Yokohama, March 29, 2026

Today we are in Yokohama. The weather forecast predicted some rain, but it stayed dry and quite warm. Since I (Tommy) caught a cold, we took it a bit easy.

First, we went to a nearby drugstore to buy some medicine. Then we walked along the sea for a longer distance. The cherry blossom peak is also expected here in the coming days. On the way, we passed an amusement park that offers various attractions for both young and old. It seems that all major cities have permanent amusement parks and small game halls as well as gaming casinos. A few weeks ago, it was decided not to completely do away with public trash bins anymore. Until recently, people had to take their trash home and dispose of it there. Apparently, that system was not working very well, and they are reinstating trash bins in selected locations. We also visited the Cupnoodle Museum, which is the instant noodles museum. Since we had really good noodles on a ferry, we bought different varieties in the museum shop.

Yokohama is a large industrial and port city close to Tokyo. It has a lot of culture to offer and about 3.8 million people live here. In the mid-19th century, it grew significantly after Japan's economic and cultural opening. Therefore, it introduced many innovations as the first Japanese city. For example, Japanese and English language daily newspapers, sports facilities, a brewery, gas-lit street lighting, a railway station, and a power plant. The city has many skyscrapers, most of which are well-designed. There is also a high proportion of cyclists here, but quite few fully electric cars. With its many small and larger parks, the city gives a livable impression. Only Mount Fuji, which could also be seen from here, remained hidden in the haze.