Tokyo dwellers come here to breathe but where does the capital end and Yokohama
begin? You'll get no indication on the train from Shibuya but this bustling city
certainly has a character of its own. With nationwide renown for the largest Chinatown,
until recently, the world's biggest Ferris wheel, Japan's tallest skyscraper and
the world's fastest elevator, it's as much a modern masterpiece as the capital.
It was little more than a fishing village when, in 1859, it became one of Japan's
first ports to open up to foreign contact. Since then it has become Japan's second
largest city and it continues to be forward thinking in its attitude. The Minato
Mirai 21 complex is its gleaming new message to the 21st century centred around
the Landmark Tower, Japan's tallest skyscraper at 269m. Take the white-knuckle
elevator ride up to the 70th floor either on a clear day for views as far as Mt.
Fuji or at night for the full impact of Yokohama's city lights. There are many
shops and restaurants in the building's five-story atrium.
The harbour area itself has been turned over to amusements and it comes alive
at night when the enormous Ferris wheel is lit with vibrantly animated neon. Street
performers give the whole place a fairground atmosphere. Brave the brief but hair-raising
roller-coaster if you dare. You will already have noticed the Nippon-maru or "Swan
of the Pacific" A majestic vessel that now sits in a dry dock, beautifully
preserved. All 29 of it's white sails are raised occasionally to warrant it's
name and you can board it during the day.
Try Chinatown for lunch or just for the spectacle, though that is what everyone
else will be doing, especially at weekends. Afterwards, head away from the bustle
to the seafront. Here, you will find Yamashita Koen which is a pleasant promenade
looking out over the bay. It's also where the Hikawa Maru is moored, a luxury
ocean liner, retired in 1960 and now open to the public.
However, this is Japan after all, so after Yokohama head to nearby Kamakura
for temples and tradition. Its small scale and rich history are a welcome contrast
to Japan's two largest cities. If you avoid the crowds by visiting on a weekday,
you'll find the temples and shrines suitably peaceful, especially the smaller
ones on the outskirts of town. They are rewarding simply for their tranquillity
and country village setting. But the number one attraction has to be the Daibutsu
(Great Buddha) who has been sitting outside, undaunted by the elements ever since
a tsunami swept his home away in 1495. Though smaller than the Daibutsu in Nara
it is generally accepted that it is artistically superior. |
