Yokohama Street Sign

When Japan ended its self-isolation from the outside world, one of the first ports opened to the world was Yokohama. Now remains as one of the biggest ports (and the busiest cities) of Japan, Yokohama resembled a mixture of East meets West cultures.

The meeting in Fujisawa dragged until late in the afternoon. I wouldn’t bore you out with meeting details, to cut the story short, we dropped our bags (and laptops) to the hotel before heading to Yokohama’s tourist destination, Minato Mirai.

Minato Mirai 21 (みなとみらい21, Minato Mirai 21^?), often shortened to Minato Mirai, is a large urban development in Yokohama, Japan.

The name, which means “Harbor Future 21,” was selected in a public competition. Construction of the area started in 1983. Built largely on reclaimed land, the area now features the Landmark Tower, Japan’s tallest skyscraper, the Queen’s Square shopping mall, the Pacifico convention center, Intercontinental Hotel, and moreThe area is a popular tourist spot together with nearby Yokohama Chinatown. Minato Mirai is one of the few places in the Tokyo-Yokohama area where the seashore is accessible, and not blocked by industry and harbour areas.

From Wikipedia Minato Mirai

Meeting must be tiring...

The other side...

Our hope to catch the sunset at the port was for sure wouldn’t be fullfilled. We caught the train to Yokohama as yesterday, a group of a few Indonesians, a FIlipino and a Malaysian. After Bani splitted in the station, we walked from Minato Mirai station to the port. Woah… I love the view of thousands of lights on the tall bulidings by the water. It’s so different from what I’ve seen so far. The weather was a bit cold of the bay’s strong wind, better pack up a sweater. Though it was summer, still I felt a bit chilly whenever there was no sun.

the lights reflection

There were pathways and docks of wood and bridges that we walk on the side of water, from across the building of five starts hotel and meeting hall stood tall in glimmering lights from top to bottom. One of the atraction was also an amusement park, with its giant ferris wheel also decorated with lights and a roller coaster with screaming spectators.

The place itself was also a common dating place, given the view and the ocassional meeting spots. Suddenly the participants of the “tour” was busy with their own cellphones – calling home. Aaww

Laper banget

We had dinner in the mall, where I tasted one of the best meal in Japan so far, strangely it was Korean food. I never thought that our choice of having dinner first have a consequence of not being able to ride the ferris wheel. The wheel closed at 9 pm and we arrived there minutes too late. So we just went to the park down there and spent some time with the view there. I found Doraemon there! (a ride where kids can get inside Doraemon and have some screen in there). Hehe

Ferris wheel or dinner?

Giant Doraemon!!

just sit and enjoy the view

We spent sometime there before one of our friends joined us and we went back to Fujisawa using the same train.