Yokohama

Yokohama is Japan's second-largest city, a bayside port just south of Tokyo that opened to foreign trade in 1859 and never stopped looking outward. It grew from a fishing village into the country's great gateway, and its waterfront still carries that outward-facing, slightly European air.

The Minato Mirai waterfront pairs a giant Ferris wheel with the Red Brick Warehouse, a customs building reborn as shops and event halls. Japan's largest Chinatown packs hundreds of restaurants into a few dense blocks, and the Cup Noodles Museum lets you design your own instant ramen.

Sankeien garden gathers historic buildings around a lotus pond for a quieter finish, and the harbor promenade suits an evening stroll. Trains from Tokyo arrive in a steady stream, so Yokohama slots easily into a first-time itinerary as a half-day or an unhurried overnight. Bay views improve at dusk.