Yokohama
 

Does anyone have restaurant or shopping tips for Yokohama? Possibly even a favorite hotel? Thx!

Errrr....

Yokohama is technically Japan's second largest city. Where in Yokohama were you thinking of staying?

There's the area round Yokohama Station which has loads of Department stores.

There's Sakuragicho and Minato Mirai - where the Queens Mall and waterfront is - it's newly developed and very smart - but pretty much dead after 10:30pm

And there's Kannai, which is nearer China Town. All of these are quite a long walk from each other.

As to which hotels... There's the Royal Park Hotel at the very top of Landmark Tower - the tallest Building in Japan. The Intercontinental that literally juts out into the bay. The moderately priced Sakuragicho Washigton which has relatively small rooms but fabulous views from the bay side.

Resturant suggestions here: http://ss.gnavi.co.jp/fl/search/?id=enU&area=AREAL2322

and here: http://www.bento.com/ra-yoko.html

I've only had mediochre meals in Yokohama's Chinatown, if you find somewhere good, please let me know!

Thx
 

Thanks ~ those are great leads. I'll let you know if I uncover anything else exciting but I hear prospects are limited because the city is so close to Tokyo that no hip hotel or otherwise bothers to set up shop.

Are the views fantastic at Royal Park?

I've got to welcome anyone with a nickname like that to FT, even if I am a bit late in doing so!

I think the Sakuragicho - Minato Mirai area is better than around Yokohama station. It might be dead after 10:30, I wouldn't know since I've never been there that late, but it is definitely more interesting during the day.

The Tokyu Toyoko line will get you to Shibuya on an express in about 30 minutes, if you want nightlife -- that should hold you up until the last express back at 12:03am.

The Minato Mirai area is more scenic then the Yokohama Station area (there's the Yokohama Bay Sheraton in that station area which I stay at if I have plans to visit Yokohama or points south).

The Toyoko Line continues to run direct through service onto the Minato Mirai Line past Yokohama Station, so if you did stay in a hotel in the Minato Mirai area that might be something to consider. Though it does cost a few more yen than JR.

Though if you're a night life person, i'd look into researching staying in Tokyo rather than Yokohama.

Otherwise during the day there's interesting things to do and see in the areas mentioned above. The Landmark tower is the tallest building in Japan, there's a bunch of shopping mall areas around there, Yokohama Cosmoworld a theme park. WorldPorters shopping, China town browsing around and eating, there's also the Shin Yokohama Ramen museum which we've talked about somewhere in this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=598505
The ramen museum is a bit out from the Minanto Mirai - China Town areas.

I've only stayed overnight in Yokohama once, just for one night last October. I got a bay view room at the Sakuragicho Washington. PM me with an email and I can send you a couple of photos showing the view. Good price, very convenient location, there's even a few places open late into the night around Sakuragicho.

I'll be staying at the Interconti for 9 nights later this month, I guess I'll be more familiar with Yokohama after that.

http://www.fisita2006.com/popups/hotel-map.html
This map will give you a broad overview of Yokohama – it shows the main areas, where the main hotels are, and gives the city a sense of scale.

I've gotta pimp this:

Shinyokohama Raumen Museum (新横浜ラーメン博物館 ''Shin-Yokohama rāmen hakubutsukan''). Shin-Yokohama 2-14-21, web. Paradise for noodle lovers, but not just because of the informative exhibits of the history of instant ''ramen'' noodles: the centerpiece here is the basement, which contains a recreation of 1950s-era Tokyo done in incredible detail, complete with operating branches of 10 famous ramen joints. Expect to queue and pay at least Y1000 for a bowl, but it's worth it. 5 minute walk from Shin-Yokohama station (on the #1 subway line). Open from 11 AM to 11 PM daily, admission Y300.

(from Wikitravel: Yokohama)

Show up between lunch and dinner to minimize the queue.

I was wondering when that would show up! Bear in mind that shin-Yokohama station is not near anything else of interest. Also, the museum is like the amusement park in Ikebukuro where I ate miracle fruit-su -- basically you pay a Y300 admission charge for the privilege of paying to eat in a restaurant.

Not me - I'm paying 300 yen so I can pore over the exhibits – and the chance to make my own recipe instant ramen.
It’s meat dishes only in the restaurants downstairs.

To me the key point
 

about Yokohama is its importance in history. For a great backgrounder on that, there's a book which is dated but invaluable. Published by Kodansha in 1994, I found my copy at a Japanese bookstore in downtown LA -

Trails of Two Cities: A Walker's Guide to Yokohama and Kamakura by John Carroll.

The historical area of town is called the Bluff; there's a large cemetery full of Westerners called gaijin bochi. There are Western-style houses and churches across from it which have a curious Mayberry RFD feel. The Minato No park overlooks the harbor and the funky new bridge. And I'm surprised no one has mentioned Motomachi, which was the original shopping street set up for foreigners and still has that (updated) function today. There's a Talbots on the street, along with a Gap etc. And Union Supermarket and Pompadour bakery ................

And for a taste of the green and pleasant land, stop by the YC&AC on a weekend and watch a cricket match. As you walk through the neighborhood, you'll notice a lot of German and Dutch being spoken and an inordinate number of Volvos, Mercs and BMWs in driveways.

There's a lot to be said for keeping your books intact and not ripping them up... ;)
But I don't know why you imagined we'd be chomping at the bit to recommed an area with Western groceries, the Gap, and whatever Talbots is (Especially when Muji goods are a third of the price they retail at in the UK... )

FWIW - Londoners can sign up at www.london-mitsukoshi.co.uk for a store card (free) which gives them 10% off cash purchases at Mitsukoshi stores in Japan - near Yokohama station, Shinjuku, Ebisu and many more.

There is one of those Brazilian restaurants where they bring the meat out on the skewer and cut it up for you that is located in the middle of Chinatown. I really dig those type of restaurants so I go there often. Its all you can eat and drink for 90 mins plus a salad bar for 6000 yen which is about $50 these days.

I also like the all you can eat yakiniku restaurants that have all you can drink beer with it. Those are all over Yokohama, run about 4000 yen for 90 mins. Or in Chinatown itself lots of all you can eat Chinese places that are pretty good. I guess you sense the "all you can eat" pattern, but I am a big guy and I dont want to get surprised by a $100+ dinner bill just because I was hungry. Its better for me to pay one price then eat whatever I want without worrying about cost.

For shopping, tons of department stores and shops inside Yokohama station itself. For more high end stuff, there is a brand new shopping mall called "Bay Quarter" that opened recently, about 10 mins from Yokohama station. For low end discount shopping you need to go to Don Quixote, kinda really cramped version of WalMart, but cheap and kind interesting things there. That is at the very end of "Motomachi" street.

Favorite hotel is InterContinental in Minato Mirai Area, but the Sakuragicho Washington Hotel or even the Isezakicho Washington Hotel are reasonably priced substitutes. Let me know if you need specific directions to any of these.

Max

If you stay at the Royal Park, I recommend asking for the side facing the Ferris Wheel. I think it is a nice view at night.

Watch out for the "non-smoking upgrade" that this hotel tries to use. Some other hotels in Japan do this also. If you request a non-smoking room during reservation, they will often say to you at check-in that they only have smoking rooms left for the type of room you booked, but you can pay for a more expensive room that is non-smoking. If you argue long enough, they usually magically "find" a non-smoking room for you.