Yokohama Day & Night
Would you like to relive some Meiji era history and enjoy high-tech amusement at the same time? Yokohama is the place where old meets new and the east meets west. There is a plethora of historical sites, cool sea breezes in a multitude of beautiful parks and active nightlife.
After American Commodore Matthew Perry arrived in Uraga in 1953 with four black ships (kuro fune) and broke the long isolation period of Japan, Yokohama Port was opened to foreign trade soon afterwards. Yokohama quickly became Japan's portal to neo-Western civilization throughout the Meiji Restoration. Today it remains active as Japan's second busiest port.
The majority of things to do in Yokohama can be found along a stretch of four train stations starting at Yokohama and extending along the Keihin Tohoku Line with Saguragicho, Kannai and Ishikawacho Stations. The south exit of Ishikawacho Station is a good starting point for the day as it leads directly into the Motomachi shopping street and adjacent China Town. This street is famous for Motomachi brands, bags, shoes, lace, etc., and it is widely considered the most fashionable shopping area in Yokohama.
Nearby China Town is accessible from the north exit Ishikawacho Station. It was established by Chinese traders of the Meiji era and to this day still has an exotic and colorful atmosphere with much Chinese culture to be experienced. You can enjoy authentic Chinese pudding, dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves (chimaki), Chinese meat buns (nikuman), and meatballs (shumai) served fresh and hot from corner stands. Chinese dresses, fans and hats are widely available and are popular gift items. Traditional Chinese medicine stores in the area are abundant and quite popular among the Japanese. Other traditional Chinese items may be more for viewing than consumption are on display such as liquor bottles with snakes inside them, Beijing Ducks and hanging pig faces.
Five large entrance gates were constructed to protect the town from evil spirits on the north, south, east and west sides and a middle side. The north side is protected by a deity with a black army on the top of gate for prosperity; the south gate is protected by a red bird deity for wealth; the east gate is protected by a blue dragon deity for providing sunshine; and the west gate is protected by a white tiger deity for peace. The biggest middle gate on the main road is the Zenrin Gate, which means Ògood neighbors gate.Ó This was intended to symbolize the good relations between Japan and China. Kantei Shrine is also located in China Town. This is the shrine of Kanu who was a hero of Sangoku-shi (history of three centuries) and a god of arms and wealth.
On the side of the Motomachi shopping road opposite China Town you can find the famous foreigners' cemetery (gaijin bochi) and Motomachi Park. This cemetery has long been a great fascination among Japanese as many of the foreign historical figures who contributed to the development of Yokohama and Japanese society lie in peace there.
The cemetery began when Commodore Perry first buried deceased crewmen of the black ships here in the 1850s. Many of the foreigners who founded area schools and colleges also rest here. You can find tombstones marking the resting place of several unfortunate victims who inadvertently brushed up too closely to sword-carrying Samurai of the times.
Some old Western-style houses of past famous foreign residents are located nearby the foreigners' cemetery. There is also a museum for the cemetery, Yamate 10 Ban Kan, and Yamate Shiryokan, which is a historical museum. At Harbor View Park you can see the former U.K. consulate general and a large rose garden. May is considered the best season for visiting the garden.
Because foreigners were sometimes attacked by rowdy samurai, this area used to be a kind of reservation for foreigners with French Peak (a former French Garrison). Today you can enjoy a cup of tea at Enoki Tei, an old Western-style quaint red and white house, and soak up some of the history. Several international schools and churches still remain open in the area.
Nearby and overlooking the bay is beautiful Yamashita Park, which was created after the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 for the purpose of revitalizing China Town. Visitors like to sit and watch Hikawa Maru ship light up the night while enjoying refreshing cool sea breezes. In the summer there is quite a spectacular fireworks festival too.
The Hotel New Grand has long stood in front of the park as an impressive example of Western architecture. Famous guests such as Charlie Chaplin and Babe Ruth have stayed at this hotel. There is also a beautiful courtyard.
Sega operates a high-tech indoor amusement park near Yamashita Park called Joy Polis. These are nearly all virtual reality games and rides with flight simulator-like apparatus, but when the lights go off you will feel as if you really are riding white water rapids or on space ship. Admission is ´3,400 for a passport or ´500 for simple entrance.
Just beyond Joy Polis there are two very nice places to have lunch or dinner. One is a large American-style diner called Butcher's Table, and the other is an Asian restaurant called Tycoon is in front of Butcher's table. And there is a disco for young trendy people next door called Club Heavan.
