Yokohama Chinatown — Attraction in Yokohama

I was excited to explore this vibrant part of Japan, where a blend of cultures meets with incredible flavors and energy. This place stands as a bustling hub of Chinese culture, cuisine, and architecture right in the heart of Yokohama. My visit to this Chinatown offered a unique blend of experiences that went beyond just food, creating lasting memories. The first thing I noticed upon entering was the vibrant colors and lively atmosphere. The entrance itself is adorned with a grand, traditional Chinese gate that’s both impressive and inviting. There are multiple gates throughout Chinatown, each beautifully decorated with intricate designs and bright colors. This immediately set the tone, making me feel like I had stepped into a different world. Walking through the bustling streets, I was met with the sight of red lanterns, beautiful storefronts, and countless signs in both Japanese and Chinese. One of the highlights of my trip was the food. Yokohama’s Chinatown is a paradise for food lovers! Since I’m from Vietnam, I’m quite familiar with a variety of flavors and spices, but the authentic Chinese food here was still a fresh and exciting experience. I started my culinary adventure with dim sum—steamed dumplings filled with pork, shrimp, and vegetables. Each bite was savory and delightful, and the dumplings were delicate yet full of flavor. I also tried the famous “Nikuman,” or steamed buns filled with pork, which are widely popular and perfect for a quick snack. For dessert, I couldn’t resist the sesame balls and the mango pudding. The flavors were rich and satisfying, with just the right amount of sweetness. And of course, I tried the Peking Duck, a dish I had always wanted to experience. The crispy skin, paired with the rich hoisin sauce, was absolutely worth the hype. Chinatown has so many small shops selling street food that it’s hard to resist trying everything! Chinatown is a place where both Japanese locals and international visitors come to enjoy a vibrant mix of cultures. I found it fascinating to see how Chinese culture has blended with Japanese influences here, creating a unique atmosphere that feels both familiar and foreign at the same time. Overall, visiting Yokohama’s Chinatown was one of the highlights of my trip to Japan. It’s a place where food, culture, and history come together, offering a little something for everyone. Whether you’re here for the food, shopping, or just to soak in the lively atmosphere, Chinatown is a destination you won’t want to miss. As a Vietnamese traveler, I felt both inspired and welcomed, and I’d recommend this colorful neighborhood to anyone looking to explore beyond Japan’s usual...

Yokohama Chinatown Review on 14/4/2025

Yokohama Chinatown, Japan’s largest and most vibrant Chinatown, sits in the heart of central Yokohama, just a short 15-minute journey from Citadines Waterfront Hotel. A bustling cultural and culinary haven, it remains one of the finest Chinatowns outside China.

From the moment I stepped into its streets, I was greeted by towering neon signs, intricate dragon motifs, and lanterns**, reminiscent of the dazzling scenes of Hong Kong and Zhongshan in China. The lively, energetic vibe is intoxicating, with crowds weaving in and out of eateries, traditional shops, and cultural landmarks.

However, one disappointment stood out—the ornate red-and-gold entrance gates, adorned with traditional Chinese artistry, lacked proper lighting to showcase their regal grandeur. A more striking illumination would have truly highlighted their significance as Chinatown’s symbolic gateways.

As I strolled through the district, the air was thick with the irresistible aroma of freshly steamed and fried dumplings, sizzling stir-fried noodles, pillowy pork buns, and delicate sweet custard buns.

The Xiao Long Bao* and *Sheng Jian Bao (pan-fried soup dumplings) were exceptionally authentic, bursting with rich flavours that transported me straight to the backstreets of Shanghai. A closer look at the window-side menus revealed that many dishes have been subtly adapted to Japanese tastes, offering a unique twist on traditional flavours.

One interesting trend I noticed — the growing popularity of very hot and spicy hotpot, which seems to be making significant inroads into Yokohama’s culinary scene.

Beyond its eateries, Yokohama Chinatown also hosts numerous grocery stores and specialty markets stocked with a diverse selection of Chinese ingredients, fresh produce, and rare specialty items.

At the heart of Chinatown stands the majestic Kanteibyo Temple, an exquisite shrine dedicated to Guan Yu, the revered warrior from Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Known as a deity of loyalty, courage, and prosperity, his presence within the temple adds to its spiritual significance.

Unfortunately, upon my visit, the main gate was closed, limiting access to this remarkable historical site. While this was disappointing, the temple’s intricate architectural details remained a...

Bros and Sisters. If you come across my review, what ever you do, do not go to the all you can eat buffets in Chinatown, Yokohama. You can thank me later. I’d recommend the small stands outside though, they were good. I will never eat Chinese food again.

Me and my friends spent ¥3000 yen each, even though outside they told us for that it was ¥2000 😅 The food was absolutely terrible, I mean literally terrible, the only thing that I liked was mabo tofu, but maybe because of all the chillies so nothing else to taste lol. The seafood, the shrimps and my friends wanted to try peking duck. It was like the food died and then they magically brought it back to life. There was 4 of us, one of us Japanese, so we ordered 4 friends rice (that was terrible) And then we ordered more but it didn’t arrive, so here’s me thinking what’s taking so long, we ask the staff and they said your only allowed 6 plates per table. When I heard that I got furious. I started speaking in Japanese, I told them you expect me to eat just rice alone? Where’s our mabu tofu, where’s the peking duck? And everything else we ordered. I told them it doesn’t make sense 6 plates per table, 6 per person yes. This is cheating us, I told the staff it’s not your fault, i’m not blaming you, but either give us our food or we’re leaving without paying or calling the police at what kind of establishment this company is running. Then all the food came at once. Everything was so bad, we wished that they didn’t bring them lol 😂

We stopped eating and started making jokes about the food, how many years ago did that shrimp die. Or the peking duck that was nothing Peking about it 🤣 It gets worse, We wanted to get some desserts, as we said it can’t be all bad. 2 staff came and took our menus without asking. My friend said please wait, we’re going to order desserts. The staff started speaking in Chinese, my Japanese friend speaks Chinese too, he said they swore at us 🤣 Brooo. It actually gets worse but let’s leave it at that. At the end we leave with a negative review that’s for sure.

I forgot to mention that there were also a group of mixed foreigners next to us, they were quiet, my friend asked them how was the food, they look at us and said I liked the mabu tofu, but...