VIDEO: Exploring Japan: Walk in Yokohama’s elegant Motomachi District

People are walking in Motomachi, Yokohama City.

Motomachi, Yokohama City (Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi)

Yokohama is a scenic port city in Japan packed with impressive tourist attractions, including Yamashita Park, Redbrick Warehouse, Landmark Tower and Minatomirai District, and is within an hour drive from Yokosuka Naval Base, Camp Zama and Hardy Barracks.

Located near Yokohama’s famous China Town, Motomachi is an elegant shopping district, famous for its open townscape made up of beautiful European-style buildings, stone-paved streets and dozens of good-looking shops, cafés and restaurants.

Since Yokohama Port opened to the world in 1859, Motomachi has developed as a shopping and business district for foreign residents. The district even created its own fashion trend “hamatora,” or Yokohama Traditional, in the 1970s.

Visit the district on weekends, as the 500-meter street is closed to car traffic from noon to 6 p.m., allowing you to enjoy a leisurely walk along the exotic shopping street.