Yokohama is a resilient city having literally risen from debris twice in the last century. Devastated by an earthquake in 1923 and pulverized by American B-29 bombers in the 1970s, the city is now the second largest metropolis in Japan. Yokohama looks spacious despite a substantial population thanks to the spacious harbour front and low-rise buildings.

While the rest of Japan sealed itself completely from the rest of the world in 1639, the little fishing village of Yokohama became the designated shelter of foreigners (Dutch, Americans, British and Chinese) in 1859. With the natural advantage of a port, Yokohama became Japan’s principle gateway to the outside world when Japan began to modernize. By the 1900s, Yokohama was the busiest centre of international trade in East Asia. Then came the trials - Yokohama may no longer be a thriving port or trade city but has reinvented itself as an industrial, commercial and service driven economy.

There aren’t many historical buildings standing, except a scattering of 19-th century buildings, mostly of Western origin. Not much to sightsee here except perhaps to justify a day’s outing from Tokyo. Yamate is the highlight of Yokohama with its Chinese Temples, church spires, elegant teashops and affluent residences. Nearby is Chinatown and its exotic alleys that has more than 160 restaurants rivaling the food of Shanghai, Canton or Beijing. There are a couple of interesting museums along the seafront. The other place to visit is Kannai with its century old grand Western buildings. The Yokhama Doll Museum has an exhibition of dolls from over 130 countries apart from Japan. The Museum also has a special events room and a puppet theatre.

Minato Mirai 21 is new and futuristic Yokohama built around the old city of Sakuragi-cho. High-rises, particularly the Yokohama Landmark Tower and Queen's Square dominate the horizon. Yokohama Cosmo World with its mammoth Ferris wheel and the adjacent high-rise buildings are illuminated and a must see at night. Many shopping malls and amusement arcades make Minato Mirai a shopper’s paradise.

The Sankai-en, south of Yokohama, is a picturesque Japanese garden dotted with temples and old buildings. A 30-minute train ride from Yokohama is Kamakura, which prospered as a political hub in the 12-th century. There are ancient shrines and historic sites and a big outdoor statue of the Buddha here. A celebrated tourist destination is Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, with its hot springs and volcanic Hakone Range. The Lake Ashino-ko here has a spectacular view of Mt Fuji.

Getting There: The nearest international airports are Narita and Haneda (both in Tokyo). There are direct flights from Korea (Incheon and Busan) to Narita. The JR Narita Express takes an hour and 30 minutes to Yokohama. The bus service takes two or three hours, depending on the traffic. If you are going directly to downtown Yokohama from Tokyo, the blue commuter trains of the Keihin Tohoku Line are the best option.

In Yokohama, everything is within easy walking distance of a subway or JR Station. Compared to Tokyo this city is easily negotiable making buses very viable. Maps of the city with bus routes and tourist spots are available at the visitor’s centres in Yokohama and Shin-Yokohama stations.

Accommodation: Yokohama has more than 9000 hotel rooms and you will find one to suit your taste and pocket with ease. There are hot-spring resorts at Hakone and Izu where you can stay at ryokans, Japanese inns, which can range from exorbitant to inexpensive depending on the services and amenities offered.

For detailed country & visitor information, see Japan.