In our latest JRPass blog post, we’ll take you on a naval journey into history; after all it’s not just trains that Japan is known for. Our story begins in modern day Yokohama...
Intro
Permanently moored in Minato Mirari, the Nippon Maru, a four-masted former training vessel for Japan’s merchant marine, certainly stands out in Yokohama’s otherwise futuristic waterfront. Together with the nearby Yokohama Port Museum, however, it recalls a time when the city we know today didn’t exist. In fact, when Japan opened to foreign trade in the 1850s, Yokohama was nothing more than a small fishing village on a narrow sandbar. In order to create Japan’s first international port, what followed was not simply expansion, but more invention. And, through a series of land reclamation projects, Japan would the groundwork for what eventually became the country’s second-largest city.
A Brief History of Yokohama Port
When Commodore Matthew Perry of the United States Navy and his “Black Ships” arrived in the 1850s, the Tokugawa shogunate reluctantly agreed to open Japan to foreign trade, but it now faced a dilemma: where to host foreign merchants? For its part, the United States via Perry insisted on a location close to Edo (modern Tokyo), but many in Japan—a country only then starting to emerging 220 years of national isolation—wanted to keep outsiders away from the capital. It was initially agreed that Kanagawa-juku, a town on the strategic Tokaido road that linked Edo, Osaka, and Kyoto, would be open to foreign ships, but the shogunate backtracked here, believing this was simply too close. And so, port facilities were instead to be built at Yokohama where the Japan–US Treaty of Peace and Amity had been signed just a few years before on March 31, 1854. Then little more than a fishing village, Yokohama’s name literally means “horizontal beach,” as it was located on a sandbar that extended horizontally (when viewed from the sea) into the Bay of Edo. Transforming this area into a functioning, international port, however, required some creative thinking. In short, the shogunate would have to create land were there wasn’t any.
That being said, the idea of reshaping the area’s coastline was not exactly new. In the early Edo period, a local merchant named Yoshida Shojiro petitioned the shogunate for permission to reclaim the tidal flats that were located behind Yokohama’s sandbar. In 1620, he began constructing embankments, dug channels, and slowly began transforming brackish marshes into Yoshida Shiden, or “Yoshida’s New Fields,” Yokohama’s first large tract of arable farmland. Over time, these reclaimed fields not only reliable produced rice, but also quite literally laid the groundwork for larger more ambitious projects.
Starting with a series of stone embankments, wharves, and other basic infrastructure in 1859, engineers soon created what became known as the “fan-shaped settlement,” a portion of reclaimed land that extended out into Edo Bay. A grid plan was drawn up for the new land, while a network of canals was constructed to control flooding and allow small boats to move goods further inland. These waterways also effectively separated the foreign settlement in Yokohama’s low-lying district, known as Kannai (meaning “inside the barrier”), from the Japanese town.
Yokohama soon became Japan’s busiest port and land reclamation allowed for the creation of more new districts. That being said, roughly 90% of the city was destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. Reconstruction during the Taisho era, nonetheless, brought with it even larger reclamation projects, including the construction of Yamashita. And, it was all of this new real estate space that, in no small part, allowed Yokohama surpassed Osaka, Nagoya, and other cities to become Japan’s second-largest city in the mid-20th century. By some estimates, nearly 90% of Yokohama’s central waterfront districts—Kannai, Sakuragicho, Minato Mirai, Yamashita, Honmoku, and Tsurumi—are built on reclaimed land. So, an understanding of this history is key to an understanding Yokohama itself.
Yokohama Port Museum: Where Past Meets Present
Located in Nippon Maru Memorial Park, the Yokohama Port Museum (originally known as the Yokohama Maritime Museum) first opened its doors back in 1989 as part of the 130th anniversary of the port’s opening. It was remodeled in 2009 for the port’s 150th anniversary and is currently split into two main permanent exhibits.
