Sonntag, 2. September 2012

Evening stroll through the streets of Yokohama

 

Have you ever been to Yokohama?

 


For me it was the first trip to Japan's second largest city, lying on Tokyo Bay, approx. 30km south of Tokyo.

One of my colleagues took me there on the last evening of my sojourn at Tokyo,
right before my flight back to Germany.


Great to get some additional insights of a city within the world's most populous metropolitan area - the Greater Tokyo Area.

We started with a stroll along the waterside promenade, having a great view on the Yokohama skyline in the evening light as well as on the former Japanese ocean liner Hikawa Maru. She was often referred to as the Queen of the Pacific. Charlie Chaplin and and Kano Jigoro (founder of Judo) were amongst the ship's more notable former passengers.


Our discovery tour along the waterline made us hungry.
So we took the way straight to Yokohama Chinatown, the largest Chinatown in whole Asia.


The grand East Gate - our entrance to the colourful world inside Yokohama Chinatown. 


Japan meets China...


Ni hao or Konnichi-wa?
Who knows??? ;-)


 Hello kitty? - Hello panda!

Chinese lanterns in a backstreet of Chinatown.


We even met Bruce Lee and friends there... ;-)


Colourful highlight in Yokohama Chinatown:
The Ma Zhu Miao Temple


The Ma Zhu Miao Temple is a Chinese temple of Ma Zhu, the Taoist goddess of Sea. Ma Zhu later became the goddess of Journey who protects fishermen and sailors from a sea disaster.

 


9 Kommentare:

  1. I went to Yokohama once on my niece’s wedding last autumn. It reminded me of my hometown Kobe. I walked along the bay area stopping by the Red Brick Warehouse and Marine Tower and had dinner at the China Town. It was raining heavily and I took no pictures, so thanks for reminding. Great to know you could enjoy yourself till the last minute of your stay in Japan.

    Yoko

    AntwortenLöschen
  2. Dieser Kommentar wurde vom Autor entfernt.

    AntwortenLöschen
  3. Thanks a lot, Yoko, for you comment. I started reworking some of my 2600 photos I took during my one-week trip to Tokyo area yesterday. Back in Germany "normal day life" has catched me again and there are so many things to do beyond my wish to rework my photographic haul. But step by step I wanna post some more of my Tokyo impressions...
    ...so just cast a glance on my blog soon!
    Uwe-san.

    AntwortenLöschen
  4. Gorgeous photos!! Looks like you had fun at the chinatown in Yokohama. I love to eat Chinese food there. The photos of the city are colorful and really nice. I occasionally go to Yokohama because one of my best friends lives in Zushi, a small town near it.

    AntwortenLöschen
  5. Dear Sapphire,
    I hope it was interesting for you to see how a gaijin from Germany like me experienced the living environment / habitat you are used to live in your "normal" everyday life.
    Do you see any major differnce between the way you and I take photos of Tokyo and surroundings? Of course I see the things through the rose-coloured glasses of a tourist, but as often as I can I try to watch behind the curtain, behind the foreground as well.
    Thanks for your comment - regads, Uwe.

    AntwortenLöschen
  6. We have lived in Tokyo for 7 years. One year after the move, my son was born. So, Most of the places we went were Disney Land, or other amusument parks.
    China Town is so fantastic and enchanting and full of vivid colors! The Chinese temple is very different from Japanese ones in colors and design and so on.
    Before you visited Kamakura and climed up the inside of Great Buddha. This trip to Japan is on business or personal?
    Have a wonderful week.
    keiko

    AntwortenLöschen
  7. Business or personal trip???
    It was a business trip, dear Keiko, but of course it was "very personal" for me as well!
    As often as possible I went out to the urban canyons of Shibuya, Shinjuku or to any other destination within my operating range. Very often with one of the Japanese colleagues from our local subsidiary, but sometimes on my own account as well. Especially in the late evening to take the night shots of the illuminated advertising or I was just standing around Shibuya crossing for a while to watch the street life...

    AntwortenLöschen
  8. It seems like you enjoyed Tokyo and Yokohama. We have lived in Tokyo long ago. As my daughter was learning piano then I always drove her to the house of the piano teacher in Kawasaki near Yokohama. And after lesson we used to go have dinner at Yokohama china town.
    I miss those days.

    AntwortenLöschen
  9. ...so you hopefully enjoyed my personal view on Yokohama Chinatown. And with a little luck many positive and fragrant memories awaked when browsing through my photos.
    Thanks a lot for your comment, Sarah!

    AntwortenLöschen