Yokohama Chinatown

Japan's largest Chinatown fills a 250,000-square-meter area with over 600 shops and restaurants, built up around Yokohama's port district after it opened to foreign trade in 1859. Ten decorated gates mark the boundaries, and inside the Kanteibyo Temple, built in 1873, and the newer Masobyo Temple honor Guan Yu and the goddess Mazu with elaborate traditional Chinese architecture. The food covers a wide range, from street-side steamed buns and sesame dumplings to multi-course Cantonese and Sichuan meals. During Chinese New Year in early February, lion dances and dragon parades fill the streets. The neighborhood is a short walk from Yamashita Park and the Minato Mirai waterfront.