Yokohama makes a great day trip out of Tokyo. Our one-day and two-day itineraries allow you to make the best use of your time.
Skyline of Yokohama with Mount Fuji
Yokohama is easy to navigate, so you can swap out places as you like for these itineraries. Choose the best one below to suit your schedule.
- For information on the sights mentioned here, see our Things to Do in Yokohama page.
- For transport information, see our Getting Around Yokohama page.
- For restaurant suggestions, see our Places to Eat in Yokohama page.
- For my hotel suggestions, see our Yokohama Hotels page.
Yokohama One-Day Itinerary
One day is enough time to see the main sights in Yokohama. It can be done as a day trip from Tokyo, though it will be a longer day with an early start. It will be a little more leisurely if you spend a night in Yokohama. For some suggested hotels, see the Yokohama Hotels page.
8:30am Start at Tokyo Station
Start at Tokyo Station. Take the JR Negishi Line (connects from the JR Keihin-Tohoku Line) to Negishi Station. From here, take a 10-minute bus ride to Honmoku on lines 58, 99, or 101. The whole journey will take about 1 hour 20 minutes.
Cherry blossoms in the evening at Sankeien Garden, Yokohama.: Sakarin Sawasdinaka / Shutterstock.com
9:30am Explore Sankeien Garden
Begin your morning with a dose of greenery and beauty by exploring Sankeien Garden. There’s much to see in this sprawling traditional Japanese garden. A leisurely pace is good here. It’s best to visit early in the morning to avoid crowds, especially during cherry blossom or fall foliage season.
11:30am Lunch in Yokohama Chinatown
Follow your morning walk with lunch in Japan’s largest Chinatown. Take the No. 8 bus back into central Yokohama until you hit Yamashita-cho; Chinatown is a short 5-minute walk away. The streets of Chinatown are packed with stalls and restaurants selling everything from dim sum to bubble tea to dumplings. Fill up on snacks, or have a proper sit-down meal at one of the many excellent restaurants. Check out our Places to Eat in Yokohama page for some great eating suggestions in the area.
Golden ginkgo avenue in Yamashita Park, Yokohama.: structuresxx / Shutterstock.com
1:00pm Walking in Yamashita Park
It’s time to stretch your legs at Yokohama’s most famous public park, consisting of open green space and a delightful promenade stretching for 750m along the waterfront. The park itself is located just 10 minutes on foot from Chinatown. Enjoy views of the city as you stroll alongside Yokohama Bay. After the park, you’ll arrive at Osanbashi Pier. This is the main international passenger terminal, and it’s worth wandering around for a few photos.
2:00pm Check out the Red Brick Warehouse
Known as Akarenga in Japanese, this handsome red brick building was originally a customs office for Yokohama Port. It’s a tourist attraction today, having been converted into restaurants and boutique shops inside. This is a good place to pick up some souvenirs, as many of the shops sell locally-made crafts and goods.
A view of the skyline in the Minato Mirai district in Yokohama.: okimo / Shutterstock.com
3:30pm Have fun in the Minato Mirai area
Heading northwards from the Red Brick Warehouse, the seaside urban area of Minato Mirai 21 is home to many of Yokohama’s most-visited attractions. Places like the Cup Noodle Museum and Cosmo World are great ways to wrap up a full day out in Yokohama. Alternatively, take a break at a cafe in the area.
6:00pm Dinner in Yokohama
You can return to Tokyo for dinner, but Yokohama has its fair share of excellent dining options. Check out our Places to Eat in Yokohama page for some ideas. Post-dinner, Minato Mirai is a lovely place for a stroll and to enjoy the night skyline.
Yokohama Two-Day Itinerary
Two days is a good amount of time to spend in Yokohama. It allows you to slow down a little and thoroughly savour all the sights you’re seeing. Ideally, you’ll be staying overnight in Yokohama. For some suggested hotels, see the Yokohama Hotels page.
Day 1
8:30am Yokohama Station
Start at Yokohama Station. There’s a Tourist Information Centre at the East Exit if you need to pick up any day passes or maps.
9:00am Sankeien Garden
Begin your morning with a leisurely exploration of Yokohama’s most beautiful traditional Japanese garden. It’s easily accessible from Yokohama Station by taking bus number 8 or 148. To make the most of your time, go early in the morning to avoid crowds. There’s plenty to see here so it’s worth spending a few hours. Plus, there are places in the garden to have mid-morning tea.
Colourful lanterns line the streets at Yokohama Chinatown.: cowardlion / Shutterstock.com
12:00pm Lunch in Yokohama Chinatown
Have a leisurely lunch in Chinatown – there are dozens of restaurants serving hearty, delicious Chinese food. If the restaurants seem too busy or the queues at food stalls too long, consider eating in nearby Motomachi or Yamate districts just south of Chinatown. We have a number of suggestions for you on our Places to Eat in Yokohama page.
2:00pm Explore nearby green spaces
Spend the rest of your afternoon wandering around the open green spaces in the surrounding area. There’s the lovely Yamashita Park along the waterfront, but the Yamate district is also worth exploring. The district is home to the peaceful Yokohama Foreign General Cemetery, the quirky Yokohama Doll Museum, and Harbour View Park. The latter is a landscaped park where you have great views of the harbour; there’s also a charming rose garden and some Western-style buildings that once housed Western diplomats during the Meiji period.
4:00pm Return to Yokohama Station
Head back to Yokohama Station by train or bus.
Day 2
9:00am Yokohama Station
Start at Yokohama Station.
Cherry blossoms in full bloom at Negishi Forest Park, Yokohama.: Raju Soni / Shutterstock.com
9:00am Negishi Forest Park
Begin your morning in a calm, green space. This beautiful park in a residential neighbourhood is especially lovely for morning blossom-viewing or fall foliage-viewing. Bring some food and water for a picnic.
12:00pm Lunch in the Minato Mirai Area
Have lunch at one of the restaurants in the Minato Mirai area. The Red Brick Warehouse also has a number of cafes and restaurants overlooking the port, and it’s a nice place to do some shopping afterwards. See the Places to Eat in Yokohama page for suggestions.
2:00pm Cup Noodles Museum
Visit the colourful, whimsical Cup Noodles Museum in the Minato Mirai area. You could easily spend up to 3 hours in the museum, especially if you include a noodle-making workshop after visiting the exhibits.
Cosmo World at night.: Haresh Sonar / Shutterstock.com
4:00pm Cosmo World
Cross the road and ride some of the attractions at this urban amusement park. The roller coasters are especially popular with teenagers and the young at heart. It’s also a good place for families with young kids to burn off some extra energy. Alternatively, there are plenty of cafes in the area for a coffee break.
6:00pm Dinner in Yokohama, or at the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum
Yokohama has many good restaurants for dinner. Alternatively, you may like to head over to the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum, where you can sample up to 9 different “mini” bowls of ramen across a variety of genres and styles. If you love delicious ramen, you’re sure to appreciate being able to try so many at one time!
Yokohama Travel Guide:
- Yokohama Travel Guide Overview
- Things To Do In Yokohama
- Places To Eat In Yokohama
- Yokohama Itineraries
- Yokohama With Kids
- Yokohama Cherry Blossoms
- Yokohama Fall Foliage
- Yokohama Districts
- Yokohama Ryokan
- Yokohama Hotels
- Yokohama Map
- How To Get To Yokohama
- Getting Around Yokohama
- Best Time To Go To Yokohama
Tokyo Vacation Checklist
- For all the essentials in a brief overview, see my First Time In Tokyo guide
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- Do you want help planning your trip? Chris Rowthorn and his team of Japan experts at Japan Travel Consulting can help