Yokohama

Yokohama is a major seaport on Honshu Island in Kanagawa Prefecture, located in Tokyo Bay about 28 kilometres south of Tokyo. It is often used as the cruise port to Tokyo, with only a 30 minute train journey between the two. There are three cruise terminals. The port's oldest is Osanbashi Pier, the official Yokohama International Passenger Terminal. A new cruise terminal at Daikoku Pier opened in April 2019, and another at Shinko Pier was inaugurated in October 2019 with commercial facilities including shops and a dockside hotel.

The city itself has a distinctive international character shaped by its modern history. The Port of Yokohama formally opened to foreign trade on 2 June 1859 after being a small fishing village during Japan's period of national seclusion. Yokohama quickly became a base for foreign trade in Japan, with foreigners initially occupying the low-lying district of Kannai and later expanding into the elevated Yamate district. The port grew rapidly through the Meiji and Taisho periods as a centre for raw silk export and technology import.

Today Yokohama blends this history with modern attractions. Famous landmarks include Minato Mirai 21, Nippon Maru Memorial Park, Yokohama Chinatown, Motomachi Shopping Street, Yokohama Marine Tower, Yamashita Park, and Ōsanbashi Pier. Though often overshadowed by nearby Tokyo, Yokohama continues to be one of Japan's liveliest and most international destinations. From Yokohama it is a quick trip to peaceful Kamakura, home to Daibutsu, Japan's second-largest bronze Buddha, and to the important Shinto shrine Tsurugaoka Hachimangu. Cruisers can log the actual route their ship sailed through The Cruise Globe, tracking where they anchored in this historic port city.