Kanagawa · Yokohama / Nishi-kuNo.183★★★Open in map →
Yokohama Minato Mirai 21
— a waterfront district on a former shipyard
Yokohama's waterfront redevelopment district, built from a former shipyard site from the 1980s onward. The Landmark Tower, the Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel, the Cup Noodles Museum, and the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse line a walkable waterfront.
Minato Mirai 21 — the name means 'harbour of the future' — occupies land that was once a major shipyard and drydock at the edge of Yokohama Bay. From the late 1980s the site was redeveloped as a master-planned urban district, connecting Yokohama Station and the traditional port area of Kannai into one continuous waterfront. Today the district gathers large cultural, retail, and office buildings around an open harbour, with walking paths along the water and frequent connections to the rest of central Yokohama. The Sky Garden observation deck of the Landmark Tower is undergoing a large-scale renovation and is closed from December 31, 2025 until sometime in 2028; the building itself and its base shopping complex remain open.
Background & history
The site history begins not in the 1980s but far earlier: Yokohama's port opened to international trade in 1859, making the city one of Japan's first modern international harbours. The Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard that occupied this ground from the Meiji period was closed in 1983, freeing the land for redevelopment. The Landmark Tower — then the tallest building in Japan at 296 metres — opened in 1993, and the Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel, originally built for the 1989 Yokohama Exotic Showcase, was moved to its current position and reopened in 1999.
What to look for — in walking order
- Landmark Tower (exterior and base)
- 296-metre skyscraper, tallest in Japan on completion in 1993; Sky Garden on the 69th floor is closed for renovation until approx. 2028
- Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel
- 112.5-metre wheel with a giant digital clock at its hub, part of Yokohama Cosmo World amusement park
- Red Brick Warehouse (Aka Renga Soko)
- two early-20th-century port warehouses now housing shops, restaurants, and event space right on the water
- Yokohama Bay waterfront walk
- a paved promenade connecting the main buildings with views over the harbour and the bay bridges
How to enjoy it
The waterfront walk between the Red Brick Warehouse and the Landmark Tower base takes about 15–20 minutes at a relaxed pace. Evening lights across the bay are one of Yokohama's best-known scenes. The Cup Noodles Museum (in the district, pre-booking recommended) lets visitors customise their own instant noodle cup.
How to actually get there
- Tokyo Station → Yokohama Station (JR Tokaido Line, ~25–30 min).
- Yokohama Station → Minatomirai Station (Minato Mirai Line, 2 stops, ~4 min).
- Minatomirai Station → waterfront walk to Red Brick Warehouse and Cosmo Clock (~15–20 min on foot).
- Tokyo Stn →(JR Tokaido Line)→ Yokohama Stn →(Minato Mirai Line)→ Minatomirai Stn
- From Tokyo Station, take the JR Tokaido Line (or JR Keihin-Tohoku/Negishi Line) to Yokohama Station (about 25–30 min; trains very frequent). At Yokohama Station, transfer to the Yokohama Minatomirai Railway (Minato Mirai Line) and ride two stops to Minatomirai Station (about 4 min). From the station exit the district begins immediately. Total about 30–35 minutes.
- Return from Minatomirai Station to Tokyo
- From Minatomirai Station, take the Minato Mirai Line to Yokohama Station, then the JR line back to Tokyo. Trains run frequently until late evening. Alternatively, you can walk 15 minutes to Sakuragicho Station on the JR Negishi Line.
Before you go
- Cash
- IC cards (Suica / PASMO) work on both the JR line and the Minato Mirai Line. Most attractions inside the district charge admission; the waterfront walk and Red Brick Warehouse shopping area are free to enter.
- Closing days
- The Landmark Tower Sky Garden is closed for major renovation (from December 31, 2025 until around 2028). Golden Week and summer weekends are the busiest periods. Yokohama Cosmo World has its own seasonal hours.
- Another way
- From Shinjuku, the JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line reaches Yokohama Station in about 30 minutes, avoiding a Tokyo Station transfer. From there the Minato Mirai Line connection is the same.
- After you get off
- Exit Minatomirai Station and the district begins immediately — the Queens Square shopping complex is directly connected to the station, and the waterfront promenade is a 3–5 minute walk from the exit.