33 things to do in Yokohama for art lovers

One of Greater Tokyo's major fine art museums, the YMA occupies a beautiful Kenzo Tange-designed building and reopened in March 2024 after a comprehensive renovation. A key venue of the Yokohama Triennale, it holds an eclectic collection ranging from impressionism to photography and contemporary art. Yokohama Museum of Art

Illicit red light district turned thriving artistic hub, Koganecho is packed with little studios and galleries along two narrow streets running either side of the elevated railway line between Koganecho and Hinodecho stations. Koganecho Bazaar, the event symbolising this rebirth, was first held in 2008 and will be back in 2024 with a cross-border, interdisciplinary programme of exhibitions, performances and artist-in-residence initiatives. If you’re looking for artsy tomes, don’t miss the Art Book Bazaar. Hatsuko-Hinodecho Area

The Japan International Cooperation Agency Yokohama Centre displays an interesting selection of installations by noted contemporary artists and houses a cosmopolitan restaurant with a diverse menu, including plentiful halal and vegetarian options. Its terrace offers views of the Red Brick Warehouse and the Yokohama Bay Bridge. JICA Yokohama

Opened in 1927, Hotel New Grand boasts some seriously eclectic architecture and has seen many a famous figure pass through its doors. Its restaurants offer a variety of original dishes and drinks: at the ground-floor coffee shop you can enjoy Japanese-style Western food like doria rice gratin and ‘napolitan’ spaghetti, both of which supposedly originated here. Hotel New Grand

Set on the site of the city’s old port, Zou-no-hana (‘elephant’s trunk’) is an open space that represents a link between the history and future of Yokohama. Home to a 6m-long elephant sculpture by artist Noboru Tsubaki, created for the 2001 Yokohama Triennale, it hosts a wide variety of events from dance and music to film screenings, and includes a nice café serving soft-serve ice cream shaped like an elephant’s head. Zou-no-hana Terrace

Yokohama’s iconic lighthouse was built in 1961 and refurbished in 2022, when facilities including a restaurant, a bar and a media arts gallery were added. Historic equipment from the original beacon is displayed in the atrium, while the observation deck offers spectacular views of the port and transforms into a kind of festival of lights at night. If the weather is clear, you might see Mt Fuji, too. Yokohama Marine Tower

No relation to the boisterous French footballer, but the sense of spectacle in this colourful eatery’s Cantonese- inspired dishes matches the fireworks its more famous namesake displayed on the field in his glory days. Try the mustard-topped ‘Tasmanian’ shumai dumplings and browse the well-curated list of natural wines. Cantona

Home to more than 10,000 dolls from over 100 countries, this museum appeals to children and serious collectors alike. The exhibition room featuring folk dolls from across Japan and around the world is a standout, while anime fans can expect to spot some familiar figurines here, too. Yokohama Doll Museum

A beautiful, traditional Japanese garden with more than a century of history, Sankeien houses several priceless structures relocated from places including Kyoto and Kamakura. Seasonal events such as cherry blossom viewing and autumn leaves make great reasons to visit. Sankei Memorial Hall in the garden displays art by early 20th-century masters such as Taikan Yokoyama. Sankeien Garden

Noh and Kyogen are both forms of classical drama and considered two of the world's oldest performing arts. Opened in April 2024, OTABISHO Yokohama Nohgakudo champions for these traditions while the Yokohama Noh Theatre undergoes renovations, inviting visitors to learn about the musical instruments, masks, costumes and props, and shop for unique merchandise. Look out for the facility's programme of educational events. OTABISHO Yokohama Noh Theatre

Recreating the Western-influenced aesthetics of the Meiji era (1868–1912), this six-storey edifice houses a kissaten (old-school coffee shop), bar and restaurant, and has been catering especially to the nostalgia-hungry since 1970, making it something of a local institution. The coffee is excellent and the seasonal desserts usually worth a punt. Bashamichi Jyuban-kan

A fixture of the Yokohama film scene since 1991, the two-screen Jack & Betty highlights an international selection of art and indie flicks you won’t find on show at the big multiplexes. Keep an eye out for the many special programmes and mini-festivals, too. Jack & Betty Cinemas

