Yamate - 山手 and Motomachi - 元町
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For most of the 250 years of the Edo Period (1603-1867), the rulers of Japan prohibited almost all interactions with foreign countries. When the period of isolation finally ended in the 1850s, Yokohama was one of only a few port towns where foreign traders, looking to profit from the newly opened country, were permitted to reside. While the Chinese made themselves a Chinatown, Westerners took up in the hills of the Yamate area, which was also called "The Bluff". |
history as district of Westerners
The Yamate area retains a number of sites relating to its history as the main residential district of Westerners in Yokohama. However, because of the Great Kanto Earthquake, few of them predate 1923. Present day Yamate is still for the most part a hilly residential area with some pleasant parks. As visitors travel between Yamate's sightseeing spots, they will see by the international schools and churches that the presence of Western residents continues to this day.
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Diplomat's House |
The building served as the residence of Uchida Sadatsuchi, who held various important positions such as Ambassador to Turkey and Consulate General in New York. The house was built by the American architect James Gardiner in the American Victorian Style.
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Hours: 9:30 to 17:00 (until 18:00 in July and August) |
Harbor View Park
Yamate has a number of parks within walking distance from each other. The largest is the Harbor View Park, which is named after the view that the park affords onto the water and the Yokohama Bay Bridge. On the park grounds one can find some of the area's preserved western buildings. Mostly former residences, the buildings are open to the public and most have been furnished in their original style.
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British House |
This building, constructed in 1937, used to serve as the residence of the British Consul General. There are guest rooms and a dining room, as well as private quarters.
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Hours: 9:30 to 17:00 (until 18:00 in July and August)
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Bluff No. 111 |
The residence of an American named J. E. Laffin. The house was built in a Spanish style in 1926 by the American architect J.H. Morgan, who also designed Berrick Hall and the original Marunouchi Building in Tokyo.
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Hours: 9:30 to 17:00 (until 18:00 in July and August)
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Foreigners' Cemetery
The Foreigners' Cemetery dates back to 1854, when Commodore Perry (the American navy officer who forced Japan to open its ports) buried one of his sailors on a hill overlooking the water. A few months later, a couple of Russian sailors were buried as well.
In 1861, it was designated as a cemetery for foreigners. Today, a small section of the 4200 graves can be visited, and the inscriptions often offer an interesting glimpse into the life of the interred. A small, informative museum is located beside the entrance. The cemetery is only open in the afternoons on weekends and national holidays from March to December.
Motomachi shopping street - 元町商店街
Below the hills of Yamate is the Motomachi shopping street, which runs parallel to the Nakamura River. The street served the needs of the first foreign residents of Yokohama, and introduced many products to Japan. Nowadays the street does not differ drastically from other shopping streets, but it still has a certain European feel. There is a large number of higher end fashion shops, as well as cafes and restaurants. The street runs 500 meters and is pedestrian-only on weekends and national holidays from 12:00 to 18:00.
