Holiday in Yokohama

What makes Yokohama special as a destination?

Yokohama is the second largest city in Japan with over 3.7 million inhabitants and is located directly south of Tokyo on Tokyo Bay. The port city was one of the first Japanese ports to open for international trade in 1859 after over 200 years of isolation — and has since become a melting pot of Japanese and Western culture. The Minato Mirai 21 district is the modern landmark: The 296-meter tall Landmark Tower was Japan's tallest building until 2014, the Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel, at 112 meters, is one of the largest in the world, and the futuristic Intercontinental Hotel shapes the skyline. In the evening, the entire waterfront transforms into a sea of lights. Yokohama's Chinatown (Chukagai) is the largest Chinatown in Japan and one of the largest in the world: Over 600 shops and restaurants are crammed into a compact area. The steamed buns (Nikuman) and fried dumplings (Gyoza) here are legendary. The Cup Noodles Museum tells the story of instant noodles, invented in 1958 by Yokohama resident Momofuku Ando. Visitors can create their own Cup Noodles — a unique experience. The Sankeien Garden is an expansive Japanese garden with historical buildings from all over Japan, including a three-story pagoda from Kyoto. The Ramen Museum (Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum) is an underground theme museum styled like a Japanese street from the 1950s: Eight regional ramen restaurants serve the best noodle soups in the country.