Tucked away amidst cliffsides (gake) and steep staircases (kaidan), this quirky bar occupies a corner of a small art space and is staffed by different artists and curators – many of them English-speaking – every evening. It’s the ideal spot for high-flying conversation over a craft cocktail. Bar Gake to Kaidan

Its streets littered with music bars, restaurants and gig spots, Yokohama is the home of jazz in Japan. At Bar Bar Bar, you can just drop in casually for dinner, drinks and a live performance – there’s someone playing on stage practically every night. Bar Bar Bar

Theatre, dance, musicals – the variety of performing arts on display here should satisfy even the most ravenous aficionado. The building encompasses a grand hall with up to 1,200 seats as well as an atrium and several studios. It’s fully accessible, with facilities including a nursing room and seats with wheelchair spaces. Kanagawa Arts Theatre

Occupying the beautifully renovated, airy ground floor of the former Silk Conditioning House, a heritage-listed brick building in historic Bashamichi, the Nagano-based Anglo-Japanese Brewing Company’s brewpub, distillery and cocktail lab conjures up an impressive range of artisanal booze. Don’t sleep on the food either: the spicy ‘JFC’ buttermilk fried chicken is a standout. Libushi Bashamichi

Built in 1929, this gorgeous heritage- listed building near historic Bashamichi was transformed into a hub for art, design and all sorts of creative endeavours at the start of the Creative City Yokohama project in 2004. It was closed since 2021, but has reopened to host events during the 2024 Yokohama Triennale. Former Daiichi Bank Yokohama Branch

A former dockyard site turned creative community space for residents, visitors and people working in Minato Mirai, BUKATSUDO encompasses a gallery, coffee stand and business lounge, as well as a studio, kitchen and spaces for rent. The gallery hosts regular exhibitions with a focus on photography and fine art. BUKATSUDO

Bringing sports and creativity together in a nearly century-old former office building, this multi-use facility is run by the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, the city’s beloved pro baseball team. Here you’ll find the exclusive +B brand, which offers trendy, quality clothing and accessories inspired by baseball culture. After a bout of shopping, recover by enjoying an official BayStars beer at the adjacent pub, Craft Beer Dining &9. THE BAYS

You’ll be able to browse a remarkable array of food, clothing, cosmetics, homeware and all manner of miscellanea from throughout Kanagawa prefecture (the area around Yokohama) at the seven shops here. The in-house restaurant’s pasta dishes feature super-fresh local ingredients. 2416Market

Replete with quirkly little bars and eateries, the streets of Noge are perfect for finding your new local. Heirloom chicken, fresh seafood and a colourful array of seasonal produce are grilled to smoky perfection over smouldering charcoal at Kagura, which styles itself a yakitori joint but offers so much more. Pair your meal with some sake or shochu, and don’t forget to finish off with a bowl of their signature torisoba (chicken ramen). Kagura

A remnant of a simpler and smokier era, the Tanuki Koji alleyway west of Yokohama Station is riddled with old-school bars and eateries like Maichin, which has been serving up pork ears, tongue, feet, tail and so on – all slowly simmered in a soy sauce-based broth – alongside cups of stomach-warming shochu since 1956. Maichin

One of the smarter moves in the redevelopment of the Minato Mirai area was the decision to preserve these former customs houses, which date back to the early 20th century. The No 1 building gets used for a wide range of art events, while No 2 houses a trendy selection of shops, bars and restaurants. Various festivals and other happenings take place on the open-air plaza between the structures. Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse

Set in an understated, overgrown-looking brick building a stone’s throw from the bustle of Yokohama Station, this unpretentious but refined joint counts among the best Italian restaurants in the city. Naples-trained chef Taro Takada’s pizzas and multi-course meals draw expertly on local, seasonal ingredients. Cambusa

Directly connected to Shin-Takashima Station, the subterranean BankART Station is the home of BankART1929, a nonprofit that has spent two decades working to reinvent the city’s waterfront as a hub for creativity and the arts. Home to a café, pub and shop, the bunker-like gallery hosts a wide variety of events together with the group’s other space, BankART KAIKO on Kitanaka-dori, which also serves as a venue for the Yokohama Triennale. BankART1929