The first, known as the “History Zone,” takes visitors through the history of Yokohama, from Perry’s negotiations with Ii Naosuke—a high-ranking official of the shogunate—to modern land reclamation projects, like Shin-Honmoku Pier, which is part of a broader effort to upgrade the port’s capacity to accommodate larger container ships. Next, you have the “Rediscovery Zone,” is more hands-on, with a number of interactive experiences, including a new VR theater where you can see what it’s like to operate a gantry crane and simulator that shows what it’s like steering a ship through Yokohama Port in different weather conditions. Both exhibits have material in Japanese and English. There’s also a small exhibit about the artist Ryohei Yanagihara—who created the mascot “Uncle Torys” used by Suntory’s Torys Whisky—a gift shop, vending machines, and coin lockers.
Yokohama Port Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10AM to 5PM. Tickets cost ¥500 for adults or ¥200 for students. There also is a discounted ¥400 ticket available for visitors 65 and older. Another option is a ¥800 multi-pass ticket (¥300 for students and ¥600 for seniors), which includes entry to both the Yokohama Port Museum and Nippon Maru.
Nippon Maru
Just outside the Yokohama Port Museum, the Nippon Maru was built by Kobe Shipyard & Engine Works in 1930 as a training vessel for Japan’s merchant marine. The ship is a four-masted barque, measuring 97 meters long and with a sail area of about 2,400 square meters—earning it the nickname “Swan of the Pacific.” Essentially a floating school, the Nippon Maru allowed cadets to learn about navigation, seamanship, and teamwork, at sea. Even after most ships in Japan had switched to steam and diesel—including the Nippon Maru itself—sail training was still considered a fundamental part of training. And, during her service, over 11,500 cadets trained aboard the ship. It also sailed around the earth 45.4 times. That’s 1,830,000 kilometers in total.
After more than five decades of service, the Nippon Maru was retired in 1984 and placed under the authority of the city of Yokohama. It now serves as a museum ship, offering visitors the chance to freely explore a number of its rooms and decks.
Nippon Maru is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10AM to 5PM. Tickets cost ¥400 for adults, ¥200 students, or ¥250 for visitors 65 and older. You can also purchase a multi-pass ticket here as well.
Getting There
Less than 30 minutes from central Tokyo, getting to Yokohama is pretty easy with the Japan Rail Pass.
From either Tokyo Station or Shinagawa Station, take the JR Tokaido Line directly to Yokohama Station. You can also take the JR Shonan Shinjuku Line directly to Yokohama Station from Shinjuku Station, Shibuya Station, or Ikebukuro Station.
Once here, you’ll transfer to the JR Keihin-Tohoku Line (also known as the Negishi Line south of Yokohama Station), which takes you to Sakuragicho Station—less than a 5-minute walk from both the Yokohama Port Museum and Nippon Maru. The Keihin-Tohoku Line also does go directly to both Tokyo Station and Shinagawa Station.
For those traveling on Japan’s bullet train, the JR Tokaido Shinkansen stops at Shin-Yokohama Station, which is only about 10-15 minutes from Yokohama’s city center by the JR Yokohama Line or subway.
Bonus Recommendations
For more on visiting Tokyo’s history, its past, present, and future, check out the further reading below:
- If you’re exploring a huge city like Tokyo during your first time in Japan, it could feel a little daunting. That’s why we’ve put together our Top Ten Tips for First Time Visitors in Japan.
- Tokyo makes a great base for day trips to other destinations in Japan using the Japan Rail Pass thanks to its incredible transport connections. Find out more in our guide to The Best Day Trips from Tokyo.
- For more on IC cards, check out our Top 30 Tips for Using Japan’s Metros for advice and guidance on using the city’s subway network.
- Tokyo is BIG!! As such, it’s a smart idea to invest in PocketWifi to stay connected and avoid any unwanted data charges if you happen to need directions or language advice while you’re on the move.
- Need a helping hand on arrival? Our dedicated Meet and Greet Service is like having a personal assistant for your holiday who happens to be an expert on Japan. We’ll take care of you from the moment you arrive in Japan.
