(1) Location & Access

- Yokohama, Tokyo's southern neighbor, is Kanagawa's prefectural capital. It is roughly 25 minutes by train from JR Tokyo Station.
- Yokohama's population is approximately 3.56 million, making it the second most populous city in Japan, after Tokyo.

Minato-mirai

(2) Overview
Yokohama grew as a trade port for raw silk from the 1800s and has cemented its position as a gateway for foreign culture and technology. It is currently one of Japan's main international trade ports, and numerous laboratories in the automobile, IT and biotechnology fields can be found in Yokohama and its surrounding areas. The Kannai area, which is home to the local government, and the area around JR Yokohama Station, which is also a commercial district, have long been office areas. Many office buildings have been developed around JR Shin-Yokohama Station since 1976, when the bullet train began stopping there. More and more buildings are being constructed in the Shin-Yokohama area, housing offices for manufacturing businesses and IT-related companies that require new facilities or large amounts of floor space.

"Minato Mirai 21", a project to develop the area between JR Sakuragicho Station and the waterfront, has been in full swing since 1983. Office buildings for the Bank of Yokohama and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., as well as tenant buildings such as Yokohama Landmark Tower and other commercial facilities, have been built in this area. Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. is attracting attention with its announcement of the 2009 relocation of its headquarters to this area from Ginza.


Yokohama Station

(3) Profile Data
1. Major office buildings: year completed, major owner
Yokohana Landmark Tower: 1990, Mitsubishi Estate
Queen's Tower: 1997, Mitsubishi Estate
Sky Building: 1996, Mitsubishi Estate

2. Major companies headquartered in Yokohama City
Victor Company of Japan, Bank of Yokohama, Sagami Railway, Johnson, Asyst Japan

3. Major facilities
Department stores: Takashimaya, Sogo, Matsuya
Shopping streets: Motomachi, Yokohama China Town
Museum and parks: Yokohama Museum of Art, Red Brick Park, Yamashita Park
Convention center: Pacifico Yokohama
Hotels: Yokohama Grand InterContinental Hotel, Hotel New Grant, Yokohama Bay Sheraton Hotel & Towers