Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Yokohama?
Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Yokohama?
Most visitors spend one to two days in Yokohama when visiting. The diverse city offers so many things to see and explore, so you'll want to take full advantage of the limited time you have. Highlights include the museums and landmarks, the big city activities, the food, and the nightlife.
Yokohama is not far from Tokyo, and it's the second largest city in the country. It was home to the first international port in Japan, which opened in 1859. It is also where you'll find the largest Chinatown in the country, as well as several great amusement parks, gardens, aquariums, and parks.
Do you have one or two days to visit Yokohama? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.
Is one day enough time in Yokohama?
One day is generally not enough time to experience everything in Yokohama. A shorter schedule may leave you with a sense of urgency to browse through museums, discover the big city activities, taste delicious cuisine, and grab some drinks at a bar. To genuinely appreciate the highlights, a more lengthy visit is typically recommended. Many tourists opt for one to two days to immerse themselves fully in the charms of the area. After all, As a big city, Yokohama offers plenty of activities and attractions for visitors. However, if you're working with limited time, we have some great ideas for making the most of your stay below.
How to spend a day in Yokohama
Don't miss the Yokohama Chinatown during your trip to Yokohama, as it's one of this destination's most well-known attractions. You should make sure to set aside enough time to see it.
The restaurant and food scene here is top notch, so make sure you spend time at one of the local restaurants where you can taste the delicious cuisine. As home to the largest Chinatown in Japan, you'll find no shortage of Chinese restaurants here. You'll also find that the local cuisine uses a lot of vegetables. Local favorites include kenchin-jiru (tofu and vegetable chowder) as well as gyunabe (beef hot pot).
A few tour suggestions include:
- Shinjuku Izakaya Food Tour ($110)
- Japanese Whisky Tasting Experience at Local Bar in Tokyo ($172)
- Tokyo Allstar Food Tour ($245)
Yokohama is a walkable city and easy to explore on foot. With only a day in the city, you'll have no trouble seeing the local sights. Many of the central parts of the city can be explored on foot. Most of the sites are concentrated around Minato Mirai, Chinatown, and Yokohama Station, which you can walk between.
Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Yokohama?
A weekend offers a good amount of time to enjoy much of what Yokohama has for visitors. In addition to the museums and landmarks and big city activities, visitors can enjoy the nightlife, shopping, and local culture. By staying a night or two, you'll be able to take advantage of the most interesting activities found here.
Yokohama, Japan
How to spend 2 days in Yokohama
If you have more than a weekend (two to three days) in Yokohama, you'll appreciate the added time for everything the city has to offer.
A number of fantastic museums and famous landmarks are found in Yokohama, so spend at least one full day exploring those that look the most appealing to you. The city has some eclectic museums like Cupnoodles Museum, the Ramen Museum, and the Kirin Beer Factory. There are also zoos, gardens, and the largest Chinatown in Japan.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Cup Noodles Museum Tour with Guide in Yokohama ($66)
- Ramen Museum Guided Tour in Shin Yokohama ($51)
- Yokohama Cup Noodles Museum and Chinatown Guided Tour ($96)
The nightlife scene is very popular here. After dark, head out to one of the many venues around town. The nightlife scene is diverse, with lounges, pubs, and clubs throughout. It is also the home of Japan's first commercial brewery - Kinn. You'll find a good live music scene as well as everything from casual bars to upscale cocktail lounges.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Tokyo Pub Crawl ($26)
The public transit in Yokohama is fast and efficient. Over the course of a few days, you should be able to explore the city quite easily and affordably. Yokohama Station and Shin-Yokohama Station are the two main train stations. There is a subway system as well as city buses that travel around town.
More Info
If you're looking for more information about Yokohama, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.
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