Yamate Western Houses

Yamate Western Houses

The Yamate Western Houses, also known as the Yamate Western-Style Residences, refer to a collective term for seven Western-style houses located in Yamate-chō, Naka Ward, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. They are a product of Yokohama’s international exchanges, reflecting the city’s multicultural interaction and integration, and are also among Yokohama’s most distinctive tourist attractions.

After the opening of Yokohama Port on July 1, 1859, a large number of foreigners flocked to the area. With its pleasant environment, Yamate-chō became a preferred residential district for many expatriates, who built numerous Western-style houses there. Despite the passage of time, seven of these Western residences have been well preserved to this day, making the area one of the most popular attractions in Yamate. These seven houses are divided among three locations: Yamate 111 House in Harbor View Park, Yamate 234 House and Bluff 18 within Motomachi Park adjacent to the Foreigners' Cemetery.

Yamate 111 House is a British-style residence originally built in 1926, featuring an overall Spanish architectural style with red tiles and white walls, giving it a unique charm; Yamate 234 House, also known as the “Irisman Residence” or “Herrick Residence,” was constructed in 1930, based on a Spanish style, and was once the home of a British trading merchant. It is now the largest building among the surviving Yamate Western Houses; Bluff 18, also called the “Diplomat’s House,” was built in 1910 in the American Victorian style and has been designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

Yamate Seiyokan Residences

Must-visit reason: Yokohama’s most unique tourist attraction

Continent where the attraction is located: Asia【Asia】

Country/region where the attraction is located: Japan[Japan]

Province/state where the attraction is located: Kanagawa Prefecture [Kanagawa Prefecture]

City where the attraction is located: Yokohama City [Yokohama]