View source for Yokohama Chinatown

{{Short description|Neighborhood in Yokohama, Japan}}
{{Chinese
|order=ts
|t=橫濱中華街
|s=横滨中华街
|p=Hèngbīn Zhōnghuájiē
|w={{tone superscript|Heng4-pin1 chung1-hua2-chieh1}}
|mi={{IPAc-cmn|h|eng|4|.|b|in|1|-|zh|ong|.|h|ua|2|.|j|ie|1}}
|bpmf=ㄏㄥˋ ㄅㄧㄣ ㄓㄨㄥ ㄏㄨㄚˊ ㄐㄧㄝ
|j=Waang4 ban1 zung1 waa4 gaai1
|y=Wàahng bān Jūng wàh gāai
|ci={{IPAc-yue|w|aang|4|-|b|an|1|-|z|ung|1|-|w|aa|4|-|g|aai|1}}
| kanji = 横浜中華街
| hiragana = よこはまちゅうかがい
| revhep = Yokohama chūkagai
| kunrei = Yokohama tyûkagai
}}
[[Image:Yokohama Chinatown signage 2015.jpg|thumb|Zenrinmon Gate ({{lang|ja|善隣門}}), one of Yokohama Chinatown's [[Paifang]]]]
[[File:Yokohama Chinatown walking area 2015.jpg|thumb|Walking area]]
[[File:YokohamaChinatown-views-2022-9-4.webm|thumb|thumbtime=9|Various views of Yokohama Chinatown, 2022]]
[[File:Yokohama Chinatowns East Gate At Night.jpg|thumb|Chōyōmon Gate ({{lang|ja|朝陽門}}) At Night]]
[[Image:Yokohama Chinatown temple.jpg|thumb|[[Guan Yu|Kwan Tai]] Temple in Yokohama Chinatown]]
{{maplink|frame=yes|frame-width=220|zoom=15|type=shape}}
{{nihongo|'''Yokohama Chinatown'''|横浜中華街|Yokohama chūkagai|{{zh|t=橫濱中華街}}}} is located in [[Yokohama]], [[Japan]], which is located just south of [[Tokyo]]. It was established in the late 19th century, and has a population of about 3,000 to 4,000.{{When|date=August 2024}}

Yokohama Chinatown is the largest Chinatown in Japan, larger than both [[Nankin-machi|Kobe Chinatown]] and [[Nagasaki Chinatown]]. There are roughly 250 Chinese-owned or themed shops and restaurants scattered throughout the district, with the highest concentration centered on a {{cvt|300|sqm}} area.

==History==
In 1859, when the sea port opened in Yokohama, many Chinese immigrants arrived in Japan and formed settlements. In its early days, American and British trading companies, many of which had already engaged in trade with China, expanded their operations into Yokohama, with accompanying Chinese agents. These agents were entrusted to negotiate with Japanese merchants in the buying of raw silk and tea, which, at the time, was a major product imported from Japan.<ref name="Yamashita">{{cite journal |last1=Yamashita |first1=Kiyomi |title=Formation and Development of Chinatown in Japan: Chinatowns as Tourist Spots in Yokohama, Kobe and Nagasaki |journal=Geographical Review of Japan |date=2003 |volume=76 |pages=910–923 |doi=10.4157/grj.76.12_910|doi-access=free }}</ref> Later, ferry services from Yokohama to [[Shanghai]] and [[Hong Kong]] were started. Many Chinese traders came to Japan and built a Chinese school, Chinese community center, and various other facilities in what represented the beginning of Chinatown. However, government regulations at the time meant that immigrants were not permitted to live outside of the designated foreign settlement area. In 1899, new laws gave Chinese increased freedom of movement while reinforcing strict rules on the types of work Chinese people were allowed to perform.

Much of the Chinatown’s early growth is attributed to the increased trade between China and Japan, following the [[Sino-Japanese Friendship and Trade Treaty|Sino-Japanese Trade Treaty]] in 1871.  This led to Chinese immigrants taking on a variety of professions converging into one geographical location.

