When in Tokyo, one often feels the presence of the hordes of people closing in, constricting and often times, crushing. Well, it’s Japan and that comes with the territory, right?

Not always.

Big city life without the crowds can be had in Japan, and not too far from Tokyo, for that matter. Many foreigners who’ve lived in the Kanto area for awhile don’t realize that there’s a city close by that is at once very livable, but also vibrant. Sounds too good to be true, but it’s not. Where is this place, you ask? I’m talking about Yokohama.

Sure, you’ve been to downtown Yokohama before. You’ve seen what a nightmare undersized Yokohama Station can be during rush hour. But, next time you find yourself pulling into Yokohama Station, consider taking the Tokyu Toyoko line just a couple of stops further to Minato Mirai (みなとみらい), Japan’s nicest bay town. 

The Toyoko line actually turns into the Minato Mirai line past Yokohama  Station, but when you get off at Minato Mirai Station, you can see why the train fare is higher to go there. The station opens up into Queen’s Square, a multi-level shopping, dining and entertainment complex. The cleanliness and the modern design of the station are quite refreshing, especially when you’ve been spending too much time around Shinjuku or Ikebukuro Stations.

Minato Mirai Station and the Queen’s Square Entrance

A long escalator ride from the underground station to the first floor brings you to a decision; Eat first and browse the shops later or vice versa. There are various restaurants and fast-food places to dine at, including a Hard Rock Cafe, which is just as overpriced and touristy as any other one anywhere else in the world. If you like American-style hamburgers, try American House. Or, if you’re into Italian, Garlic Jo’s.

If you make your way into the Landmark Tower shopping mall, you’ll find a better class of restaurants mixed in with the chain places and fast-food fare. The shopping mall itself is very clean and well-designed, providing for a very pleasant shopping experience. But, Sunday afternoons aren’t the best if you don’t like crowds.

The upscale and very clean Landmark Tower shopping mall

The shopping mall has many of the usual high-end shops like Tiffany & Co., but also plenty of shops ‘for the rest of us.’ There are some nice coffee shops as well, including a Hawaiian Kona place. There’s even a Sizzler, which I can’t recommend in Japan any more than I could back in the States. And, if you don’t mind parting with another ￥1000 note, take a ride up to the 69th floor of the Landmark Tower building and check out one of the best views to be had in Japan, especially at night.

If you like taking long walks outdoors on pleasant evenings, I can’t think of many places better for doing that in Japan than Minato Mirai. There are great photo-taking opportunities all over the area. Just outside Landmark Tower sits the Nippon Maru, an old-style ship docked so close to everything that it looks a bit out of place.

The Nippon Maru 日本丸 docked in Minato Mirai

 As you wind your way around the little harbor, you come to a walking path that leads you across the water and into the area containing the World Porters shopping center and Cosmo World, a miniature amusement park with a giant Ferris Wheel as its main attraction.

Cosmo World as seen from the harbor

If you take a pass on World Porters and Cosmo World and keep on walking along the path, you’ll end up at Aka-Renga Soko (赤レンガ倉庫), which just means ‘red brick warehouses’ in English. It’s a couple of old warehouses that have become historic landmarks, as well as trendy new shopping malls that have quite a few interesting shops and restaurants.

Aka-Renga Soko, one of Yokohama’s most famous landmarks

The path south along the harbor finally brings you to Yamashita Koen (山下公園), a beautiful waterfront park that’s perfect for relaxing and watching boats coming in and going out of the harbor.  It’s also a great place to check out the Minato Mirai skyline.

The Minato Mirai skyline with a fisherman in the foreground

Yamashita Koen sits in the shadow of Marine Tower, Japan’s most famous lighthouse, and often attracts a variety of people on the weekends, including comedy and magic troupes who perfom on the waterfront. It’s a clean, safe park that is inviting, even late into the evening. If you’re on a date, hopefully you can find an empty bench (there are quite a few of them along the waterfront) and take it slow while enjoying the fresh ocean air.

The Hikawa Maru 氷川丸 docked in front of Yamashita Koen

Even Lawson convenience stores are happy along the waterfront

Marine Tower - No longer open to tourists, but still guiding ships in the fog

A short walk from Yamashita Koen is Chukagai (中華街), or Chinatown. There are some famous Chinese restaurants here, as well as plenty of average fare. It’s the most famous Chinatown in Japan, but it’s not as interesting as the one in San Francisco. However, it’s much cleaner.

The gateway to Yokohama’s famous Chinatown

Motomachi-Chukagai (元町-中華街)station is on the Minato Mirai line and provides the best place to catch a train back to Tokyo along the Toyoko line. Shibuya is about 35 minutes by local train and a little less than 30 minutes by express train.

Motomachi-Chukagai Station: The last stop on the Minato Mirai line

Well, I hope that you’ve enjoyed this virtual trip to Minato Mirai and that you’ll take the real trip down there soon. And, if you see me down there, feel free to buy me a cup of coffee; I don’t mind at all.

Happy travels and Cheers!