On the third day of my trip to Tokyo, I moved to Yokohama in the suburbs for easier travel logistics; if you can only choose one spot for night views in the Tokyo area, I highly recommend Yokohama Landmark Tower.
Yokohama is located in the Tokyo suburbs and can be reached from Shinjuku or central Tokyo in just half an hour by express train, so many commuters travel here daily for work in the city center. Yokohama is a port city situated at a key location along Tokyo Bay and has a history of frequent exchanges with other regions in Japan’s modern history, which is why it is home to Chinatown and many Western-style buildings.
The cluster of high-rise buildings in Yokohama is concentrated in Minato Mirai 21, which translates to “Future Port” in Chinese, mostly built on reclaimed land. The Yokohama Landmark Tower visited this time was the tallest skyscraper in Japan when it was completed and also had the fastest elevators in the country—records that have since been surpassed by the Tokyo Skytree and Osaka’s Abeno Harukas.
To get to Yokohama Landmark Tower, you can take the Negishi Line to “Kamiooka Station” or the Minatomirai Line to “Kokusai Dori Station,” then walk there. Access from Minatomirai requires transferring through several elevators, which is a bit more complicated, whereas Kokusai Dori allows for convenient access via a pedestrian skybridge. Of course, both stations have ample signage for guidance.
The elevator takes you from the ground to the observation deck at 272 meters in just ten seconds. Looking westward from the 69th floor, you can see cities in the Sagamihara area around Yokohama, but the view is mostly of small towns spread across the plains.
On the day I visited the observation deck, I had the rare fortune of encountering exceptionally clear weather with minimal cloud cover. In addition to the entire Kanto Plain to the southwest, I could even see Mount Fuji—it was a wonderful surprise during the trip.
The Yokohama Landmark Tower uses seamless 80-degree glass for its observation deck, with moderate lighting that minimizes issues with reflections. As the city lights begin to glow, looking toward Minato Mirai 21 gradually reveals the unique romance of this port city.
The Yokohama cityscape paired with sunset hues.
Medium-sized version.
After nightfall, the towns on the Kanto Plain light up, creating a scattering of tiny lights—a different scene from the cluster of high-rises to the east.
Aside from Yokohama Stadium to the south, the contrast in the city's light intensity is not overly stark, allowing the highlights and shadows to remain vivid without the need for post-processing adjustments.
By switching to a telephoto lens, you can actually easily see central Tokyo and the skyscrapers of Shinjuku from Yokohama. Can you also spot the distant Tokyo Skytree and Tokyo Tower?
The interior design of the Yokohama Landmark Tower’s observation deck is kept at a medium brightness level. Compared to many other skyscrapers, it is not overly dazzling. I believe visitors who come here in the evening will also enjoy the romantic atmosphere of this port city. I personally really like this spot.
Travel photos will be compiled in this album: Eastern and Central Japan . 2016,
Flickr, and the "From Musashi to Ise" travel series is also being serialized on the blog. Feel free to check it out if you’re interested.
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Fai Redefined
A person who loves night views.
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