Author: Maho Watanabe

It’s exciting to hear another fine wine bar just opened in Ishikawa-cho, which is becoming a bit of a bar-hopping hotspot. The name of the bar is UGAN, and for those who know much about this area of town, you might instantly think of similarly named sake bar, SAGAN–and you’d be on to something! Both are run by owner and Yokohama native, Mr. Maeda Masamichi. Opened in March, UGAN welcomes guests with its bright interior and wide glass entrance. The bar has about 15 seats, but customers can also stand at the counter for friendly banter with the staff. All…

The warmer weather of May can refresh the soul and easily coax people out of their homes. Everyone seems to have more energy this time of year–what a great time to try something new! On that note, I’d like to introduce you to Buke-sado or “Samurai Style Tea Ceremony”. Buke-sado was born in the Sengoku period (c. 1467 ~ c. 1603) and it’s all about nature and simplicity centered around the spirit of Zen. The simple elegance of the actions refresh our minds and even have healing power. If you’ve experienced a tea ceremony before, you might be surprised by…

I heard about a service called the “Yokohama Haikara Sakura Tour” and decided to experience it myself. The tour started from Yokohama Kimono Station, where I got to choose from over 100 kimonos. It was recommended that I try a hakama as it’s more retro and matches the rickshaw. A very professional staff chose a matching obi (belt), accessories, shoes, and a bag for me. I was dressed and ready to go in just about twenty minutes. After you’ve changed your fashion to the Haikara style, it’s time for a rickshaw ride! Suzuki Seiji, rickshaw driver and CEO of Yokohama…

Panyano Oyaji is a rather unique bakery. From its name, I imagined a hard-headed, middle-aged man (oyaji) making bread in an old-fashioned way, but was instead delighted to find a wide variety of sandwich rolls (koppepan) stuffed with all sorts of things, like strawberry cream, caramel mousse, fresh fruit, and even tandoori chicken! A friendly staff member greeted me with a smile and I enjoyed listening to a humorous song about rolls playing in the shop. No sign of stubborn old men anywhere! Opened in 2016 near JR Negishi Station, Panyano Oyaji has produced over 350 different kinds of items.…

I heard about two sisters who are running a vegetable muffin and scone shop in Yokohama’s Gumyoji area and decided to check it out myself. The sisters’ bakeshop is in a residential area facing the Ookagawa River about a five-minute walk from Gumyoji Shopping Street. The older sister, Ayako Mizushima, who’s in charge of sales and marketing, escorted me inside the kitchen. I was soon surrounded by a sweet aroma and found the younger sister, Satoko, in the midst of baking. The vegetable muffin and scone shop “AS muffin” offers all homemade products using natural ingredients, such as Yokohama-grown vegetables,…

We don’t normally imagine farmland in a port city like Yokohama. However, I had a rare opportunity to talk with a local farmer who’s been building a brand with his local produce. Katsunori Sato, owner of Yasaiya Sato Farm, has expansive farmland in Tokaichiba that has been passed down through generations of his family. His farmstand, located about five minutes from Tokaichiba Station, is always busy with customers seeking fresh vegetables and rice. The Satos produce a wide variety of crops on their 3+ hectares of farmland, which consists of vegetable fields, rice paddies and greenhouses. To market his grown-in-Yokohama…

Mineko Iida, owner of HanaUta cafe used to enjoy wining and dining in Ishikawacho and Motomachi with her husband and friends. But when she had a baby and wanted to hang out at restaurants and bars, she could no longer find any places friendly to a woman with a baby in her arms. “Most places were smoky and had no space for small kids to relax. Plus, people gave me a weird look when I enjoyed a beer with my baby,” Iida said. So in 2012, when her daughter turned 1, she decided to change that inconvenient life by herself…

I heard about this hideaway spa/salon in Yamate and decided to check it out myself. Using Google maps to navigate the walk, my route took me from Motomachi Chukagai Station to the hilltop of Yamate where I was surprised to find the salon on the same premises as the French restaurant Yamate Jubankan. After I knocked on the door of the classic Western-style house in the garden, the manager of the salon, Megumi Hasegawa, escorted me inside with a big smile. I was soon surrounded by a sweet, warm aroma like sweet sake and brown sugar. The holistic salon Honoca…

Even for locals, Yokohama Honmoku Station may not sound familiar. Located next to Negishi Station, this freight-only depot’s scope extends far beyond just Yokohama. It acts as a hub for distributing cargo from all over Japan both domestically and internationally. For serious rail fans, just watching the passing container-laden freight trains may be entertaining, but what’s more appealing about this station is the Class C56 steam locomotive, which has been kept in good condition and is now open to the public. When Hideki Murai came to Yokohama Honmoku Station as a stationmaster in 2008, the steam locomotive, a.k.a. “Pony”, was…

When the sun goes down on Yokohama Port, the blue lights of the Seamen’s Club beckon customers to its harborside locale. Just like a ship is guided by the beams of a lighthouse, people with a love of the ocean head down to this bar to “dock” at their favorite stool or sofa. Guests are greeted by feel-good music and then escorted by the affable staff to seats looking out at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, the Bay Bridge and the harbor. World traveling mariners, cruise fans who love to see the passenger ships entering and leaving port, and couples…