Located in Yamashita-cho, Naka Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Yokohama Chinatown is one of Japan’s most famous Chinatowns and one of the largest in East Asia. This lively destination for sightseeing and dining is home to more than 500 restaurants, cafés, bars, Asian variety stores, and other businesses within an area measuring approximately 500 meters square.
As you stroll through the streets, you will see magnificent gates decorated in traditional Chinese styles, temples, and brightly colored signs. The atmosphere can make you feel as though you have stepped into a city in China. Visitors can sample regional cuisines from across China, including Cantonese, Shanghai, Sichuan, and Beijing dishes. Popular street foods include soup dumplings, steamed buns, and other dim sum specialties.
The neighborhood is also home to cultural and religious sites, including Yokohama Kanteibyo Temple, dedicated to Guan Yu. Beyond dining and shopping, visitors can explore Chinese history, culture, and architecture, making Chinatown one of Yokohama’s most distinctive attractions.
Yokohama Chinatown is a historic district that developed alongside the opening of Yokohama Port. More than 500 businesses are concentrated in a relatively compact area measuring approximately 500 meters square.
The streets are lined with a wide variety of establishments, ranging from long-established restaurants serving authentic Chinese cuisine to casual eateries, dim sum and dessert shops, cafés, bars, Chinese grocery stores, and Asian variety shops.
Even simply walking through the neighborhood is an enjoyable experience. The aromas of freshly prepared food drift from restaurant entrances, while colorful signs and distinctive architectural details create a lively streetscape. During the day, the area is bustling with visitors enjoying meals and shopping. At night, illuminated gates and shopfronts give the streets an especially vibrant appearance.
Yokohama Chinatown is counted as one of Japan’s Three Great Chinatowns, together with Kobe’s Nankinmachi and Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown. Its appeal lies not only in its size but also in the Chinese culture that has developed here over a long history, combined with Yokohama’s international atmosphere.
The history of Yokohama Chinatown dates back to 1859, when Yokohama Port opened to international trade. The port transformed Yokohama into an important center of overseas commerce, and the city gradually developed into an international port where many foreign residents lived and worked.
A foreign settlement was established in Yokohama, and people from China also arrived to work as trade intermediaries, interpreters, merchants, and in other commercial roles. The Chinese residents who established their homes and businesses in the city are considered the founders of what would become Yokohama Chinatown.
Before the port opened, the area where Chinatown now stands was a rural district known as Yokohama Shinden. As the foreign settlement was developed, Chinese residents began settling in the area, gradually establishing shops, restaurants, and other businesses.
As the Chinese population grew, restaurants, grocery stores, and shops selling everyday necessities began to gather in the neighborhood. This process gradually created a distinctive community and laid the foundations for modern Yokohama Chinatown.
Before the name Yokohama Chinatown became widely established, the neighborhood was known by names such as Tojinmachi and Nankinmachi. It developed as a residential district for people who had come from China and became a community with a distinctive cultural identity within Yokohama’s foreign settlement.
During the Meiji and Taisho periods, Chinese restaurants and shops increased in number, and the neighborhood became an important center of daily life and commercial activity for the local Chinese community. Chinese food and customs gradually took root in Yokohama, and authentic Chinese cuisine became increasingly familiar to Japanese residents as well.
However, the neighborhood has experienced several major hardships throughout its history. The Great Kanto Earthquake and the Second World War caused extensive damage, destroying many buildings and businesses.
After the war, reconstruction began, and restaurants and shops gradually returned as the Chinese community rebuilt its foundations. There were also periods of disagreement within the Chinese community over political differences. Over time, however, the neighborhood continued to develop through the formation of a lasting local community and changes in relations between Japan and China, including the normalization of diplomatic relations.
Before 1955, the area was still commonly known as Tojinmachi or Nankinmachi. Today, it is widely recognized as Yokohama Chinatown. Its streets reflect a distinctive blend of Chinese traditions and Yokohama’s international culture, shaped by more than a century and a half of history since the opening of the port.
One of the greatest attractions of Yokohama Chinatown is the opportunity to enjoy dishes from different parts of China in one neighborhood. Restaurants serve distinctive regional cuisines that developed in areas such as Guangdong, Shanghai, Sichuan, and Beijing.
Visitors can choose from upscale restaurants offering elaborate multi-course meals to casual specialty shops serving dim sum and noodle dishes. With such a wide range of prices and styles, it is easy to find a place that suits your preferences. Comparing the seasonings and cooking techniques used by different restaurants is also part of the Chinatown experience.
