Another easy day trip from Tokyo is the beautiful city of Yokohama. It is about one hour away from Tokyo and is easily accessible. Unlike Kamakura, this is a modern city (at least the touristy parts) and gives off a very nice chic, urban vibe and best of all, there are enough options to spend a beautiful Sunday enjoying the city.
We started late in the morning and reached Yokohama around lunch time. First, we grabbed some awesome lunch in the Sky Building. It has several restaurants to choose from and some nice shopping options as well. On one of the floors, there was an elaborate photo exhibition which showcased the history of how Yokohama city developed, which was a nice bonus for visitors to the city.
Afterwards, we headed to Yamashita Park. Not sure if it is an annual spring event, but the park was drop dead gorgeous with all the beautiful flowers in full bloom. The beautiful spring weather combined with the gentle breeze from the water nearby made it the perfect day to just chill and watch the world go by. A World War II era ship, The Hikawa Maru, is also docked here and there is an opportunity to tour the ship with a paid entry ticket.
Next, we headed to Yokohama Chinatown — what an experience! Amazing shops, and never- ending food options that were just unbelievable… a foodie paradise indeed!!
After spending some time here, we headed to the Landmark Tower to soak in the views before heading back to Tokyo. A Sunday well spent indeed!
Important Notes:
We had our lunch at the Sky Building because of our timing. It is close to Yokohama station and when you are really hungry, it makes perfect sense. However, if you plan properly, and love Chinese food, then heading to Chinatown for lunch makes sense…. unbelievable choices. After lunch, you can then head to Yamashita Park close by.
Landmark Tower tour – the views are amazing…sadly we couldn’t see Mt. Fuji (we were told you can on clear days) on that particular day. Whether or not you actually go up really depends on how much you enjoy 360 degree views and how many towers you have visited in the past : )
There are many other places to see and enjoy in Yokohama. We were a bit short on time, so, this was a very focused visit. Would love to go back sometime and check out Cosmoworld, other gardens, the museum and noodles! Yokohama is definitely a city worth visiting. There is an official Yokohama Visitor’s Guide available on the web…. please do check it out for more ideas.
Wandering Tales Travel Dreams 