A Day in Yokohama: Get off the Beaten Path, and Bring Home the Best Souvenirs

With the ocean breeze blowing in off of Tokyo Bay, a day sightseeing and shopping in Yokohama is a refreshing break from the heat and congestion of Tokyo. Gardens full of fresh greenery, and cultural areas full of fresh soup dumplings, a stroll around Japan's second-biggest city is far more relaxing than the crowds of Shibuya crossing. Plus, the spacious malls offer some of the best places to get some shopping done while you're in Japan. Right off of Yokohama Station you'll see JOINUS Yokohama, the city's biggest mall, which makes finding the perfect souvenir for everyone back home a breeze.

Get Your Day Started and Get Your Shopping Done at JOINUS

JOINUS is hard to miss, since it's right outside of Yokohama Station's west exit. Venture into the mall's depths to grab a bite to eat, and shop to your heart's content, before you move on to touring the city.

▶ Stomach starting to rumble? Take a look at the JOINUS food options.
▶ (JOINUS also offers special free train tickets with certain purchases! Check out the details.)

Finding the Best Souvenirs at JOINUS

Muji? Gap? Diesel? JOINUS probably has some of your favorite shops, since the huge mall contains stores selling fast fashion, high fashion, accessories, cosmetics, even groceries! This time around, though, we were searching for places to find great gifts for friends and family. The mall's ~variety goods~ stores really drew us in, with all kinds of items both decorative and useful. There were some pretty good options, especially for those who like a little cute Japanese flair.

① Loverary

Love + library = Loverary! The shop definitely sells some lovely items, and a few interesting books as well. It was developed by German brand Feiler, with a theme that seems to fall somewhere between European fairytale and Japanese kawaii culture.

While there are 6 Loverary locations across Japan, this one has a specially themed library-like interior. The wooden shelves are a little nostalgic.

The little handkerchief-sized towels the shop is known for are made to work just fine as washcloths, of course, but we kind of wanted to just hang them on our walls. They're too cute! Designs featuring everything from cute critters to fancy flowers are woven right into the pile. If you do want to bring a few home for your friends, you might want to consider some of the uniquely Japanese designs, like sumo wrestlers, Harajuku crepes, and the sea off the coast of Yokohama!

They make some handy accessories out of the towel material, as well.

Even your phone can match!

With lots of experience producing soft towels, Loverary's a pretty good place to find some baby products that you know will be gentle on the skin. They're cute, and 100% cotton!

This gift shop offers some pretty great gift-wrapping. Just look at those book-shaped boxes! It's hard not to be charmed. (Some of the boxes cost an additional fee.)

LoveraryJOINUS - 3rd Floor
10:00 - 21:00
Official Website (jp)

② Francfranc

When you're looking for gifts, you have to stop into Francfranc to see their selection of cute housewares and kitchen items, and all the fun seasonal items they're offering.

If you've been in Japan during the summer months, you've probably seen others walking down the street holding a little electric fan to cool down. The heat and humidity can get pretty oppressive, and a breeze makes a difference! So here's your chance to pick up your own compact fan. You can set up the USB charging stand at the hotel, and then grab it on your way out of your room.

Price: 1,980 yen

You'll want to pick up some bubble wrap, too, because it's hard to resist the urge to go home with a new set of plates!

Perhaps our favorite item during this little visit was the adorable rabbit rice spatula! If you ever eat rice at home, you'll find these little rice scoops make serving easy, and they're cute to boot.

Price: 1,058 yen

FrancfrancJOINUS - 3rd Floor
10:00 - 21:00
Official Website (jp)

③ 3 Coins

When you're on a budget, or you just want some little things to share with everyone back home, you'll probably find something good at 3 Coins.

If you've seen any of Japan's famous 100 yen stores, 3 Coins is similar, but they sell goods for 300 yen instead. (Hence, three coins!) This little bump in price is really reflected in the goods sold, though, and you'll see much bigger items and higher quality. If you walk out of the store weighed down with bags full of cute Japanese things for your friends, and yourself, we get it! (They do sell a few things, often electronics, at a higher price. Keep an eye out.)

At JOINUS, 3 Coins often has a good selection of seasonal items, with new products popping up all the time. When we visited this summer, the limited-time theme was "fast food."

If you're anything like us, your first few trips to stores like 3 Coins will have you going "this is ingenious! Why don't we have these at home... and for only 300 yen!?"

While you're on vacation you don't want to be taking any disappointing selfies. Give yourself a nice glow with this handy ring light for your phone.

All of these, for just 300 yen each! Add a little Japanese style to your outfit, on the cheap.

3 Coins
JOINUS - Basement Floor
10:00 - 21:00
Official Website (jp)

Seeing a Different Side of Yokohama

Finished shopping? All full from a tasty lunch at JOINUS? Now that the glaring morning sunlight has mellowed a little, it's a good time to hit the streets.

① Yokohama Water Bus, the "Sea Bass"

Or, instead of the streets, you can hit the bay! Loop back through Yokohama Station, out the east exit, and outside you'll find the water bus station. Take the most relaxing form of transportation along the coast of Yokohama!

Since it stops at hotspots like Minato Mirai (みなとみらい) and Yokohama's Akarenga (赤レンガ, Red Brick Warehouse), the water bus is a pretty good way to get around Yokohama. Plus, you get to enjoy an invigorating trip on the bay as you go.

The water bus makes four stops: Yokohama Station East Exit (横浜駅東口) ー Minato Mirai (みなとみらい) ー Pier Akarenga (ピア赤レンガ) ー Yamashita Park (山下公園). Ticket vary in price, depending on where you get on and off, but they're generally between 350 and 700 yen. Not bad for a little cruise along the bay!

Scroll down to the "Sea Bass" section of this PDF for schedules, prices, and other details.

② Yokohama English Garden

When you start getting sick of huge urban spaces and concrete, dip into Yokohama's English Garden. Elegantly overgrown (but carefully tended by 10+ attentive staff), walking in feels a bit like you've entered a secret garden.

Since Yokohama's city flower is the rose, roses make up a significant portion of the garden's blooms. There are 1,800 different kinds to be found! The best times to see the roses are early summer or late fall, but thanks to the variety, there are some blooming practically year-round.

 

If you're more interested in hydrangeas, the flowers are a symbol of early summer in Japan. 

There's no picnicking in the garden, unfortunately, so you'll just have to treat yourself to some exquisite rose ice cream at the garden cafe outside the gates.

Yokohama English Garden

6-1 Nishihiranumacho, Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa
10:00 - 18:00
Admission varies season to season.
Official Website (jp)

③ Yokohama Chinatown

Is your stomach feeling a little empty again? Well, our next stop is the perfect place for fun and food! We've gushed about Yokohama Chinatown before, since the great atmosphere makes it an attraction in and of itself. But if you're there for meal time, don't miss the chance to chow down on delicacies of all kinds.

Want to take a quick Sea Bass water bus trip over? Disembark at the nearby Yamashita Park (山下公園).

A Full Day in Yokohama

When the weather's giving you a hard time, why not take a little break, and shop till you drop? Join the rest of Tokyo in an attempt to escape the summer sun with a trip to Yokohama! The cool halls of JOINUS are waiting, and the dappled green light, all over Yokohama's parks, is calling your name.

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