Tours in Yokohama (Tokyo)
Cruising to Yokohama (Tokyo) in a group?
Skip the crowded ship excursion bus. One dedicated planner will design a private shore experience around exactly what your group wants — coordinated from first enquiry to the moment you're back on board. More memorable, more flexible, and more affordable than you might expect. Spend less time organising, more time enjoying.
Explore Group Travel →Cruising to Yokohama (Tokyo)
Yokohama occupies a peculiar and rewarding place in the Japanese imagination: close enough to Tokyo to be its shadow, yet distinct enough to have forged its own identity. When Commodore Perry's black ships forced open Japan's ports in 1853, Yokohama was the first city to greet the outside world, and that heritage of cosmopolitan exchange is written into every neighbourhood. The waterfront still smells faintly of international possibility.
The Minato Mirai 21 district — whose name translates to 'Harbour of the Future' — frames the bay with a skyline of glass towers, the graceful Cosmo Clock Ferris wheel, and the redbrick Yokohama Landmark Tower. On foot, the district connects seamlessly to the Red Brick Warehouse, a pair of Meiji-era customs buildings now filled with craft shops and a weekend market, and then to the narrow lanes of Yamashita Park along the working waterfront. The sense of scale is human: wide promenades, few crowds before noon, and the kind of comfortable wandering that cruise ports rarely permit.
Japan's largest Chinatown sits just ten minutes' walk from the cruise terminals, its ornate gates opening onto a warren of dim sum teahouses, roast duck vendors, and shops selling century eggs alongside Hello Kitty merchandise. Beyond it, the hillside neighbourhood of Yamate preserves a handful of Western-style bluff houses — built by foreign merchants in the late nineteenth century — with gardens overlooking the bay. Sankeien, a 53-acre traditional garden with transplanted historic buildings from across Japan, offers one of the most contemplative hours available in any major port city.
And then there is Tokyo. The Tokaido Line from Sakuragicho or Yokohama Station delivers passengers to Shibuya or Shinjuku in roughly 25 minutes, opening the full apparatus of the Japanese capital — temples, markets, department store food halls, the organised theatre of Tsukiji Outer Market — to those willing to manage their return time carefully. The decision between staying in Yokohama and venturing to Tokyo is genuinely difficult, which is itself a mark of how well this port serves its visitors.
Top things to do in Yokohama (Tokyo) on a cruise stopover
Minato Mirai 21: The Harbour District
Yokohama's showpiece waterfront redevelopment occupies a strip of reclaimed land between the train station and the old port, and it rewards those who simply walk it without agenda. The Yokohama Landmark Tower — once Japan's tallest building — anchors one end; the Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel anchors the other. Between them: the Yokohama Museum of Art (a solid Modernist collection in a building by Kenzo Tange), the Pacifico convention centre, and a string of open plazas where locals jog, photograph the skyline, and eat convenience store onigiri on the grass. The district is at its best in morning light and at dusk, when the towers reflect in the harbour. The adjacent Red Brick Warehouse — a pair of 1911 customs buildings — now houses boutique shops, a craft beer hall, and one of the city's better weekend markets.
Yokohama Chinatown: Japan's Largest
Established in 1859 when Yokohama opened as a treaty port, this is the oldest and largest Chinatown in Japan — a dense ten-block grid of Cantonese and Shanghainese restaurants, tea houses, herbalists, and souvenir shops framed by ten ornate painted gates. The main commercial street (Chukagai Odori) is crowded and unapologetically touristy, but duck one block off the main drag and the atmosphere shifts. Morning dim sum at one of the older establishments — Heichinrou or Manchinrou, both operating for over a century — is one of the more distinctive breakfast experiences available to a cruise passenger anywhere in Asia. The neighbourhood is ten minutes' walk from Osanbashi Pier, making it among the most convenient port-side attractions in Japan.