Cantonese cuisine developed mainly in Guangdong Province in southern China. It is known for delicate seasoning that brings out the natural flavors of its ingredients, as well as a wide range of cooking techniques. Seafood dishes are particularly well known.
Depending on the ingredients, chefs may steam, stir-fry, roast, or simmer their dishes. Fresh seafood, meat, and vegetables are used to create a variety of flavors and textures.
Yokohama Chinatown has many restaurants specializing in authentic Cantonese cuisine. Their menus include seafood dishes and traditional recipes designed to bring out the natural richness of each ingredient.
Shanghai cuisine developed around Shanghai in eastern China and is known for its relatively sweet flavor profile. Many dishes use soy sauce and sugar to create a rich, savory taste. Dim sum and noodle dishes are also popular.
One of its best-known specialties is xiaolongbao, or soup dumplings. These delicate dumplings have thin wrappers filled with seasoned minced meat and hot soup. When you bite into one, the flavorful broth and meat juices spread through your mouth.
Shanghai hairy crab is another famous delicacy, particularly in autumn and winter when it is in season. Dishes made with this crab are prized for their rich, concentrated flavor and are among the best-known seasonal treats associated with Shanghai cuisine.
Sichuan cuisine developed mainly in Sichuan Province in inland China. It is famous for its generous use of chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, and other spices, creating bold flavors that can be both hot and numbing.
Well-known dishes include mapo tofu and hot pot. Mapo tofu is seasoned with chili peppers, doubanjiang fermented bean paste, and Sichuan peppercorns. Its spicy aroma and rich flavor make it an excellent accompaniment to rice.
Hot pot is prepared by cooking meat, vegetables, and other ingredients in a simmering pot of soup at the table. Some versions use intensely spicy broth, while others have a milder flavor.
Visitors who enjoy spicy food should consider trying an authentic Sichuan restaurant in Chinatown to experience the distinctive aromas and complex flavors of its spices.
Beijing cuisine developed in and around Beijing in northern China. It includes elaborate dishes influenced by the traditions of imperial cuisine and is known for its impressive presentation and variety of cooking techniques.
One of its most famous dishes is Peking duck. The duck skin is roasted until crisp and fragrant, then served with thin pancakes, scallions, cucumber, and sweet bean sauce. Diners wrap the ingredients together to enjoy a combination of textures and flavors.
Many restaurants in Yokohama Chinatown serve Peking duck, allowing visitors to enjoy this celebrated dish and experience the preparation and presentation styles of individual establishments.
Dim sum is another popular feature of Yokohama Chinatown. In Chinese cuisine, the term refers to a broad range of small dishes and snacks enjoyed between meals or as light refreshments. The selection includes steamed, baked, fried, and sweet items.
Chefs who specialize in making dim sum are known as dim sum chefs. They develop specialized skills in every stage of preparation, from making the dough and preparing the fillings to shaping the dumplings and controlling the steaming time.
Popular varieties include xiaolongbao soup dumplings, shumai, gyoza, steamed meat buns, spring rolls, and peach-shaped sweet buns. Many are small and easy to eat, making it enjoyable to order several kinds and compare their flavors.
Xiaolongbao are particularly popular because of the hot soup sealed inside their thin wrappers. To enjoy them, place one on a Chinese soup spoon and carefully bite or pierce the wrapper to release some of the hot broth before eating.
Visitors do not have to sit down for a full restaurant meal to enjoy Yokohama Chinatown. Buying snacks and takeaway dishes from shopfronts and food counters is another popular way to experience the neighborhood.
There is a wide selection of convenient foods and sweets, including soup dumplings, steamed buns, and sesame balls. Large meat buns and freshly grilled dim sum are also popular. As you explore the streets, you can compare the specialties and styles of different shops.
When enjoying street food, follow the instructions and rules posted by each business. Where designated eating areas are provided, use those spaces rather than eating while walking. Being considerate of other pedestrians and nearby shops helps everyone enjoy the neighborhood.
As you walk through Yokohama Chinatown, you will notice traditional Chinese gates known as paifang at street entrances and intersections. According to the original article, there are ten such gates throughout the neighborhood.
These gates are among the most recognizable features of Chinatown. Their vivid colors and traditional Chinese decorations make them distinctive landmarks, often featuring elaborate designs in shades of red and gold.
