Yokohama Was Sparkling in December! A Relaxed Overnight Trip to Enjoy the City’s Illuminations

Hello, fellow travel lovers!

In December, Yokohama is on another level — the sparkle is almost unfair.✨

This time, it was my first overnight stay in Yokohama — and it turned out to be the perfect choice.

First stop: guilt-free shopping time in Chinatown 🎁

First Yokohama Chinatown shopping.

Since we came by car, no worries about carrying everything — which means unlimited shopping (lol).

Preparations for Lunar New Year had already begun, and the whole area was in a festive mood.

And when it comes to Chinatown…

Yes — those hanging char siu and roasted duck.

They’re a symbol of Chinatown, so we grabbed them without hesitation.

We also stopped by the long-established Jukeihanten, another iconic spot in Chinatown, to carefully scout souvenirs to take home the next day.

🌟 A nighttime stroll from Yamashita Park to Marine Tower

After eating our way around and shopping, we headed to Yamashita Park.

The illuminations were simply stunning.

Beyond the fountain stood Hotel New Grand, with Marine Tower rising further in the distance.

Taking in the view, we made our way toward Marine Tower.

We made a quick stop inside Hotel New Grand along the way — the courtyard illuminations were beautifully elegant.

As expected from such a classic hotel.

And then there were those famous stairs — the ones General MacArthur supposedly walked on?

They felt so grand and dignified that I somehow found myself standing up straighter (lol).

🗼 Time for breathtaking views from Marine Tower

Yokohama Marine Towe We arrived!

Inside, scenes of Yokohama past and present by Kiyoshi Yamashita were depicted across an entire wall of tiles, and they were truly impressive.

This is Yokohama today.

And this is what it looked like in the past.

With 30 minutes left until the nighttime viewing starting at 6:00 p.m., we took another short walk around the tower.

The park illuminations,

boats floating in the harbor,

the illuminated exterior of Marine Tower.

And on top of that,
Even Christmas-themed sightseeing boats were cruising by!

There was so much to see, my eyes didn’t know where to look (lol).

When it was time, we took the elevator up to the 29th floor. With the Asoview discount, the ticket was 1,100 yen.

The night view of Yokohama from above can only be described as spectacular.

We then climbed the stairs to the 30th floor to see the projection mapping at “Sky Garden” and “Prayer of the Moon.”

For dinner, we headed back to Chinatown — to a place we know and trust.

For dinner, we returned to Chinatown, which was sparkling just as beautifully at night.

This time — or rather, every time — we went to our familiar favorite, Sai Ko Shinkan.

First, a toast with beer 🍺 — before we knew it, the glass was already half empty (lol).

Here’s what we ordered this time.

Everything was reliably delicious. Our top recommendation: the jumbo shrimp with mayonnaise sauce!

Relaxing and unwinding at Ebisu Onsen.

After dinner, we walked about nine minutes from the restaurant to Ebisu Onsen, a local public bath.

No photos, but we warmed up thoroughly and felt completely refreshed.

We also slept soundly and woke up feeling refreshed the next morning!

The next morning, Yokohama showed a completely different side in winter.

The next morning was sunny, and the crisp winter air felt wonderful.

Morning sunlight streaming between the buildings,

the Continental Hotel area bathed in the morning sun.

Illuminations at night, enoki mushrooms in the morning? (*”▽”)

Toward the Red Brick Warehouse area…

Mount Fuji — what a surprise!

And on top of that,
Even though it was still before Christmas, we spotted kadomatsu decorations.

So much good fortune all at once (lol).

Completely satisfied after breakfast.

Breakfast was at Hotel JAL City Kannai Yokohama.

The signature beef hamburger disappeared into our stomachs so quickly that there was no time for photos.

But it’s definitely etched into my memory (lol).

The hotel’s recommended morning curry was delicious too!

Even when we were full, the crispy croissants were impossible to resist.

We finished with yogurt to wrap things up.

That wrapped up a delicious, completely satisfying feast.

Checking our haul and soaking in the afterglow of the trip

Here’s what we brought back as souvenirs. I couldn’t resist all the unique finds — but can we finish them all?