Sankeien Garden: A Garden Built from Other Gardens
Sankeien is an unusual creation: a 53-acre traditional Japanese garden assembled between 1906 and 1923 by silk merchant Hara Tomitaro, who purchased and relocated historic structures from across Japan — a three-storey pagoda from Kyoto, farmhouses from Gassho-zukuri, a tea ceremony pavilion, a villa once belonging to Tokugawa Yoshimune. The result is neither theme park nor museum but something genuinely serene: a pond-centred landscape through which transplanted architecture emerges at intervals like architectural archaeology. The garden is 3 km from central Yokohama (15 minutes by taxi), and the entry fee is modest. Visit early — the light is better and the tour groups have not yet arrived.
Cup Noodles Museum: Design, History, Peculiar Fun
Nissin's monument to instant noodles is a more considered institution than its subject suggests. The museum, housed in a Minato Mirai building designed to look like a noodle cup, tells the story of Momofuku Ando's 1958 invention with genuine rigour — the original laboratory where cup ramen was developed has been reconstructed — before arriving at its main attraction: a workshop where visitors customise their own cup noodle packaging and flavour combination on an assembly line, then seal it for transport home. The My CUPNOODLES Factory requires advance booking (¥500), but walk-ins can use the Chicken Ramen Factory to hand-make noodles from scratch. Odd, entertaining, and genuinely educational about one of the twentieth century's more democratic food innovations.
Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse: Heritage on the Working Waterfront
The two Red Brick Warehouses (Akarenga Soko) standing on the Yokohama waterfront were built in 1911 and 1913 as customs storage for the rapidly expanding port — at the time, Yokohama handled more international trade than any other Japanese port, and the volume required substantial purpose-built bonded warehousing. The buildings are constructed from red brick imported from the United States, with cast-iron columns and wooden floors designed to take the weight of crated silk bales, industrial machinery, and manufactured goods in transit. After decades of mixed use, both warehouses were converted between 2002 and 2004 into event and retail venues, and now house a mix of craft food stalls, independent shops, an outdoor event plaza, and a rooftop terrace with views across the port entrance and the Yokohama Bay Bridge.
Yamashita Park and Osanbashi Pier: Yokohama at the Water's Edge
Yamashita Park runs along the harbour edge for 690 metres between the Hikawa Maru (a 1930s ocean liner preserved as a museum ship and Yokohama landmark) and the tourist pier leading to the Osanbashi International Passenger Terminal. The park was built on rubble from the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake — a piece of land reclaimed from disaster that now serves as the city's most pleasant public promenade. On weekend mornings, joggers, wedding parties using the rose garden as backdrop, elderly couples on benches, and school groups on excursions all occupy the same waterfront space in a manner that reads as genuinely multi-generational rather than touristically managed.
Yokohama (Tokyo) travel tips
Get a Suica or Pasmo Card at the Station. The IC transport cards sold at any JR or subway station machine eliminate the need to purchase individual tickets for every journey. Load ¥2,000–3,000, tap in and out at the gates, and the card handles trains, subways, and most buses in both Yokohama and Tokyo. It can also be used at convenience stores, vending machines, and many restaurants. If you are visiting Japan again, the card can be retained and recharged on future trips. The machines have an English-language option.
Withdraw Yen Before You Leave the Terminal Area. The Osanbashi terminal building has currency exchange, but rates are often unfavourable. A better approach: use the 7-Eleven ATM at the convenience store nearest the terminal (a short walk) or the Japan Post ATM at a nearby post office — both reliably process international Visa, Mastercard, and Maestro cards with competitive rates. Withdraw enough for the day: ¥5,000–10,000 per person covers most contingencies including taxi fares, lunch, temple entry, and small purchases.
Morning in Yokohama, Afternoon in Tokyo — or Vice Versa. With 8 or more hours ashore, the most satisfying strategy for many travellers is to split the day geographically. An early walk through Chinatown (breakfast dim sum, quiet streets), Yamashita Park, and the Red Brick Warehouse covers Yokohama's core before noon. The midday train to Tokyo then allows three to four hours in Shibuya, Harajuku, or wherever suits your interests, before returning in time for the ship. Alternatively, go to Tokyo first when the crowds are lighter, and return to Yokohama for an unhurried late afternoon on the waterfront.
