24 hours in Yokohama on a Budget

Yokohama was our first stop on our 7 week Japan adventure. Located south of Tokyo this port city has lots to offer. As we were spending such a long time in Japan we had to stick to a budget. This meant getting creative with our plans. Going by that we wanted to share with you how we spent one of our days exploring.

We started our morning with a stroll around Chinatown. Yokohama has the largest Chinatown in Japan and it is one of the cities biggest tourist attractions. Streets full of hanging lanterns and restaurants offering delicious food. We grabbed some bao (steamed buns) and took in the sights and sounds.

Once we enjoyed what Chinatown had to offer. We made our way north towards Yamashita Park. Located on the waterfront this park has beautiful green areas to sit and relax along with manicured flower beds. Nearby is the NYK Hikawamaru. This old Japanese navy vessel is docked just off the park. It is now a museum, we didn’t go in but the view of the ship from the park is great for a photograph.

After enjoying the park we headed to the Kirin Brewery. Kirin is one of the most well known beers in Japan. Just a short train ride from Yokohama station the brewery offers a free guided tour in multiple languages.The tour is absolutely fantastic, you receive a handheld audio guide that gives you all the information about Kirins history. The tour ends with you enjoying some free samples for three separate types Kirin beer. The grounds of the brewery also have some restaurants and bars you can visit, one specialising in craft beer as a branch of the Kirin range.

Our thirst quenched we headed back in the direction of Yokohama City and our next stop. In the centre of the city there is a small amusement park. We had seen it that morning so we made our way there to enjoy some of the attractions. We went on the small roller coaster and ferris wheel. Both of which were very enjoyable. There are many other attractions but we didn’t want to spend too much money.

It was getting late in the day and that meant it was time for dinner. Eating out in Japan can be pricey. There are so many amazing foods to try it can be overwhelming. One of the best and (cheapest) options is ramen. There is literally a shop on every corner. We ate in Ichiran, a famous Japaneese restaurant chain . Ichiran specialise in tonkotsu ramen which is a pork based broth. Ichiran can be found all over Japan and in our opinion it is a must try.