Yokohama Chinatown

There are roughly 250 Chinese-owned or themed shops and restaurants scattered throughout the district, with the highest concentration centered on a 300 m2 (3,200 sq ft) area.

In 1859, when the sea port opened in Yokohama, many Chinese immigrants arrived in Japan and formed settlements.

These agents were entrusted to negotiate with Japanese merchants in the buying of raw silk and tea, which, at the time, was a major product imported from Japan.

However, government regulations at the time meant that immigrants were not permitted to live outside of the designated foreign settlement area.

On February 1, 2004, the Minatomirai Line railway was opened, along with the Motomachi-Chūkagai Station, which serves Chinatown directly.

2006 saw the establishment of the Mazu Miao temple to mark the 150th anniversary of Yokohama Chinatown, and has become a significant part of the area's modern landscape.