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Motomachi / Yamate Area in Yokohama

A shopping district where Yokohama culture was born, and the exotic former foreign settlement area

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The Yamate district is located on a small hill to the south of Yokohama Chinatown. After the opening of the port in 1859, this area overlooking the sea became a foreign settlement, following Kannai. Many Western-style houses remain or have been relocated among lush greenery, including the Yamate Museum, a wooden house built in 1909 that blends Japanese and Western styles. Other than private residences, many of the buildings have been transformed into stores, galleries, and cafes, and their interiors are also open to the public. There are also numerous other places to visit, such as a foreigner's cemetery and a small museum.

From the "Harbor View Park," the symbol of the Yamate area, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the Port of Yokohama and the Yokohama Bay Bridge below. The "English Rose Garden," one of Japan's most famous rose gardens, is also located within the park.

“Motomachi Shopping Street” stretches along the foot of the hill. Since the street connects the Yamate Foreign Settlement to the port, the number of stores serving foreign customers has grown. Many Yokohama brands originated here, and it was the birthplace of a major fashion boom known as "Hamatora" in the late 1970s.

Highlights

  • Beautiful views of the ocean from the hill.
  • The exotic green hills dotted with Western-style buildings.
  • Enjoy strolling among the small stores, cafes, and museums in the area.
  • A sophisticated shopping district where Hamatora (short for "Yokohama Traditional") was born.
  • Enjoy shopping at long-established brand stores founded from the Meiji to early Showa periods.

Photos: Yokohama Visitors’ Guide

Photos

  • The “British House Yokohama” and the Rose Garden in the Harbor View Park.
Photos: Yokohama Visitors’ Guide

    The “British House Yokohama” and the Rose Garden in the Harbor View Park. Photos: Yokohama Visitors’ Guide

  • The “Home of a Diplomat” with a beautiful garden.
Photos: Yokohama Visitors’ Guide

    The “Home of a Diplomat” with a beautiful garden. Photos: Yokohama Visitors’ Guide

  • Yamate 234 Ban-kan (Bluff No. 234) is open to the public.
Photos: Yokohama Visitors’ Guide

    Yamate 234 Ban-kan (Bluff No. 234) is open to the public. Photos: Yokohama Visitors’ Guide

  • The Yokohama Bay Bridge from the Yamate district
Photos: Yokohama Visitors’ Guide

    The Yokohama Bay Bridge from the Yamate district Photos: Yokohama Visitors’ Guide

  • Cherry blossoms in Motomachi Park
Photos: Yokohama Visitors’ Guide

    Cherry blossoms in Motomachi Park Photos: Yokohama Visitors’ Guide

Reviews

1
  • Alex Cai

    元町商店街不長~短短的街道上~有著大約250家的店鋪哦

Details

Name in Japanese
元町・山手地区
Address
Motomachi, Naka-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Hours
Free for a walk any time
*Hours, holidays and fees vary at each facility. Check at the website below.
Directions
1) Get off at Ishikawamachi Station on the JR Keihin-Tohoku Line (Negishi Line)
2) Get off at Motomachi-Chūkagai (Yamashita-Kōen) Station on the Yokohama Minatomirai Line.
Official Website
Yokohama Visitors’ Guide (English)