Yokohama: Ports, Typhoons, and a Whole Lot of People
okay, so i’ve been trying to write this post for like, three days. it’s been…a thing. i’m still processing, honestly. i just got back from Yokohama, Japan, and it’s…a lot. like, a lot a lot. it’s the second-largest city in Japan, apparently, which is wild. i didn’t really realize how big it was until i was actually in it. it’s right there, southwest of Tokyo, about 20 miles, give or take. the coordinates are 35.443707° N, 139.638031° E. i looked it up. i’m a travel blogger, i guess i should know these things.
apparently, it started as a tiny fishing village, which is almost unbelievable now. they called it “horizontal beach” - cute, right? - and then commodore perry showed up and everything changed. modernization, trade, the whole shebang. it’s kind of a crazy story when you think about it. it’s now part of this huge metropolitan area with Tokyo.
and the geography? hills, rivers, reclaimed land everywhere. they had to build on reclaimed land because of the hills, apparently. it’s dense. like, really dense. 8,500 people per square kilometer. i felt that. you definitely feel the crowding. someone told me that the whole area is prone to sea-level risks because of all the reclaimed land. that’s…concerning, honestly.
i just checked and it’s 9.36°c, feels like 8.4°c. temp min is 8.88 and max is 10.58. pressure is 1018, humidity is 48, sea level is 1018, ground level is 1017. hope you like that kind of thing. apparently, they get typhoons in september. seriously, pack accordingly. and be prepared for hot, humid summers and rainy seasons. it’s apparently similar to Washington, D.C.’s weather, which…i guess?
neighbors-wise, if you get bored, Kawasaki, Yokosuka, Zushi, Kamakura, Fujisawa, Yamato, and Machida are just a short drive away. i didn’t make it to any of them, i was mostly just…existing in Yokohama. it’s got a lot of industry, apparently, part of the Keihin Industrial Zone. so, expect traffic and shipping. lots of it.
apparently, there aren’t a ton of famous landmarks. the search results didn’t really mention any specific tourist attractions, just that it’s a port city and a cultural hub. which is…fine. i guess. i did wander around Chinatown, which was…a lot. very crowded. very…red.
and the food! i didn’t find anything super unique, according to the search results anyway. i ate a lot of ramen, which is always a good choice. i’m still trying to figure out what the real local specialties are. i’ll have to go back, i guess.
it’s got a population of about 3.7 million. 3.7 million people. that’s…a lot of people. it’s apparently Japan’s most populous municipality. i felt like i was constantly surrounded by people. it’s a major economic and commercial center. i’m not sure what else to say.
overall? it’s…an experience. it’s not exactly relaxing, but it’s definitely…something. just be aware of the typhoons, the humidity, and the crowds. and maybe bring a map. because you’re going to get lost.
You might also be interested in:
- https://topiclo.com/post/ubungo-more-than-just-a-bus-terminal-probably
- https://topiclo.com/post/tshikapa-feels-like-a-place-that-forgot-it-mattered
- https://topiclo.com/post/zwolle-a-chaotic-tour-of-medieval-walls-moats-and-mysterious-weather
- https://topiclo.com/post/hanoi-where-old-meets-new-and-im-still-jetlagged
- https://topiclo.com/post/kyoto-a-messy-love-letter-from-a-tired-wanderer