Yokohama

The second largest city in Japan, Yokohama has traditionally been a major maritime hub and port. In 1853, Commodore Matthew Perry of the U.S. Navy landed at Yokohama, and forced Japan to open to outside trade, ending over two hundred years of self-imposed isolation. Today, Yokohama is a cosmopolitan, thriving city, and the place where Japan first absorbed such hallmarks of Western culture as beer, baseball and classical music.

Experiences

A handpicked selection of experiences endorsed by our experts. If you can’t see what you’re looking for, let us know, as our extensive network of local contacts can open many doors.

Hikawa Maru

Tour the Hikawa Maru, a meticulously preserved, 11,000-ton luxury liner with Art Deco interiors that cruised between Yokohama and Seattle from 1930 until World War II, when it was requisitioned by the Imperial Navy and converted into a hospital ship. Photo displays note famous passengers like Charlie Chaplin, for whom the ship sent one of its chefs to Tokyo to apprentice at making his favorite tempura.

Customs Museum

Honoring Yokohama’s past and present as a main port for Japan’s international commerce, the small but captivating Customs Museum displays reproductions of drugs, guns and other contraband that failed entry into Japan, with detailed cross-sections of their containers and photographs of the original seizing.

Hotel New Grand

Have lunch at the elegant and beautifully preserved Hotel New Grand, where General MacArthur lived and worked upon arriving in Japan at the start of the America’s postwar occupation. Built in 1927 and located across from Yamashita Park and the Hikawa Maru ocean liner, its second-floor banquet room, among other areas, is an officially recognized historical property of the city of Yokohama.

Minato Mirai

Visit the aka renga soko, or red brick warehouses. Originally twin brick piles built in 1911 and 1913, part of the southern warehouse was leveled in the 7.9-magnitude Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. Today, after an era of dormancy and disrepair, they are a symbol of the urban revitalization of Yokohama’s Minato Mirai (“port of the future”) area. There are three floors of cafes, restaurants and trendy shops, including the sleek Motion Blue jazz club (a subsidiary of Blue Note Japan), while exhibition spaces host events like the annual springtime sake festival.

JAPAN Regions

Explore in-depth information, experiences and highlights by navigating to specific regions using the links below on the right.

Hokkaido

Kyushu

Honshu

Southern Islands

okinawa

Shikoku

Tohoku

Hotel New Grand

The Hotel New Grand is a historic monument and considered one of the oldest western-style hotels in Japan. Situated in the heart of the city, the hotel provides welcoming respite after a busy day of touring the cultural sights. The hotel offers awesome views of Yamashita Park and Yokohama Bay. Over the years, the Hotel New Grand has welcomed many famous dignitaries and celebrities through its historic doors, including Charlie Chaplin, Babe Ruth, the Duke of Gloucester, and more. The famous Japanese master writer, Jiro Osaragi, was a resident of Hotel New Grand in Room 318 for more than 10 years. The hotel’s design is classic and elegant. Rooms feature high-end amenities combined with elegant European-inspired décor creating gorgeous, sophisticated spaces. Dining choices include French, Italian and Japanese cuisine. There is also the Lounge La Terrasse, a comfortable place for cocktails. Or try the Bar Sea Guardian II, an authentic, traditional English pub, or The Café,  reminiscent of 1950’s North American coffee shops. The Café features both American and European cuisine in a casual atmosphere.

Pan Pacific Yokohama Bay Tokyu

The comfortable, harmonious rooms at this urban oasis hotel are well-appointed with quality furnishings. Seaside rooms have balconies where guests can enjoy gentle ocean breezes. The hotel boasts a combination of international services and Japanese hospitality. Foodies can rest assured that the hotel provides gastronomic excellence through a world of culinary delights. Choose from Southern French, Japanese, Italian, Chinese and Californian cuisine. Hotel facilities include a spa, beauty salon and florist.

Yokohama Bay Sheraton Hotel and Towers

Yokohama Bay Sheraton Hotel and Towers is situated only a minute’s walk from Yokohama Railway station and overlooks the stunning Yokohama Bay. This hotel is a perfect sanctuary from the city’s hustle and bustle. There are nearly 400 guest rooms, including two suites, all designed for comfort and conveniences. Rooms include a work desk, internet access, fax, as well as famous Sheraton Sweet Sleeper™ beds. The hotel features a fitness facility, indoor pool, jacuzzi, beauty salon and spa, two bars (one features live entertainment) and seven restaurants.

Yokohama Grand Intercontinental Hotel

This well-situated hotel provides an ideal base for discovering Yokohama. The city center is approximately one mile away, while the airport can be reached within 30 minutes. Attractions in the nearby area include Yokohama Cosmo World, five shopping malls, the Yokohama Museum of Art, Yamashita Park Pacifico Yokohama, Queen's Square, and Manyō Club Hot Spring Facility. The hotel provides a concierge service, business center, laundry service/dry cleaning, safety deposit boxes and an elevator. The luxury rooms feature a desk, hair dryer, in-room safe, bathtub, and executive lounge access in each room. On-site amenities range from a fitness center, jacuzzi, spa, indoor pool, sauna, to two bars and five restaurants, all promising tasty European dishes and contemporary Chinese cuisine. The hotel’s unique and iconic structure soars magnificently above the transformed city centre like a sleek yacht under sail.