Yokohama’s Minato Mirai

The History of this Swank District

Most would venture to guess that Osaka is Japan’s second biggest city. But, in fact that title belongs to Yokohama. Yokohama is located a mere thirty minutes southwest of the Tokyo megalopolis and stands in stark contrast to its older sister. While a short distance separates the two cities, the difference in vibes is as distinct as that between the East and West coasts of America. Unlike the hypermodern neon madness of Tokyo, Yokohama retains a lot of its historical roots. What’s more, the less frantic pace of life makes Yokohama a great escape from the endless concrete jungle of the country’s capital. Today we’ll be taking a look at the famous Minato Mirai and the surrounding areas so make sure to bring your walking shoes!

Yokohama originally served as the coastal rim of a sleepy fishing village up to the end of the feudal Edo period (1603–1868). During this time the country had a national policy of seclusion and allowed no one but the Dutch to enter (and even they were relegated to a small Island in Kyushu). While recent evidence indicates this is not entirely the case, the majority of the country was closed to foreigners until 1653 when Commodore Perry and his black warships sailed into Tokyo Bay demanding Japan open up trade to the United States.