western food and drink culture. For drinks after dinner, Bashamichi, Kannai and Noge offer everything from craft beer to intimate wine and cocktail bars.
Here are some restaurant ideas and recommendations:
The Cafe at Hotel New Grand – Visit for spaghetti Napolitan, seafood doria and pudding à la mode in the hotel associated with these classic yoshoku dishes.
Araiya – This long-established Yokohama restaurant is known for traditional beef dishes, particularly gyunabe-style cuisine linked with the Meiji period.
Kiyoken – The historic Yokohama company dates from 1908 and developed its signature shumai in 1928. Its restaurants and shops remain local institutions.
Bashamichi Jyuban-kan – This atmospheric restaurant occupies a building inspired by Meiji-era Western architecture. It stands on a site connected with Yokohama’s early modernisation.
Kirin Yokohama Beer Hall – Located at Kirin’s Yokohama brewery complex, it pairs freshly served beer with dishes using regional ingredients.
How to Get there?
Flights
International travellers usually reach Yokohama through Tokyo Haneda Airport, the most convenient major airport for the city. Haneda lies considerably closer to Yokohama than Narita International Airport. Direct Keikyu trains can reach Yokohama Station in roughly 25 to 35 minutes, depending on the service. Airport limousine buses also serve major Yokohama hotels and transport hubs.
Taxis are convenient with heavy luggage, although they cost much more than trains. Narita Airport is usually around 90 minutes away by direct rail services, depending on the connection and destination. Travellers should check their hotel’s nearest station because Yokohama’s major sights cover several waterfront districts.
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Public Transport
Rail is the easiest way to reach Yokohama from Tokyo and most other Japanese cities. JR services connect central Tokyo with Yokohama Station in roughly 25 to 35 minutes from major stations such as Tokyo or Shinagawa. The Tokaido Shinkansen stops at Shin-Yokohama Station, rather than central Yokohama Station. From Shin-Yokohama, local rail or subway services reach central districts in around 10 to 20 minutes.
Shinkansen connections make Yokohama accessible from Kyoto, Nagoya, Osaka and other major cities along the Tokaido corridor. Japan has no international passenger rail links from neighbouring countries, so overseas visitors normally enter by air or sea. Within Yokohama, trains, subways, buses and walking cover nearly every major historic attraction efficiently.
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Car Rental
Renting a car is rarely necessary for travellers concentrating on central Yokohama. Public transport is frequent, reliable and generally easier than navigating traffic or finding parking near popular attractions. A car becomes more useful when Yokohama forms part of a wider road trip through Kanagawa or neighbouring prefectures. Haneda Airport, Yokohama and Shin-Yokohama all have major rental-car outlets.
Driving from Haneda to central Yokohama can take around 30 to 45 minutes when traffic is light. Expressway tolls, parking fees and congestion can make urban driving considerably more expensive than travelling by train. Visitors planning only Yokohama, Tokyo and Kamakura will usually save time by relying on public transport.
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