Head to Japan’s Largest Chinatown – Explore Yokohama’s Fusion of East and West and Its Seaside Charm

You’ll know you’ve arrived at Yokohama Chinatown when you spot its grand Chinese archway. This ornate gateway has also become one of Yokohama’s iconic landmarks.

 

As Japan’s first open port, Yokohama attracted many Chinese immigrants in its early days. Over time, they formed a thriving Chinatown, which has now become one of the city’s most popular destinations. During the Spring Festival celebrations, the area comes alive as never before. The traditional reds and yellows grow even more vibrant, with lively performances, festive decorations, and street entertainers drawing huge crowds. The narrow streets brim with excitement and energy. In recent years, performers from various countries have been invited to join the festivities, adding even more diversity and fresh experiences. Many restaurants offer free dishes during the Spring Festival to attract visitors, and Chinese people from all over Japan also flock here to soak up the joyful atmosphere.

Next to Chinatown lies Yokohama Daisekai, a large-scale Chinese-style food street that brings the charm of 1920s–1930s Shanghai to Japan. Amid exquisitely carved pavilions and traditional buildings, you can enjoy performances of Peking opera and erhu music, as well as dine at over a dozen Chinese restaurants. Among them are four top-notch establishments making their Japan debut: Hubei cuisine “Huanghelou” from Wuhan, Taiwan’s “Dan Zai Noodles Dou Xiao Yue,” Shanghai’s crab roe soup dumpling specialist “Wang Xing Ji,” and “Koshoan,” a congee shop helmed by renowned Japanese-Chinese chef Fujihara Tsuguo. You can savor authentic flavors from their places of origin without traveling all the way to China. For families visiting Yokohama, finding a familiar Chinese restaurant is no challenge — sometimes, food is key to a pleasant trip, and that’s one less worry here.

 

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Chinatown

Yokohama Chinatown

Website: www.chinatown.or.jp

 

Yokohama Daisekai

Address: 97 Tajima-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan (Front of Tenno-mon Gate)

Phone: +81-(0)45-681-5588

Website: www.daska.jp

 

Japan is home to a wide variety of ramen flavors, and trying them all is no easy feat. The Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum pioneered Japan’s first food-themed amusement park. If it were merely a collection of ramen shops, a family trip here might feel underwhelming.

 

Beyond showcasing famous ramen shops from across Japan, the museum’s interior is meticulously designed to replicate Japan in 1958 (Showa 33), creating an experience so detailed it feels like stepping into a life-sized replica — offering not just delicious food but also a journey through time.

 

The first floor, where you enter, houses an exhibition hall and a gift shop. The exhibition hall provides an in-depth look at the history of ramen in Japan, detailed descriptions of regional ramen varieties, the evolution of ramen culture, and displays of related tools and the early days of ramen shops. The adjacent shop sells instant ramen packets from the featured restaurants and other popular brands across Japan, along with a variety of ramen-related merchandise — including exclusive items available only at the museum.

 

The immersive area spans the basement and the open second-floor atrium, featuring a backdrop of a sunset sky and recreating the look and feel of a small town in 1958. You’ll find seemingly inhabited residential alleys, old-school taverns, and other intricately designed buildings. “Passersby” dressed in 1980s attire — such as police officers and convenience store aunties — greet visitors warmly. There’s even a storyteller carrying picture books who entertains with animated tales. The eight selected ramen shops are all well-known establishments, so be prepared for potential lines on weekends. Signboards at the ticket counter indicate estimated wait times for each ramen shop, and the thoughtful management also provides detailed Chinese and English guidebooks to help you decide which signature ramen to try.

 

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Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum

Address: 2-14-21, Shin-Yokohama, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

Phone: +81-(0)45-471-0503

Website: www.raumen.co.jp

Yokohama’s Minato Ward boasts many iconic sights, including the Ferris wheel that many people want to ride upon arriving in the city. For those looking to enjoy food, entertainment, and activities all in one go while catering to the potentially diverse interests of family members, Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse’s diverse facilities are well-suited to this need—finding the right spot where each family member can do their own thing and then regroup at a set time and place is actually a great approach for family travel.

 

Originally a group of old warehouses along Yokohama Port, Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse has been beautifully renovated and now exudes a European charm, making it one of the most eye-catching buildings in Yokohama. Building No. 1 serves as a cultural facility used for exhibitions, while Building No. 2 is commercial, featuring a variety of colorful maritime-themed goods, trendy cafés, ice cream shops, fast-food outlets, and more. By the waterfront next to the brick warehouses, there are also sightseeing boats available. After eating and shopping, if you want to experience Yokohama from the sea, you can take a boat from here to Yamashita Park and the East Exit of Yokohama Station. Yokohama WORLD PORTERS is located on the way from Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse to Yokohama Cosmo World amusement park ③. This six-story complex includes a wide range of shops. On the 1st and 2nd floors, the Yokohama Import Mart offers exquisite goods from around the world, fully reflecting the international maritime character of Yokohama Port. Yokohama WORLD PORTERS also features fashion clothing, sports goods, music CDs, home lifestyle products, a food court, cafés, and a large supermarket—you could easily end up spending quite a bit of time here!

 

The most eye-catching attraction at Yokohama Cosmo World is its Ferris wheel. Facing directly toward Yokohama Port, when the wheel lights up at night, the colorful rotating neon lights make the city’s skyline shine brilliantly. The Ferris wheel is surrounded by roller coasters, and the moment the coasters swoop past the wheel and dive into the water, the resulting splash and the excited screams of riders add to the lively atmosphere all day long.

 

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Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse

Address: 1-1 Shinko, Naka Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

Phone: Building No. 1 +81-(0)45-682-4403, Building No. 2 +81-(0)45-227-2002.

Website: www.yokohama-akarenga.jp

 

Yokohama WORLD PORTERS

Address: 2-2-1 Shinko, Naka Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

Phone: +81-(0)45-222-2000

Website: www.yim.co.jp

 

Yokohama Cosmo World

Phone: +81-(0)45-641-6591

Website: www.senyo.co.jp/cosmo

Yokohama isn’t just about the bustling Chinatown or the Western-style Minato Ward. Want to unwind in a traditional Japanese garden? Plan a visit to Sankeien Garden during your trip!

 

Spanning a vast area of 175,000 square meters, Sankeien Garden is a classic Japanese-style garden. In the early days of Yokohama’s port opening, the influential merchant Enjiro Hara, who played a leading role in the local economy, purchased the surrounding land. His adopted son, Tomitaro Hara, later built this renowned garden. It was named Sankeien because it is situated at the confluence of three streams, and the owner also referred to himself as Hara Sansui. Aside from being a merchant, Hara Sansui was also an avid collector of calligraphy, paintings, and art objects. After World War II, Sankeien came under the management of Yokohama City and was opened to the public.