A lot of tourists going to Japan would mostly consider Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, or maybe Hokkaido for the winter. To be honest, these specific destinations are also at the top of my list, but since my brother was working in Yokohama when I visited Japan, I thought it would be a good idea to explore the second largest city in Japan, next to Tokyo.
Yokohama Instagram Spots: The List
Upon visiting this city, I believe this deserves more exposure than it’s currently getting. Given the hustle and bustle of big cities all over the world, Yokohama could give you both city and suburb elements that could make your travel to Japan really worth it. Now, with no further ado, I am sharing some of the Yokohama Instagram spots I was able to see when I was in Japan:
Sankeien Garden
This 175,000 square kilometer garden used to be the private home of a rich silk merchant named Tomitaro “Sankei” Hara. This may look like a typical Japanese garden which you will see all over Japan, but Sankeien Garden has a lot of history which makes it stand out from other gardens. It actually contains a lot of historical structures, including a three-storey pagoda that was originally constructed in Kyoto in 1400s. Oh, did I mention that this is a perfect site to have a view of the blooming of the cherry blossoms around March to April every year?
When I went here, the garden was so quiet and I feel like it has some kind of a magic because it’s so relaxing there and no matter how much I try to think about negative things, this place will just wipe all the bad vibes away. Next time I will spend the whole day here just journaling.
Yokohama Landmark Tower
This magnificent structure is considered as the second largest building in Japan which is located at Minato Mirai 21 District. Like any other tall buildings, Landmark Tower also has high-speed elevators (the fastest in Japan) which was believed to be faster than the elevators of Taipei 101. It has an observatory where you can see a 360-view of the city of Yokohama and even Mount Fuji on a clear day. Merely looking at this building was already amazing for me.
Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse (Aka-Renga Soko)
These buildings used to be the Customs Inspection House for goods entering the Yokohama Bay back in the 1920s. It may look like an ordinary brick building, but when I went there at night, the vibe was so happy and there was a Christmas Market with all the food and the goods. I heard they also hold Oktoberfest there and I wish I could witness it next time.
Yokohama Cup Noodles Museum
Cup Noodles Museum was my favorite place in Yokohama. I had a very fun experience here getting to know the history of Cup Noodles and even creating my own version of Cup Noodles. I even drew the design of the cup. This place is perfect for families with kids and for kids-at-heart like me, and for lovers of Cup Noodles, of course. This was the second Cup Noodles Museum in Japan and the first one opened in Osaka. Your travel to Yokohama, Japan will be more fun for sure if you visit this happy place!
For more information about the Yokohama Cup Noodles Museum, visit https://www.cupnoodles-museum.jp/en/yokohama/
Yokohama Cosmoworld
Everyone could use having fun at an amusement park, right? Ferris wheels have defined most of big cities’ skylines, and that includes Yokohama. This park has several rides that can be enjoyed by both children and adults.
Cosmo Clock 21
Cosmo Clock 21 is the giant ferris wheel at Yokohama Cosmoworld and is very iconic because of its giant clock. This is considered as the world’s biggest clock and used to be the world’s biggest ferris wheel as well. I rode a lot of ferris wheels already, but riding Cosmo Clock 21 on an afternoon allowed me to see the whole of the beautiful Yokohama skyline. Awesome!
Yokohama Bay Bridge
My sincerest apologies if my limited nighttime mobile photography skills did not give justice to the beauty of Yokohama Bay Bridge, but from a distance, it really looks so beautiful with all the lights. This bridge crosses through Tokyo Bay and is cable stayed. It is one of the best suspension bridges in Japan and is actually a two-layer bridge. Next time I will consider going on a run on this bridge.
Nippon Maru
Sakuragicho Station will be your point of entry to the Minato Mirai District of Yokohama, and upon exiting the station, one of the spots you will see first is this ship. This used to be a training ship which they eventually converted into a museum where you can explore and see its former glory. Yokohama Port Museum is just next to this beautiful thing.
Yokohama Sky Building
This is nothing but an ordinary building with offices and restaurants, but wait until you see the view from the top floor where you can have a view of the City of Yokohama. Beautiful!
Shinko Park
Shinko Park was just right by the Yokohama Bay and is a very beautiful park where anyone can relax at any time of the day. In my case, after going around Yokohama, this was my last destination to take a break. It has a nice view of the Intercontinental Yokohama Hotel as well.
There you have it! Yokohama is just an hour train ride from Tokyo, and please, please consider having at least a day travel of this awesome city in Japan and you will never regret it. Let me know how your Yokohama trip went by sending me a DM at my Instagram account @wheressherlyn. Happy travels! 🙂
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