Minami Ward is located in eastern Kanagawa Prefecture, and south of the geographic center of the city of Yokohama.

After the Meiji Restoration, the area was transferred to the new Kuraki District of Kanagawa Prefecture, and divided into numerous villages.

Koganecho, an area known since World War II for black marketing and brothels, was located along the Ōoka River in the ward.

In preparation for Yokohama's 2009 150th anniversary celebrations of opening up as a port, police chased away the prostitutes from the area starting in 2005.

[1] Minami Ward is largely a regional commercial center and bedroom community for central Yokohama and Tokyo due to its extensive commuter train infrastructure.