Each gate has its own name and decorative style, so visitors can enjoy comparing their designs while exploring the area. Passing through one of the gates often feels like entering a different world, with colorful signs, ornate shopfronts, and Chinese-style architectural details all around. The gates are also popular places for photographs.
One of the most important historical and cultural sites in Yokohama Chinatown is Yokohama Kanteibyo Temple. The temple is dedicated to Guan Yu, a celebrated historical figure from China, and is an important place of worship for members of the local Chinese community.
Guan Yu was a military general during the Three Kingdoms period and is widely known as a character in the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. He is remembered for his military ability, loyalty, and sense of honor. In later generations, he also came to be worshipped as a deity associated with business and commerce.
Visitors come to Kanteibyo Temple to pray for business prosperity, success in their work, and good fortune. The building incorporates traditional Chinese architectural styles and is decorated with vivid colors and intricate carvings, creating a solemn yet magnificent atmosphere.
Its elaborate red and gold decorations make it stand out among the surrounding Chinatown streets. A visit offers an opportunity to learn about traditional Chinese beliefs and religious practices, providing an experience quite different from dining and shopping.
Yokohama Chinatown is much more than a district filled with restaurants. It is a neighborhood where Chinese traditions, religious beliefs, and everyday customs continue to shape local life.
In addition to Kanteibyo Temple, visitors can find places and events that reflect traditional Chinese culture. The designs of the paifang gates, architectural decorations, and auspicious objects displayed outside shops all reflect aspects of Chinese customs and values.
During traditional celebrations such as Chinese New Year, known as Spring Festival, the entire neighborhood takes on an especially festive atmosphere. Performances such as lion dances and dragon dances may also take place, bringing a different kind of excitement to the streets.
Yokohama Chinatown is home not only to restaurants but also to many shops selling traditional Chinese crafts and other goods. Shopping for distinctive souvenirs is an enjoyable way to spend time between meals and sightseeing.
Craft shops sell ceramics, embroidery, carvings, and other items made using traditional Chinese techniques. Visitors can browse beautifully patterned pottery, colorful embroidered products, and decorative carvings that showcase the skills and traditions of Chinese artisans.
The selection ranges from practical everyday items to decorative pieces for the home. These crafts can make memorable souvenirs or thoughtful gifts.
There are also many shops specializing in Asian variety goods. Their products include colorful fabrics, accessories, ornaments, and other items with distinctive designs.
Visitors can find small objects decorated with traditional Chinese patterns as well as exotic interior accessories. The wide selection makes browsing enjoyable, even if you do not have a particular purchase in mind. It is also a chance to discover items that are not commonly found in ordinary shopping streets elsewhere in Japan.
Yokohama Chinatown has an initiative known as the Yokohama Chinatown Concierge, which provides visitors with information about the neighborhood’s history, culture, and food.
Chinatown concierges study the area’s history, Chinese culture, and food traditions so that they can provide visitors with accurate and helpful information. The original article describes concierges as patrolling the neighborhood, helping first-time visitors feel more comfortable as they explore.
The Yokohama Chinatown Concierge initiative was established in October 2001. Participants attend training courses taught by instructors in fields such as history, food culture, and hospitality. Those who pass the subsequent examination receive official recognition as concierges.
Certified concierges wear a gold-colored badge engraved with the words “I LOVE Chinatown.” If you see someone wearing this badge, you can ask about the neighborhood’s history, culture, or cuisine.
Many restaurants also provide Japanese-language menus. Visitors who do not speak Japanese may find it helpful to use menus with photographs or ask restaurant staff for assistance when choosing dishes.
Yokohama Chinatown has a large number of restaurants, from long-established establishments serving traditional Chinese cuisine to specialty shops focusing on dim sum and Chinese congee. The following ten restaurants are featured in the original article. Consider their cuisines, approximate prices, and dining styles when choosing where to eat.
Cuisine: Cantonese cuisine, all-you-can-eat dining
Approximate price range: ¥2,000–¥4,000
This restaurant is popular for its made-to-order all-you-can-eat dim sum and authentic Chinese refreshments. Its extensive menu makes it a popular choice among tourists and families. It is particularly suitable for groups who want to sample several kinds of dim sum and enjoy a variety of dishes together.