Book the Cup Noodles Museum Workshop in Advance. The My CUPNOODLES Factory — where you customise and seal your own instant noodle cup on a real production line — is genuinely one of the most enjoyable 45 minutes available in Yokohama, but the workshop sessions are popular and fill quickly. Book online through the Nissin Cup Noodles Museum website before your voyage. The ¥500 fee is modest. Even without the workshop, the museum is worth visiting for the Ando history section and the wall of every cup noodle flavour ever sold globally.
The Chinatown Morning Advantage. Yokohama's Chinatown transforms significantly between 9 a.m. and noon. Early morning sees local restaurant staff setting up, a handful of elderly regulars taking tea, and the kind of unhurried atmosphere the neighbourhood rarely shows tourists. By midday, tour groups flood the main street and the oldest restaurants run queues. If your ship docks before 8 a.m., go to Chinatown first — the walk from Osanbashi takes ten minutes — and have dim sum at one of the century-old establishments before the day's traffic arrives.
Check the Mt. Fuji Visibility Forecast. From the Harbour View Park in Yamate, the Red Brick Warehouse promenade, and the Landmark Tower observation deck, Mt. Fuji is visible across the bay on clear days — most reliably in winter (December–February) and on dry autumn mornings. The Fujisan Toho Telescope website and various Japanese weather apps publish daily Fuji visibility forecasts. If conditions are favourable, the Landmark Tower Sky Garden observation deck (¥1,000, 70th floor) is worth the detour for the panorama, which includes the mountain, the bay, and the full extent of the Tokyo conurbation.
Port Facts Every Cruiser Needs To Know
Yokohama (Tokyo) shore excursion FAQs
Cruise ships dock at one of two terminals. Osanbashi Pier is the main international cruise terminal, located in central Yokohama — it is a 10-minute walk to Yamashita Park, 12 minutes to Chinatown, and 20 minutes to the Minato Mirai waterfront. Daikoku Pier is an industrial terminal approximately 6 km from the city centre; passengers typically take a taxi (around ¥2,000) or a port shuttle bus to reach the sightseeing areas. Your ship's daily programme will specify which terminal you are using. From Osanbashi, the Minato Mirai Line (Bashamichi or Nihon-odori stations) and the JR Kannai station are within walking distance for onward travel.
Yes, with appropriate planning. From Yokohama Station or Sakuragicho Station, the Tokaido Line reaches Shibuya in approximately 25 minutes and Shinjuku in around 30 minutes, with trains running every few minutes throughout the day. A round-trip rail fare is roughly ¥600–700. The practical constraint is time management: allow 90 minutes for the return journey to account for navigation, platform changes, and the walk from ship gate to berth. With a 6-hour port call, Tokyo is feasible but leaves little margin; with 8–10 hours, you can spend 4–5 hours in Tokyo comfortably. Many travellers who have been to Tokyo before find staying in Yokohama more rewarding — it is a less-visited city with considerable character of its own.
Japanese Yen cash is essential. Despite Japan's increasing card acceptance at major retailers and restaurants, many taxis, smaller eateries, temples, vending machines, and local shops remain cash-only. Withdraw yen at a 7-Eleven ATM (the most reliable for foreign cards) or a Japan Post ATM before leaving the port area. A Suica or Pasmo IC card purchased at any train station automates all public transport payments and works at convenience stores — load it with ¥2,000–3,000. Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard) are accepted at department stores, chain restaurants, and major attractions, but carry ¥5,000–10,000 in cash per person as a baseline.
Minato Mirai 21 is Yokohama's modern waterfront district, built on reclaimed land between the 1980s and 2000s. It contains the Yokohama Landmark Tower (with an observation deck on the 70th floor), the Cosmo World amusement park (home to the Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel), the Yokohama Museum of Art, the Pacifico Yokohama convention centre, and the adjacent Red Brick Warehouse cultural facility. A leisurely walk through the entire district — including the Red Brick Warehouse and the waterfront promenade — takes 2–3 hours. The Minato Mirai Line stops at Minato Mirai Station (for the Landmark Tower) and Bashamichi (for the Red Brick Warehouse and waterfront).
