Articles / Tourist Guide / Yokohama Tourist Guide / Yokohama Landmarks

Started from a humble fishing village, Yokohama prefecture started growing extensively, and at present it would be no exaggeration to say that it is an international port of great historical, financial and cultural importance.

Yokohama has a tangy and vibrant international flavor.

The places of cultural interest are grouped mainly in the historical area of Kannai. Kannai was once a home to all foreigners who came to stay in Yokohama in the period of industrial development which was a follow-up to the policy of seclusion in medieval Japan.

The most exciting experience you can have browsing through Yokohama streets is visiting Yokohama Marine Tower. The construction is, in fact, a lighthouse ? more precisely, the tallest lighthouse in the world. Its height of the lattice tower reaches 106 meters and the lighthouse can be seen almost from every area in the city. Tourists can enjoy an overwhelming view of the whole city as well as Mount Fuji from the Tower?s platform which is located at the height of 100 meters. The lighthouse is situated in Naka Ward of Yokohama prefecture next to the waterfront Yamashita Park. It was inaugurated in 1961. Temporarily the Tower is out of limits for visitors. Municipal authorities have closed the lighthouse in December 2006 for renovation and reconstructive works. Its re-opening is scheduled for 2009. 

Yokohama Chinatown is located a little further inland. Yokohama Chinatown is one of the biggest in the world and the largest in Japan. In an approximate vicinity to Chinatown there is one of Japan?s most important stadiums ? Yokohama National Stadium which hosted of F2002 FIFA World Cup a few years ago.

Yokohama Doll Museum features more than 13 thousand dolls from over 140 countries. Once you?ve stepped inside this museum housed in a modern building situated in about 1 minute?s walk from the bus station "Yamashita Futou Iriguchi" you will find yourself in a cosmopolitan atmosphere enriched by lifestyles of many nations. People started making dolls from times immemorial. By clothes and appearances of the dolls displayed in Yokohama Doll Museum you can say in which time and country and in what epoch this or that doll was produced. Museum collects and preserves thousands of ancient and modern dolls, many of which have historic value.

 In the neighborhood of Yamashita Park tourists can observe beautiful architecture of Immigration Office.

Inaugurated in 1889, Yokohama Bay Bridge crowns the city skyline. It is often referred to as a ?Gateway to the North Yokohama?. This pretentious but useful construction features 6 highway lines and a spectacular city promenade called Sky Walk.

Hongaku-ji Temple in Kamukara area of Yokohama is yet another architectural masterpiece of the city. Being an old building of historical value (its history goes back to 1436) It is one of the most visited tourist venues. The temple covers city area of more than 8,500 square meters.

Other city sights include Grand Mall Park, Landmark Tower Sky Garden, Umi no Koen, Gumyoji Temple, Monument to Yokohama Chokai jo,Wing Bridge (Tsurumi Tsubasa Bridge) and a great number of others.