You would see a small bank in the harbor. This is the "Zounohana" bank, meaning an elephant nose in Japanese. The bank is now covered by concrete walls, but it used to be a sandbank. As "Yokohama" means a beach in crosswise direction, in Japanese and the "Zonohana" bank is located to the parallel to the quay in the Yokohama harbor, people called the "Zounohana" bank also "Yokohama". This became the name of the city.

From the "Zonohana" bank, you will see buildings surrounding Yokohama Harbor.
Until the end of the Edo Age, Yokohama was a poor fisherman's village. During the Edo Age, Japan was under national isolationism. In 1853, Edo Bakufu, the Japanese feudal government headed by a Shogun, had contracts with the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France and Russia to open five ports. Yokohama was selected as one of five ports and this was the start of the development of Yokohama.

Yokohama has only 160 years of history, but some of these buildings are historical. Three old buildings with a tower are named Yokohama "Santo", which means Yokohama Three Towers in Japanese. They have nick names of "King", "Queen" and "Jack". These buildings were built before World War II.

"King" is the Kanagawa Prefectural Government Office. This building was rebuilt in 1928, after the previous building was destroyed by the Great Kanto Earthquake which happened in 1923.

"Queen" is the building of Yokohama Customs, built in 1934. "Jack" is the Port Opening Memorial Hall, built in 1927.

Night view of the Yokohama Harbor is also very nice.

You will see the night view of "Minato Mirai" Area from the Yokohama Harbor.

Near the Yokohama Harbor, there is a historical site. If you walk to the south after passing the Zonohana Beach, you will arrive at a small plaza. At this plaza, the Treaty of Peace and Amity between the United States and Japan was signed in March 1854, This treaty finished the national isolationism by Edo Bakufu and it was the start of the ending of the Edo Bakufu, which continued more than two hundred sixty years.

At the other side of the plaza, the Yokohama Archives of History are located. The Yokohama Archives of History used to be the consulate general of the United Kingdom. This building was designed in the United Kingdom and all the materials used to build were delivered from the United Kingdom.

If you walk further south-east along the sea, you will arrive at a park. This is the Yamashita Park, which is the most popular park in Yokohama.

The park is well maintained and faces to the sea across a promenade. You will be refreshed and be relaxed. The below video shows the scenery from the promenade in front of the park.

You can see Yokohama Landmark Tower and also Yokohama Bay Bridge from the promenade.
Buildings are surrounding the other side of the park. some of them are high class hotels with good atmosphere. You will see Yokohama Marine Tower, which is another landmark of Yokohama.

At the south end of the park, a middle-class ship is moored at a pier. The ship is "Hikawa-Maru".

"Hikawa-Maru" was built in 1930 and used as the Pacific line between Yokohama and Seattle until World War II. In 1953, "Hikawa-Maru" came back to the Pacific line. In 1960, it was retired and has been moored here as a museum. Now, Hikawa-Maru is designated as an important property of Japan.

The scenery from the pier is also spectacular.

How to get there
From Tokyo, you will take a JR Tokaido, Yokosuka Line train to Yokohama and take a JR Negishi Line to Kannai. Fifteen minute walk to Yokohama Harbor from Kannai Sta.
From Shibuya, take a Tokyu Toyoko Line. Limited Express and Express trains directly go to Nihon Odori Station. It will take you five minutes to Yokohama Harbor on foot.

Other Historical Sites near by:
Minato Mirai Area
Yokohama Landmark Tower
Yokohama China Town
Harbor View Park in Yokohama
Yokohama Yamanote Area