Port of Yokohama: Tokyo's Gateway to the World
The Port of Yokohama — 30 km south of Tokyo Station — is Japan's largest international trade port by volume and value. It's not "near Tokyo"; it's Tokyo's maritime front door.
Scale & Stats (2023)
- Container throughput: 3.0M TEU (Japan #1).
- Total cargo: 180M tonnes.
- Berths: 40+ container, 20+ RoRo, 10+ cruise.
- Area: 1,200 ha (water + land).
- Depth: 15–18 m (post-Panamax capable).
Key Terminals
- Honmoku (A–F): Main container — automated gantry cranes.
- Daikoku: RoRo (vehicles), bulk, LNG.
- Minami-Honmoku: Newest, deepest, AI-optimized.
- Osanbashi / Yamashita / Daikoku Pier: Cruise — 200+ calls/yr (Diamond Princess homeport).
Connection to Tokyo
- Train: JR Keihin-Tōhoku / Negishi Line — Yokohama Stn 25 min from Tokyo.
- Highway: Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line (tunnel/bridge) — 30 min drive.
- Freight rail: Dedicated lines to inland terminals.
Beyond Cargo
- Minato Mirai 21: 186-ha waterfront redevelopment — Landmark Tower, Cup Noodles Museum, Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel.
- Yamashita Park: Hikawa Maru museum ship, rose garden, harbor views.
- Chinatown (Chūkagai): Japan's largest — 500+ shops/restaurants.
Yokohama isn't Tokyo's suburb — it's a co-equal metropolis (3.7M) with the port as shared economic engine.