In 1923, the Kanto Area was devastated by the [[1923 Great Kantō earthquake|Great Kantō earthquake]]. Around 100,000 people were killed and approximately 1.9 million people became homeless. Chinatown also suffered and many immigrants chose to return to China instead of rebuilding their lives in Yokohama. Overall, the total death toll among the Chinese population in Yokohama Chinatown was as many as 1,541, approximately one third of the total 4,705 prior to the event.<ref name="Yamashita" /> After the earthquake, there had been a major shake-up in the social structure within Yokohama Chinatown, sowing the seeds for Chinese gourmet business to grow within the overseas Chinese community. Four years after the earthquake, around half of the Chinese population within this area were barbers, tailors or chefs.<ref name="Wong">{{cite book |last1=Wong |first1=Yee Lam |last2=Lim |first2=Tai Wei |title=Contemporary History of Cantonese Migrants in Yokohama Chinatown |date=2021 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |pages=65–99}}</ref>

In 1937, [[Second Sino-Japanese War|full-scale war between China and Japan]] erupted, effectively stopping further growth of Chinatown.  After the war ended, Chinatown once again began to grow. In 1955, a large goodwill gate was built. That is when the Chinatown was officially recognized and called ''Yokohama Chukagai'' (Yokohama Chinatown).

In 1972, Japan established diplomatic relations with the [[People's Republic of China]], and severed relations with the [[Republic of China]] on Taiwan.  Interest among Japanese people grew and led to an explosion in the number of visitors to Chinatown.  It soon became a major sightseeing spot in Yokohama.

On February 1, 2004, the [[Minatomirai Line]] railway was opened, along with the [[Motomachi-Chūkagai Station]], which serves Chinatown directly.

2006 saw the establishment of the [[Yokohama Ma Zu Miao|Mazu Miao temple]] to mark the 150th anniversary of Yokohama Chinatown, and has become a significant part of the area's modern landscape.

==Transportation==
Chinatown can be reached by train, bus, seabus and car.

===Train===
*[[Minatomirai Line]], [[Motomachi-Chūkagai Station]] (35 min from [[Shibuya Station]] in Tokyo)
*[[Keihin-Tōhoku Line|Negishi Line]], [[Ishikawachō Station]] (35 min from [[Shinagawa Station]] in Tokyo)

===Bus===
There are 6 bus routes from [[Yokohama Station]] East bus depot and from [[Sakuragichō Station|Sakuragichō]] Bus Depot, 16 bus routes that go to Yokohama Chinatown.

===Seabus===
*Seabus (Ferry)

===Highway===
*[[Shuto Expressway]] K1 Yokohane Route, Yokohama Kōen (Yokohama Park) Exit
*Shuto Expressway K3 Kariba Route. (At Tomei Expressway Intersection, go Hodogaya Bypass then exit at Shin Yamashita.)
*Shuto Expressway  Wangan Line (Via Tokyo Bay Aqua Line Tunnel, Exit at Shin Yamashita.)
*[[Tomei Expressway]] (Via Hodogaya Bypass)

==See also==
{{Portal|Japan|China|Geography}}
*[[Yokohama Ma Zu Miao]]
*[[Yokohama Overseas Chinese School]]
*[[Yokohama Yamate Chinese School]]
*[[Chinatown]]
*[[Chinatowns in Asia]]
** [[Nankin-machi]] ("Nanjing Town" in Kobe)
** [[Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown]]
*[[Chinese in Japan]]
*[[China]]
*[[Koreatown#Japan|Koreatowns in Japan]]
* [[Chinatowns in the United States]]
* [[Incheon Chinatown]]

==References==
{{reflist}}


==External links==
{{Commons category|Chinatown, Yokohama}}
*[https://www.chinatown.or.jp Yokohama Chinatown Official Website]
*[http://www.yokohama-kanteibyo.com/ Kwan Tai Temple]{{in lang|ja}} 
*[http://www.chinatown.or.jp/ Yokohama Chinatown Official Website] (Japanese)
*[http://www.yokohamajapan.com/things-to-do/detail.php?id=151 City of Yokohama - Yokohama Sightseeing Spots Chinatown Area] (English, [https://web.archive.org/web/20060112225233/http://www.welcome.city.yokohama.jp/kan/spot/spot1020.html Chinese], [https://web.archive.org/web/20060218071235/http://www.welcome.city.yokohama.jp/tourism/spot/spot1020.html Japanese], [https://web.archive.org/web/20061004022724/http://yokohama.or.kr/ Korean])
*{{Osmway|445258887}}

{{Neighborhoods of Yokohama}}
{{Asia Chinatown}}
{{Shopping districts and streets in Japan}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|35.442815|139.645929|format=dms|type:landmark_region:JP_source:enwiki|display=title}}
[[Category:Yokohama Chinatown| ]]
[[Category:Naka-ku, Yokohama]]
[[Category:Chinese-Japanese culture]]
[[Category:Neighborhoods of Yokohama|Chinatown]]
[[Category:Chinatowns in Japan]]
[[Category:Restaurant districts and streets in Japan]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Yokohama]]