Cuisine: Cantonese cuisine, upscale Chinese dining
Approximate price range: ¥4,000–¥8,000
Manchinro is one of the long-established restaurants that represent Yokohama Chinatown. It serves refined Cantonese cuisine that respects traditional cooking methods while making the most of the natural flavors of its ingredients. The elegant hospitality and substantial interior make it a suitable choice for a special meal.
Cuisine: Dim sum, Cantonese cuisine
Approximate price range: ¥3,000–¥5,000
This specialty restaurant operated by Manchinro focuses on dim sum. Its selection includes more than 60 varieties of handmade dim sum and desserts, known in Chinese as tian dian xin. The stylish interior, featuring wood-toned finishes, provides a comfortable setting for a meal or a relaxing tea break.
Cuisine: Cantonese cuisine, dim sum
Approximate price range: ¥3,000–¥5,000
This large restaurant offers a wide range of dishes, from authentic Cantonese cuisine to casual dim sum. One of its signature specialties is deep-fried shrimp wrapped in a crispy wafer-like coating. Guests can also enjoy seafood dishes and a varied selection of Chinese delicacies in a spacious dining environment.
Cuisine: Beijing and Shanghai cuisine
Approximate price range: ¥5,000–¥10,000
Founded in 1939, Kaseiro is a long-established Chinese restaurant. Its menu includes shark fin dishes, Peking duck, and traditional multi-course meals prepared with carefully selected ingredients. The restaurant is also known for its private dining rooms and lobby with a garden, making it a good option for guests who want to enjoy a leisurely meal.
Cuisine: Sichuan cuisine
Approximate price range: ¥4,000–¥7,000
Founded in 1959, Chungking Hanten is a historic restaurant and flagship establishment specializing in Sichuan cuisine. Its menu includes traditional mapo tofu and a variety of richly flavored dishes featuring aromatic spices. The restaurant offers an opportunity to enjoy authentic Sichuan flavors in a substantial dining space.
Cuisine: Chinese congee, Cantonese cuisine
Approximate price range: ¥1,000–¥2,000
This popular restaurant is known for its authentic Chinese congee, which is slowly cooked from uncooked rice. The broth is prepared with ingredients such as dried scallops, bringing out the natural flavors of the ingredients. It can attract queues from early in the day and is a good place to enjoy a comforting bowl of gently flavored congee.
Cuisine: Cantonese cuisine, roasted meats
Approximate price range: ¥2,000–¥4,000
This long-established Cantonese restaurant has an old-fashioned, exotic atmosphere. Its specialties include char siu roast pork cooked in a traditional oven and tender braised pork belly. The menu showcases the skills of experienced chefs and is particularly appealing to visitors interested in traditional Cantonese roasted meats.
Cuisine: Authentic Sichuan cuisine, knife-cut noodles
Approximate price range: ¥3,000–¥4,000
This restaurant specializes in Sichuan cuisine prepared with authentic spices and homemade seasonings. Its popular dishes include mapo tofu, known for its balance of heat and savory flavor, and knife-cut noodles with a pleasantly chewy texture. It is a good choice for visitors who want to experience the distinctive aroma and spiciness of Sichuan cooking.
Cuisine: Sichuan cuisine
Approximate price range: ¥3,000–¥5,000
The original article highlights the Sichuan-style mapo tofu served here, which combines the heat of chili peppers with the tingling sensation of Sichuan peppercorns. The restaurant is noted for dishes that pursue the bold flavors of authentic Sichuan cooking and may appeal particularly to visitors who enjoy spicy food.
In addition to sit-down restaurants, Yokohama Chinatown has plenty of takeaway food that visitors can enjoy while exploring the neighborhood. Popular choices include soup dumplings, pan-fried soup dumplings, steamed meat buns, Taiwanese fried chicken, and almond-flavored soft-serve ice cream. Each shop has its own specialties and style.
The following selection focuses on popular establishments featured in the original article, including shops with more than 300 customer reviews. Their takeaway menus are convenient for visitors looking to sample Chinatown’s street food.
Signature items: Almond soft-serve ice cream, Peking duck
Approximate prices: Almond soft-serve ice cream ¥400; Peking duck from around ¥300
Although the restaurant is known for its all-you-can-eat dining, its shopfront takeaway counter also offers a selection of popular snacks. The rich, fragrant almond soft-serve ice cream and convenient hand-held Peking duck are especially popular with visitors exploring the neighborhood.
