VIDEO: Yokohama’s ameyoko offers nice veggies and fish at super prices

Hama no Ameyoko - Kofukuji Matsubara Shotengai in Yokohama City (Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi)

Ameyoko in Tokyo’s Ueno district is known as one of the busiest market streets in Japan. “Ameya-yokocho” or “ameyoko” for short (literally, candy shop alley), is a market street filled with not only candy shops, but many other discount shops for food, shoes, clothes, bags, cosmetics and jewelry. The deals here always draw a crowd.

Yokohama, Japan’s second largest city by population and area, also has its own version of this busy market street called Kofukuji Matsubara Shotengai, aka “Hama no Ameyoko” (Yokohama’s Ameyoko).

After World War II, Kofukuji Matsubara Shotengai was an open-air black market and has now evolved into a regular market with over 70 shops for locals to purchase their groceries and other necessities.

The market hours vary by shop, but typically it runs from 10 a.m. to around 6 p.m. Vehicle traffic is closed in the area from noon until 6 p.m. daily, so customers can enjoy shopping safely without concerns for cars on the roads.

According to the shopping district’s webpage, around 20,000 people visit the market every day. The end-of-year holidays are an especially busy time for Kofukuji Matsubara Shotengai as shoppers search for high-end festive foods like bluefin tuna and wagyu beef for their New Year celebrations.

My wife and I visited the Hama no Ameyoko just after the Christmas holiday and saw countless visitors flocking to various shops and eateries. The cheerful look of the street made us relieved and happy as we wrapped a long, hectic 2024.

To prepare for our family parties, we picked up some great deals on tuna, salmon, fruits and vegetables to feast on. Kofukuji Matsubara Shotengai is a short 40-minute drive away from both Yokosuka Naval Base and Camp Zama, providing an ideal destination for a day trip.