Trade Shows » Country » Japan » Yokohama

History & Evolution
Yokohama was a small fishing village and had a little contact with foreigners. This continued till 1854 when America signed a treaty with Japan for opening the port of Yokohama for trade purposes. The Port of Yokohama was opened on 2 June 1859. The Port of Yokohama quickly became the base of foreign trade in Japan. On April 1st, 1889, the Municipal Government was established.

Opening of port led to rapid increase of foreign trade. Raw silk, tea and sea products were exported from Yokohama and silk and wool products were imported. Merchants in Yokohama established a silk trading company in 1873 and in 1881 a silk holding house was set up, so taking the initiative to expand the silk trade. The major setback to Yokoham was the Great Kanto Earthquake on September 1st, 1923. The tragedy devastated the city, more than 20,000 people lost their lives and more than 70,000 houses were demolished. However the city totally recovered from the earthquke in 1929. During world war-II the city of Yokohama was destroyed by constant air raids. The city was under the control of Allied forces until 1951, when it gained independence.

Site-Seeing

Chinatown:
Yokohama Chinatown has a history of about 150 years. Chinatown has a population of about 5000, most of which belong to Guangzhou (Canton). Yokohama Chinatown is the largest Chinatown not only in Japan but also in Asia. The region is larger than Chinatowns in both Kobe and Nagasaki. The area has a large number of Chinese restaurants. Yokohama Chinatown dates back to 19th century when the port of Yokohama became one of the first ports in Japan to open for foreign trade. The Chinatown became the area where many of the Chinese settled in the city. Many people come to visit the place to get a Chinese flavor. The Chinatown has the famous Chinese street markets and Chinese temples. Chinatown hosts various festivals like the Chinese New Year, Kanteitan and Kokkei- setsu.

Location: Motomachi station

Sky Walk:
The Sky Walk in Yokohama is one of the most visited sites of the city of Yokohama. The Sky Walk is actually an observation platform attached to the 'Yokohama Bay Bridge' that links Honmoku Pier and Daikoku Pier. The bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the world. The Sky Walk in Yokohama is first of its kind in the country of Japan and it extends from the Sky Lounge, located on the main pillar of the bridge, to the Sky Tower. The length of sky walk is 320 Meters. The sky walk is a premier tourist attraction in Japan and each year millions of tourists visit this magnificent place.

Location: Bay Bridge

Yokohama Landmark Tower:
The Yokohama Landmark Tower in Yokohama is a major landmark in the skyline of the cityscape. The Yokohama Landmark Tower in Yokohama is the tallest building in Japan after the Tokyo tower. The tower is 972 high. The tower houses several food joints, hotels, retail outlets and business offices. The Yokohama Landmark Tower is not only beautiful but an architectural masterpiece. The amazing feature of the Yokohama Landmark Tower is that it has inbuilt ability to absorb earthquake shock and sway. This marvelous tower completed in 1993 has 70 floors. The lower 48 floors are dedicated to retail and office space, while the rest is taken up by the Yokohama Royal Park Hotel. The elevator of the tower is second fastest in the world and it takes up one second to move up one floor.

Location: Minato Mirai 21 district