Signature item: Authentic shengjianbao, or pan-fried soup dumplings
Approximate price: ¥700 for four pieces
This popular specialty shop has played a major role in the popularity of pan-fried soup dumplings in Yokohama Chinatown. The bottoms of the dumplings are cooked until crisp and fragrant. When you carefully break the wrapper, hot soup flows out from inside. The shop can attract queues from customers seeking freshly cooked dumplings.
Signature item: Taiwanese fried chicken, known as zha ji pai
Approximate price: ¥680
This specialty shop serves zha ji pai, a classic Taiwanese street-food dish. The oversized piece of chicken is so large that it can cover much of a person’s face. It is coated in a light, crispy batter and seasoned with aromatic spices such as five-spice powder. The result is a juicy and generously sized snack.
Signature item: Pan-fried soup dumplings, including pork and seafood varieties
Approximate price: ¥660 for four pieces
This popular restaurant serves pan-fried soup dumplings, a local specialty from Shanghai. One of its well-known options is a combination platter featuring two varieties: traditional pork dumplings and seafood dumplings with green wrappers made using spinach purée. It is a good way to sample both flavors in one order.
Signature item: Almond soft-serve ice cream
Approximate price: ¥450
This restaurant is popular for its smooth almond soft-serve ice cream, a well-known Chinatown dessert. It combines the distinctive aroma of almonds with the rich creaminess of milk. It makes a pleasant dessert after a meal or a refreshing snack during a stroll.
Signature items: Hedgehog-shaped buns and panda-shaped buns
Approximate price: Approximately ¥120–¥380 per bun
Roshin sells playful Chinese steamed buns shaped like animals, along with souvenir goods. Its selection includes hedgehog-shaped buns with crispy pastry and custard filling, as well as meat and chocolate buns decorated with panda faces. These fun-looking treats are enjoyable for both their appearance and flavor.
Signature item: Large pork buns
Approximate price: Approximately ¥600 per bun
Founded in 1894, Edosei is a long-established shop and one of the best-known names associated with street food in Yokohama Chinatown. Its signature pork buns are exceptionally large and filled with domestic pork, seafood ingredients such as shrimp and crab, and bamboo shoots. Their substantial weight and juicy filling make them a satisfying snack.
Signature items: Hedgehog-shaped buns, pork trotters, and other snacks
Approximate price: From around ¥120 per item
This shopfront takeaway counter is operated by a long-established business involved in importing and wholesaling Chinese food products. It sells a selection of dim sum and other snacks at accessible prices. Its hedgehog-shaped buns, which have attracted attention on social media, are among the items visitors may want to look for.
Yokohama Chinatown offers a wide variety of street food, from sweet almond soft-serve ice cream and steamed buns to savory pan-fried soup dumplings and Taiwanese fried chicken. If you plan to visit several shops, ordering small portions at each stop makes it easier to sample a wider range of flavors.
Yokohama Chinatown is easily accessible by train. The nearest station is Motomachi-Chukagai Station on the Minatomirai Line. The Chinatown entrance is just a short walk from the station, making it convenient even for first-time visitors.
If you are traveling on the JR Negishi Line, get off at Ishikawacho Station. Chinatown is approximately a five-minute walk from the station. You can also reach the area from Yokohama Station and Sakuragicho Station by train or bus.
The neighborhood can become very crowded on weekends, public holidays, and during events such as Chinese New Year. If you prefer to explore at a more relaxed pace and enjoy your meals without as much congestion, consider visiting in the morning, when the streets are generally less crowded.
Yokohama Chinatown is a destination where visitors can enjoy dining, shopping, cultural experiences, and leisurely walks in one place.
During the day, you can explore restaurants and sample dim sum such as soup dumplings and steamed meat buns, then visit Kanteibyo Temple and the traditional paifang gates to discover Chinese culture. Browsing the craft and variety shops is another enjoyable way to find souvenirs of your trip.
From late afternoon into the evening, illuminated gates and shopfronts give the neighborhood a different atmosphere from the one found during the day. After dinner, take a stroll through the brightly lit streets and enjoy the lively nighttime scenery.
Yokohama Chinatown is also conveniently located near other popular attractions, including Yamashita Park, Yokohama Port Osanbashi International Passenger Terminal, Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, and the Motomachi shopping district. Combining Chinatown with a visit to Yokohama’s waterfront allows you to enjoy the city’s port history, international atmosphere, and diverse food culture in one trip.