Yamashita Park

If we're talking about actual attractions in the park, there's not that much to see. The most notable thing would be the Hikawa Maru, an old Japanese ocean liner that has been converted into a museum about its seafaring history today. What makes Yamashita Park stand out is the electrifying atmosphere there.

When you're in Tokyo, you often feel like you're in the "touristy" area of things, but Yamashita Park gives you a feel of what it's like to be a Japanese local hanging out on the weekend. You'll see plenty of Japanese families out and about having picnics, dogs on walks, and kids just running around.

It's a nice and warm atmosphere that you might not find easily in a bustling city like Tokyo. So it's nice just to stroll alongside the park, check out the sea views, and maybe just sit down on a bench to stare out at the ocean.

The park is one of the most representative spots in Yokohama, and you'll often see it depicted in dramas, anime (like Tokyo Revengers), and games (like Ryu no Gotoku).

Yamashita Park was built as part of the reconstruction effort following the Great Kanto Earthquake (1 Sep 1923, 関東大地震, Kantō dai-jishin), especially since Yokohama city had the smallest park area per population at the time of its opening in 1930. The park was built on reclaimed land, using the rubble of the surrounding Kannai area in the aftermath of the earthquake.

Between 1945 and 1960, the park was requisitioned by the American government for military housing during its occupation of Japan. In 1988, a great deal of the park was redeveloped for the Yokohama Expo, leading to much of the red-brick Western-style architecture you see in the park today. The Rinko Railway Line used to also run through the park from 1965, and the remnants of those tracks were converted into a promenade in 2002.