Yokohama Chinatown is the largest Chinatown in Japan and one of the biggest in the world, a vibrant maze of some 600 shops and restaurants packed into a few colourful blocks. Marked by ornate gates at each entrance, it has been the heart of the city’s Chinese community since the port opened to foreign trade in the 1850s.

Gates and Streets

Ten decorative gates guard the district, each painted in bright colours and aligned according to traditional Chinese geomancy. Wandering between them, you pass lantern-strung lanes, herbal medicine shops, and stalls selling steaming snacks, with the scent of food drifting from every doorway.

Food and Snacks

Eating is the main reason to visit. Street vendors sell nikuman steamed buns, xiaolongbao soup dumplings, and grilled skewers, while sit-down restaurants serve everything from Cantonese banquets to all-you-can-eat dim sum. Sampling your way slowly along the streets is the local custom.

Kanteibyo Temple

Tucked among the restaurants is the ornate Kanteibyo Temple, dedicated to the Chinese god of business and prosperity. Its richly decorated hall offers a quiet, incense-filled contrast to the bustle outside and is well worth a short visit.

Colourful, lively, and endlessly tempting, Yokohama Chinatown is best enjoyed with an appetite and time to wander. It sits within easy walking distance of the harbour and Minato Mirai.

More Yokohama Travel Guides

• Minato Mirai 21: Yokohama’s Waterfront and Landmark Tower
• Sankeien Garden: A Classical Retreat in Yokohama
• Yokohama Harbour: Red Brick Warehouse and Osanbashi

See our Yokohama Travel Guide hub for the full overview.

Planning the whole trip? Visit The Complete Yokohama Guide for every guide and hotel in one place.