Yokohama | Eleven archways in prime Chinatown create a prosperous feng shui pattern?

This is Japan's largest Chinatown, perhaps one of the world's leading. The opening of Yokohama's port in 1859 attracted a large number of Chinese immigrants, who settled here. Initially, it was limited to the Yamashita-machi area, home to merchants, chefs, and tailors. It was also known as Nankin-machi and Tangjin-machi. It wasn't until the Great Kanto Earthquake and the reconstruction and revitalization of the entire area that Chinatown gradually established its sphere of influence. Here are Chaoyang Gate, Suzaku Gate, Yanping Gate, and Xuanwu Gate, each guarded by mythical beasts. There are also Shanlin Gate and Shichi-dori, with a total of 11 archways, Mazu Temple and Guandi Temple, interweaving the unique flavor of Chinatown. Close to Yamashita Park and not far from Minato Mirai, this area offers Taiwanese chicken cutlets, xiaolongbao (steamed dumplings), Shanghainese pan-fried buns, and Hong Kong dim sum. However, in the late Qing Dynasty, this area was the scene of a bitter rivalry between revolutionaries like Sun Yat-sen and monarchists like Kang Youwei. Forty-nine years later, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party also faced a bitter rivalry here. Even now, the annual celebrations for National Day and Double Tenth are quite impressive. But for tourists, the busier the place, the better. For Yokohama Chinatown, a constant flow of tourists is crucial for its future. 📍Address: Yamashitacho, Naka Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa 231-0023, Japan 🚗A five-minute walk from Motomachi Chinatown Station. #SeptemberGoodDestinations2025