Day trip to Yokohama, Japan
This is a belated post for a trip from December two years ago. After Enoshima & Kamakura, we took a day trip to Yokohama while we stayed in Tokyo. We got a Tokyu one-day pass from Shibuya station and took the Toyoku line to Yokohama. Similar to Kobe, Yokohama is a harbor city with a degree of western influence since its opening to the world in 1859.
Highlights
Kirin Brewery Tour
(Temporarily closed due to COVID-19)
After arriving Yokohama, we took a local train and walked to the Kirin Brewery. A reservation is required for the brewery tour, it is free of charge and includes a 20-minute tasting with maximum of 3 drinks. Non-alcoholic drinks and snacks are also available. The tour is normally in Japanese only, but we still enjoyed the visual presentation and videos along the way, from hops to the final packaging.
Lunch in Chinatown (中華街)
Since Yokohama harbor opened for trading in 1859, the frequent business between Yokohama, Shanghai, and Hong Kong brought the most people who immigrated from Canton area. Even though the area has become more touristy over the years, I felt like walking into a different world entering the gate of Chinatown. We saw vendors of various traditional snacks like steamed meat buns and sesame balls, along with more extravagant restaurants. After some exploration, we sat down for tri-color dumplings and fried rice.
Red Brick Warehouse
The two warehouse buildings were originally for customs until 1989, then converted to a space for businesses, arts, and restaurants in 2002. We went on a cold and rainy day in December, and the indoor space was very warm and cozy. We browsed a few artsy shops, and stopped by Granny Smith for a slice of pie with ice cream on the side. The Christmas market takes place every year from late November or early December up to Christmas between the two buildings. The market was festive despite the rain, with vendors that serve food and drinks.
Also on our list
Cup noodles museum was also on our must-go list in Yokohama, but it was closed on the day we visited. We were looking forward to making our own cup noodles at the museum and learning about the history of instant noodles, which I grew up with.
Wrapup
After having traveled to two harbor cities, Yokohama and Kobe, the ambiance is quite similar and both are close to metro areas (Tokyo and Osaka respectively). I love the harbor view at night and look forward to traveling safely once again.
Last but not least, here are our lists of Tokyo/Yokohama/Kamakura, and the 8-day itinerary.