Japan Awaits

The Yokohama Private Full Day Tour will visit some of the most interesting and historic locations in Yokohama that includes some major attractions and some local spots. Learn what makes Yokohama, Japan’s second largest city after Tokyo, so fascinating.

Japan was once considered a hermit kingdom during the Edo Period (1603-1867), isolating itself from the rest of the world. Yokohama at the time was just a small fishing town, but in 1859, it opened its port for foreign trade and since has established itself as one of the major cities in all of Japan.

Yokohama is located just about 30 – 45 minutes by train from Tokyo. This morning, take the train at your own leisure, or start the tour from Tokyo with the accompaniment of your tour guide (available as add-on option at checkout).

The tour will begin at 9 AM at Sakuragicho Station (this is just one stop away from Yokohama Station; meetup directions will be provided after booking), where your tour guide will pick you up from the station. From Sakuragicho Station, head over to the Sky Garden, an observation deck on the 69th floor of the Yokohama Landmark Tower for 360-degree panoramic views of Yokohama Bay, Tokyo Skytree and Mount Fuji on clear days. Another option instead of Sky Garden is to take the famous ferris wheel that oversees the Yokohama port.

Then move on to the Cup Noodle Museum where you can make your own cup noodles (reservation must be made at least 3 – 4 weeks in advance if guests are interested). You can explore the museum, or take a class (depending on availability) where you can make chicken ramen by hand starting with kneading, spreading, and steaming the wheat flour, then drying it with the flash-frying method. After experiencing the process that led to the invention of the world’s first instant noodles, you can take your freshly-made instant noodles that are nicely packaged with you as a souvenir or for you to enjoy when you return home.

After a fun session at the Cup Noodle Museum, we’ll head to the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, a historical building located in the Minato Mirai 21 district. Learn about the beginning of American presence in Yokohama, while browsing the neat and trendy shops that have sprung up here. From there, walk along the Yokohama waterfront to the nearby Yamashita Park, constructed after the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. Beside the promenade is the retired Hikawa Maru, the massive ocean liner ship that has serviced the imperial family and Charlie Chaplin in its first-class cabins along the Yokohama to Vancouver/Seattle journey since 1930.

For lunch, we’ll visit Yokohama Chinatown, for a walking food tour of some local spots with a lot of history packed into this unique area. Enjoy sampling different foods while strolling through the streets and stepping into a world that’s completely different from the rest of Japan. Along the way, visit Yamate to learn about the history of Meiji Restoration and after WWII here.

After, transfer to Sankei-en Garden by local bus. Sankei-en is a spacious Japanese-style garden that exhibits a number of historic buildings, such as an elegant daimyo (feudal lord) residence, many traditional tea houses and the three-storied pagoda of Kyoto’s old Tomyoji Temple. The reconstructed buildings here (after much of it was damaged from the Second World War) are considered one of the most historically significant locations of Yokohama. After a pleasant afternoon at the garden, return to Sakuragicho Station just before 5:00 PM to end the tour.

Optional: For guests that do not want to visit Sankei-en, the tour guide may take you to Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, an amusement park located on a small island just off shore (30 minutes by train from downtown Yokohama), arriving at 3:30 PM. Visit the park area with the tour guide who will provide you with more context of the area. The tour will end between 4 – 4:30 PM here depending on the guests’ preference (the tour guide will depart so that guests may enjoy the rest of the late afternoon and evening in the area). While it is free to enter and to walk around the park area and along the promenade, entrance fee is not included for the Aqua Resorts and the rides of Pleasure Land. Guests are welcome to enjoy this at their own leisure.

Price:

• Select number of people under Booking Request for pricing

 Included:

• Walking food tour for lunch in Yokohama Chinatown
• Reservation of Cup Noodle Making session
• Transportation within Yokohama (combination of walking, bus and sometimes private taxi)
• English-speaking tour guide
• All transportation and attraction fees for tour guide as specified in itinerary within Yokohama, except optional activities such as entering into Hakkeijima Sea Paradise Aquarium and Amusement Park (if requested by the guest)
• Photo opportunities and more

Excluded:

• Other meals, food and drinks not specified
• Transportation to and from Tokyo (the tour begins and ends at Yokohama Station, unless add-on option from Tokyo is selected at check-out)
• Attraction fees for guests (prices listed below)
  • Sky Garden of Landmark Tower:
    • 1,000 JPY (Age 18-64)
    • 800 JPY (Age 13-17)
    • 500 JPY (Age 6-12)
    • 200 JPY (Age 4-5)
  • Cup Noodle Museum:
    • 800 JPY (Adult)
    • 300 JPY (Child, age 6 and below)
  • Sankei-en Japanese Garden
    • 700 JPY (Adult)
    • 200 JPY (Child)
  • Hakkeijima Sea Paradise:
    • 3,200 JPY (Adult)
    • 1,950 JPY (Child)

Attire

The tour operates in all weather conditions (except when there is a typhoon or other extreme situations). Please dress appropriately for all weather conditions. In such case, please note that the tour may change slightly to accommodate for the weather.

Non-Smoking

While most places we visit may be non-smoking establishments, there are some places along the way that may allow smoking in designated areas. Please take note of this for guests who are sensitive to smoke.

Age Requirement

There is no age requirement, but a reservation must be made for all guests. Passports may be required to verify age on the day of the tour. Children that are age 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult that is age 18 or older.

Payment

All bookings are payable via Stripe (Booking Checkout) or Flywire. Confirmations regarding your booking will be sent at least 10 days before your activity date.

Cancellation Policy

Standard Cancellation Policy:

What if I’m late?

We ask that all guests arrive at the location at least 10 minutes before the designated meet-up time. Although this is a private tour, the tour guide will only wait for you for up to 45 minutes of start time before the tour is cancelled. Guests are provided with the tour guides’ phone number before the tour and you can call the tour guide if you need help.

Why am I charged a service fee if I make a cancellation after you started planning the trip?