One of the smarter moves in the redevelopment of Yokohama's bayside Minato Mirai area was the decision to preserve these former customs houses, which date back to the early 20th century. The two warehouses (known as 'akarenga' in Japanese) survived the 1923 Kanto earthquake thanks to iron reinforcements, and emerged unscathed from WWII. The No. 2 building is now home to a variety of shops, bars and restaurants, including popular breakfast spot Bills, while the No. 1 building gets used for a wide range of events, including exhibitions and performances.
*Note that the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse is temporarily closed from May 9 until December 2022.