From Osanbashi Pier, Chinatown is approximately 1.2 km — a 15-minute walk through Yamashita Park or 5 minutes by taxi. From Daikoku Pier, take a taxi to the Kannai area (about 20 minutes). In Chinatown, morning dim sum is the recommended approach — try Heichinrou (operating since 1884) or Manchinrou for traditional Cantonese-style service in older dining rooms. At lunch, steamed nikuman pork buns from street vendors are the universal snack. The neighbourhood is most enjoyable before noon when tour groups are lighter. For dessert or afternoon snacking, the custard egg tarts (pastel de nata) sold at several bakeries near the main gates are excellent.
Sankeien is a 53-acre traditional Japanese garden in the Honmoku district, about 3 km from central Yokohama (15 minutes by taxi, ¥800–1,000). It was created between 1906 and 1923 by silk merchant Hara Tomitaro, who purchased and relocated historic buildings from across Japan into a single garden landscape — including a 1457 three-storey pagoda, a Kamakura-period farmhouse, and tea ceremony pavilions. It is one of the more genuinely contemplative spaces accessible from a cruise port in Japan. Entry is ¥700 for adults. Allow 1.5–2 hours. It is particularly beautiful during plum blossom (February–March), cherry blossom (late March–April), and autumn foliage (November). Not recommended if your time ashore is under 6 hours.
Several conventions apply throughout Japan. Remove shoes when entering traditional establishments, temples, or homes (look for a lowered entrance floor or a row of shoes). On escalators, stand on the left (Tokyo convention) or right (Osaka/Yokohama convention — the city is mixed); when in doubt, watch locals. Eating while walking is mildly frowned upon, though it is common in tourist-heavy areas. Speak at a moderate volume on public transport — loud conversation attracts subtle disapproval. Carry a small bag for rubbish, as street bins are rare. Mobile phone calls on trains are considered impolite. A small bow of acknowledgement when entering shops or receiving service is always appropriate and will be warmly received.
The Nissin Cup Noodles Museum in Minato Mirai chronicles the invention of instant noodles by Momofuku Ando in 1958 — a genuine twentieth-century food story presented with thoughtful design and some wit. The museum's main attraction for visitors is the My CUPNOODLES Factory, a workshop where participants customise their own cup noodle (choosing soup base and toppings) on a production line before sealing and packaging it for transport. This session costs ¥500 and must be booked in advance at the museum website. Walk-in visitors can access the exhibition galleries (free entry) and the Chicken Ramen Factory (¥500), where you mix, steam, and dry your own noodles by hand. The museum is a 5-minute walk from Minato Mirai Station.
Yokohama has four distinct seasons. Spring (March–May) is mild and the most popular — cherry blossoms peak in late March to early April. Summer (June–August) is hot and humid, with temperatures regularly reaching 30–35°C; rain is frequent in June–July (rainy season). Autumn (September–November) brings cooler temperatures and clear skies, with foliage colour from late October. Winter (December–February) is cold (5–10°C) but often sunny with low humidity, and Mt. Fuji views are most reliable. Pack comfortable walking shoes regardless of season — a port day involves substantial walking. A compact umbrella is useful year-round. In summer, carry water and sunscreen; in winter, a light to mid-weight coat suffices.
The Osanbashi terminal building has limited luggage storage facilities; check with your ship's shore excursion desk for availability and current fees. In the broader city, coin lockers (100–500 yen) are available at Yokohama Station, Sakuragicho Station, and Kannai Station — most Japanese train stations have several sizes. The Red Brick Warehouse also has coin lockers in its public areas. For a Tokyo day trip, Shibuya and Shinjuku stations both have extensive coin locker banks. Note that lockers in very popular locations (Shibuya in particular) can fill by mid-morning on busy days — use the station's locker availability app or check early.
Filters
Select a filter to refine results.
Tour Type
Tour Activity
Cart
USD
GBP
AUD
EUR
CAD