Yokohama Travel Guide: Discover Minato Mirai and 8 Other Spectacular Areas!

Yokohama's Areas: Learn About Tokyo's Popular Neighboring City

Yokohama is a port city in Kanagawa Prefecture with scenic and historical locations. Just a 30-minute train ride away from central Tokyo, it has been a popular sightseeing destination for decades!

This article introduces the most popular areas in Yokohama, from Minato Mirai to Chinatown, and includes information on how to access Yokohama Station from Tokyo via public transportation.

How to Access Yokohama from Tokyo

It is approximately a 30-minute train ride from central Tokyo to Yokohama Station. From JR Tokyo Station, board JR Ueno-Tokyo Line connecting to the Tokaido Main Line, the Yokosuka Line, and Keihin Tohoku Line for Yokohama Station. From Shibuya Station, you can take the Tokyu Toyoko Line to Yokohama Station. None of these options requires any transfers, taking about 30 minutes to reach Yokohama.

For more information on how to access Yokohama by train, please read the following MATCHA article.

Trains and buses run frequently in Yokohama, so you can conveniently tour the city without needing a car or taxi. We highly recommend using the JR Pass to access Yokohama when departing Tokyo, Shinjuku, or Ueno stations along the JR lines. The pass is also helpful when navigating around the city since major travel and shopping destinations in Yokohama are connected by JR lines. You can reserve the JR Pass online via the travel services website Klook.

9 Popular Areas in Yokohama

1. Chinatown

Picture from Yokohama Chinatown - The Charm Of The Biggest Chinatown In Japan

As a historical port city, Yokohama has many places with non-Japanese influences such as the famous Chinatown.
With many Chinese restaurants and shops, this area is extremely popular with locals and visitors alike. It's especially busy on the weekends.

The closest station is Motomachi-Chukagai Station on the Minatomirai Line or Ishikawacho Station on the JR Negishi Line. Both are an eight-minute train ride from Yokohama Station.

2. Minato Mirai

Minato Mirai offers a multitude of shops, galleries, the Landmark Tower, Cosmo World, and the Anpanman Museum. You can also enjoy the gorgeous night scenery from one of the many tall commercial buildings and observatories. This is an iconic area of Yokohama often seen in photos.

The building in the picture above is the popular Red Brick Warehouse or Akarenga Soko in Japanese. It houses shops, restaurants, and a variety of special exhibitions and events year-round, including a Christmas market.

For groups of friends or children, a fun option is visiting the Cup Noodles Museum, where you can learn about the history of instant noodles and even make your own custom cup. On a walking tour, you can enjoy Minato Mirai and its surrounding areas, including the Cup Noodles Museum and snacks in Chinatown.

The closest station is Minatomirai Station on the Minatomirai Line or Sakuragicho Station on the JR Negishi Line. Both are only three minutes on the train from Yokohama Station.

3. Yamashita Park

Yamashita Park is the first seaside park in Japan built after the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. It is known for its beautiful flowers and the scenic view of the Yokohama Bay Bridge spanning Tokyo Bay. If you visit during the spring and autumn, you can enjoy Yamashita Park's beautiful rose garden in full bloom. This area is also well-known for its elegant, well-established restaurants and cafes.

The closest station to the park is the Motomachi-Chukagai Station on the Minatomirai Line or Ishikawacho Station on the JR Negishi Line. Both are an eight-minute train ride from Yokohama Station.

4. Motomachi and Yamate

Picture from "Visit The Area That Inspired Studio Ghibli’s “From Up On Poppy Hill.”

Motomachi and Yamate house the Foreign General Cemetery and the British House. The British House is a designated cultural property of Yokohama originally built in 1937. This area with many retro western buildings inspired the Studio Ghibli movie "From Up on Poppy Hill." It has become a famous sightseeing spot for Ghibli fans!

Minato-no-Mieru Oka Koen overlooks Yokohama and is popular for picnics and weekend trips.

Along the 150-year-old Motomachi shopping street, you will find traditional and trendy shops and cafes. This street is also supposed to be featured in yet another Studio Ghibli movie: "The Cat Returns."

The closest station is Motomachi-Chukagai Station on the Minatomirai Line or Ishikawacho Station on the JR Negishi Line. Both are an eight-minute train ride from Yokohama Station.

5. Kannai and Bashamichi

Kannai and Bashamichi are historical areas of Yokohama where Western-style buildings from a hundred years ago remain. In this area, visitors will encounter brick streets and gas lamps from when Japan first opened the country to the Western world. This historical time was when overseas people began to reside in Yokohama.

The closest station is Kannai Station on the JR Negishi Line and the Yokohama Municipal Subway, also known as the Blue Line. Both are a five-minute ride from Yokohama Station.

6. Sakuragicho, Noge, and Isezakicho

Sakuragicho, Noge, and Isezakicho are known to have many restaurants, bars, and izakayas (Japanese-style pubs) where you can enjoy a great variety of food and drinks. You can find a number of small establishments with Japanese sake and local craft beer, along with delicious eats. These areas are ideal for a lively night out in Yokohama!

Close to Sakuragicho Station are two major shopping facilities: CIAL Sakuragicho and TOC Minato Mirai. Inside the TOC Minato Mirai building, you can find shops, a movie theater, hotel, fitness club as well as offices which makes for a little city in itself.

The closest stations are Kannai Station and Sakuragicho Station on the JR Negishi Line and the Yokohama Municipal Subway. Both are a five minute ride from the Yokohama Station.

7. Yokohama Station

Picture from "Easy Access! 8 Shopping Spots Around Yokohama Station"

The Yokohama Station area offers several popular shopping spots. There are many department stores, fashion boutiques, electronic shops, and Don Quijote in walking distance from the station. Yokohama Bay Quarter is a large shopping mall that is connected to the station. Many people visit this spot to have breakfast or lunch at one of its restaurants or cafes before exploring the rest of Yokohama.

The closest station is Yokohama Station on the JR Line and Tokyu Toyoko Line.

8. Shin-Yokohama

Shin-Yokohama is home to large stadiums, such as the Yokohama Arena and Nissan Stadium. It's also the area where the Shinkansen stops in Yokohama City. However, it is also extremely well known to ramen lovers due to the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum. If you're not in the mood for ramen, Cubic Plaza Shin-Yokohama—a shopping mall connected to Shin-Yokohama Station—is known to offer all sorts of delicious dishes from worldwide.

The closest station is Shin-Yokohama Station on the JR Yokohama Line and Yokohama Municipal Subway (the Blue Line). Both are a ten-minute ride from Yokohama Station.

9. Kanazawa Ward

Picture from "Yokohama Sea Paradise: More Than An Aquarium! Play with Sea Creatures!"

Yokohama's Kanazawa Ward is located on the northern side of the city. It is known for the popular Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, housing an aquarium and amusement park. Because of its close proximity to the ocean, we recommend visiting the tasty sushi, sashimi, and seafood restaurants in the area.

The closest station is Kanazawa-Hakkei Station on the Keikyu Main Line. It is a 30-minute ride from Keikyu Yokohama Station.