Yokohama Chinatown

Yokohama has the second highest population of any city in Japan.

The thing is, it's so close to Tokyo, it really just feels like an extension of Tokyo itself.

The area around Yokohama Landmark Tower is clean, spacious, and full of shops.

The tower itself offers some pretty magnificent views, too.

There's even a little amusement park with a Ferris wheel.

When I go to Yokohama, though, I have one destination in mind: Chinatown!!

横浜中華街
よこはま ちゅうかがい
Yokohama Chinatown

横浜 (よこはま) is how you write "Yokohama" in Japanese.

中華 (ちゅうか) means something like "Chinese" and appears in phrases such as 中華料理 (ちゅうかりょうり // Chinese food; Chinese cuisine).

街 (まち) means "town," but when you stick it onto the end of a word it's usually pronounced ~街 (~がい).

Aside from the word 中華街 (ちゅうかがい // Chinatown), you also see it in the word 商店街 (しょうてんがい), which refers to the "shopping arcades" you often find near stations.

If Wikipedia is to be trusted, Yokohama Chinatown is the largest Chinatown not only in Japan, but in all of Asia.

I think it's a great place to visit after, say, going to nearby Kamakura (which we talked about here) or "Monkey Island" (which we talked about here).

Seeing Chinese buildings and whatnot is cool and all, but let's be real. There is only one reason you really must visit Yokohama Chinatown: FOOD!


(Photo taken from this Japanese article.)

Just walking along the street you'll encounter vendors selling 小籠包 (しょうろんぽう), which is the Japanese pronunciation of xiaolongbao. These delectable dumplings:

A lot of vendors also sell 甘栗 (あまぐり // broiled sweet chestnuts). Or you might see them labeled as 焼き栗 (やきぐり // roasted chestnuts):

(The picture below says 焼きり, but typically one would say 焼きり. The word for chestnut is 栗 [くり], by the way.)


(Photo taken from this Japanese article.)

I'm not sure how things are nowadays, but the aggressiveness of these chestnut salespeople became so much of a problem that signs were posted all over Yokohama Chinatown telling you to watch out for them:


(Photo taken from this Japanese blog post.)

Personally, I wouldn't waste any stomach space on street food in Chinatown. Instead, I'd save my appetite for 食べ放題 (たべほうだい // all-you-can-eat) Chinese food!!


(Photo taken from this blog post. Check out the full post to see the vast variety of foods this person ordered.)

You can see at the top of the sign that it says 128品 (ひゃくにじゅうはっぴん// 128 items), meaning you have 128 different types of food to choose from when you get this all-you-can-eat deal. Obviously too much to eat. I don't know whether to feel excited or depressed.


(Photo taken from this page.)

Ah... I'm getting hungry.

Aside from shop windows advertising their awesome selection of foods:

...you'll also find a lot of restaurant scouts out on the streets, menu in hand. Some might be a little shy if you don't speak Japanese, but most will show you their menus and try very hard to get you into their restaurants.

Shop around, because there are a ton of stores offering specials.

A lot of them will include the option to add 飲み放題 (のみほうだい // all-you-can-drink) for an extra 1,000 yen or so. This is a trap I have fallen into before, but no more! I always eat too much food to fit any booze in my stomach, and I end up feeling like I wasted a bit of money.


OK. So maybe you're sold on Yokohama Chinatown now? Time to figure out how to get there.

I'd say the easiest way is to take Tōkyū Tōyoko Line. This is connected to the Fukutoshin Subway Line, so it's a straight shot to the center of Yokohama Chinatown from Ikebukuro, Shinjuku-sanchome, or Shibuya, from which it is a 40-minute ride. Get off at the last stop, which is 元町中華街駅 (もとまちちゅうかがいえき // Motomachi-Chūkagai Station). I like the design of this underground station, by the way:

The Keihin-Tōhoku Line is also a good option if you're coming from Ueno, Tokyo Station, or Rei's hometown Kamata, from which it takes under 25 minutes! Get off at Ishikawachō Station.

If you make it there in the near future, send me some photos, yeah?


Useful Japanese


ビール入ってますか?
ビール はいってます か?
Is beer included?
Literally: “beer + is being inside + か?”
Note: If you're talking to a restaurant scout and they are selling you 飲み放題 (のみほうだい // all-you-can-drink), it's a good idea to ask this, as sometimes beer costs extra, or they only have 発泡酒 (はっぽうしゅ), which is a low-malt, beer-like beverage, which some people aren't a fan of.


明日友達と中華街行くんだけど、来ない?
あした ともだち と ちゅうかがい いく んだ けど、 こない?
I’m going to Chinatown with some friends tomorrow. Wanna come?
Literally: “tomorrow + friends + と + Chinatown + go + んだ + けど (=but), + won’t come?”
Note: This is casual language.


元取る!
もと とる!
I’m gonna get my money’s worth!
Literally: “get (my) money’s worth (=origin/foundation + take)!”
Note: This is a cool thing to say before diving into some all-you-can-eat goodness. The nuance is that you're going to eat enough to make up for what you're paying.


元取ろうね。
もと とろう ね。
Let’s get our money’s worth.
Literally: “let’s get (our) money’s worth (=origin/foundation + let’s take).”

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