After finishing up a day in Ishikawacho/Motomachi/ China Town there are two choices for nightlife activities. If you stay in Ishikawacho, there are many bars and pubs that come to life as the sun goes down. Just outside Ishikawacho Station before entering the Motomachi shopping road there are two small blocks of about 10 bars (see pub guide). Party Animals, decorated with American antiques, and the Aussie with Australian cuisine are two favorites among the ex-pats. Walking down Motomachi shopping road there are another handful of lively bars with Why Not being one of the main ex-pat haunts on the road. The Circus Disco is an area landmark. Somewhat dilapidated and currently featuring a soul/hip-hip venue, the Circus has been home to some of the area's hippest night activity for decades. There is also an area of a few blocks near Ishikawacho Station and just inside China town with some smaller bars and pubs.
As a second option for nightlife you can head back to Saguragicho by train or to its ocean counterpart Minato Mirai by boat from Yamashita Park. The ferry costs ´350 and takes a mere 10 minutes but only runs during the day. During the ride you can observe the redbrick warehouses which are one of the famous faces of Yokohama.
If you need more amusement do not miss Cosmo World at Minato Mirai, which is open until 10:00 p.m. daily. This amusement center features the second largest Ferris wheel in the world, a roller coaster and a few other rides with a beautiful panoramic night view of Yokohama. It is considered an ideal place for a romantic evening.
There is also a variety of shopping available at Minato Mirai, which includes Landmark Tower and Queen's Square, Jack Mall and World Porters next to Cosmo World. The latter is one of the newest international shopping malls in Yokohama with an eclectic selection of food, fashion, furniture and interior decorations.
Queen's Square consists of three connected buildings and a large shopping mall. The very trendy Hard Rock Cafe is in Queen's Square. Here the young and old enjoy classic rock music among friends late into the night.
Landmark Tower is right next door and has its own shopping mall as well. For a fee of ´1,000 you can ascend to the 69th floor and see the view of Yokohama from the tallest building in Japan, which is the new symbol of Yokohama.
If you are looking for a little more evening excitement you should head for Gaspanic. Situated in yet another Yokohama shopping center called Jack Mall--so much shopping in Yokohama--this newly opened Gaspanic is bigger than its sister bars in Roppongi. It also has a game center downstairs as well as games such as pool, darts and others inside the bar. It is new, clean, big and lively. With the exception of somewhat menacing signs on the wall ÒYou must being drinking to stay in Gaspanic,Ó ÒYou must carry your drink with you at all times,Ó etc. this place rules! Aside from the signs, on my visit the staff was very courteous, and this is by far the hottest nightlife in Yokohama.
Gaspanic caters to a bit of a younger crowd and you can really feel the energy. This is the place where young people go to have fun with friends and meet new people. The music is charged and as the place fills up the environment become boisterous to say the least. Open all night, Thursdays are the big nights at Gaspanic as all drinks are ´300 all night. As one frequent patron described it, ÒOn Thursday, this place is wild. I mean it is just totally wild! You have to see it to believe it.Ó
If you get out of Gaspanic at a decent hour or if you just happen to be there, Yokohama Station also has a nice little bar scene with about five active bars and pubs, nearly all of them in the Minami Saiwai area just off from the west exit of JR Yokohama Station. There is often live music at Thumbs Up. Players (California theme), Dukes (Hawaiian theme) and Stoves are several very popular hang outs for foreigners. Stoves serves big portions of American dishes in a nice cozy atmosphere making it a great place to eat and drink... if you can get a seat.
Off from the other end of the west exit of the station is Hama Bowl. The building is a bit old, but inside is an entire weekend of activities, many of them running all night. There is a 58-lane bowling alley, ice skating (open to the public sometimes), a game center and archery and batting cages.
Walking from the bar area to Hama Bowl you may encounter Oden Yatai Street. These are old-style stalls, each serving its own brand of a Japanese water-based stew called oden. Every stall is very small and can only six to seven people at a time, but you can enjoy oden and sake in a home-style environment.
Have you seen Yokohama lately? The landscape has changed dramatically over the past decade. Whether you are sitting in hotel after two days in the country or if you have been in Japan for ten years, there is so much to see and do in Yokohama Be sure to check it out. You will not be disappointed.
by Jay Firestone
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