YOKOHAMA DREAMS: REALIZED

Eight months ago, I had a dream.

I vowed then to visit Japan's second-biggest city, Yokohama. To gaze across the bay, walk past the red-brick remains and ride one of the world's tallest Ferris wheels.

Welcome to the resulting post about the successful "OPERATION: YOKOHAMA DREAMS."

9月17日 - Day 3

For those who are planning to visit Yokohama, let me issue a warning: Yokohama Station is a 20-minute walk from the bayside attractions. The city is so large, street maps close to the station don't extend far enough to lead tourists to Yokohama Bay.

So I followed the strong winds and smell of fish.

Yokohama is where I want to live when I'm older, much more affluent and successful at my job. To use a simile exercise that reminds me of middle school standardized tests, Tokyo is to New York as Yokohama is to San Francisco.

Half an hour by subway can transport you from Tokyo's hectic nightlife to Yokohama's easygoing, romantic daytime atmosphere. In one word, Yokohama is just...airy. The parks are clean and well tended to, and skyscrapers are so few that tourists can see the bay from within the city.

Who needs my explanation? Let's show some photos.

UNDER YOUR FEET: Yokohama's importance as a port city is reflected in almost everything, including its manhole covers.





Moving in the opposite direction of the bay led me to numerous shopping malls, the World Porters fresh food market with familiar restaurants like le bon pain and Cold Stone Creamery and a market of souvenirs celebrating the 150th anniversary of Yokohama's port opening. 




COSMO WORLD: Yokohama's theme park, Cosmo World, is home to one of the largest Ferris wheels in the world.



PERSONAL SPACE: I waited until nightfall to ride the Ferris wheel. Because I was by myself, I rode alone - all the better for taking pictures with my Nikon D300.

NEON IN THE BAY: As I continued to move higher, I photographed the carnival rides below with a slow shutter speed.

VIEW FROM THE TOP: I pointed my Nikon's lens downward through the window and took this shot.

I spent another late night in Shinjuku, afraid of traveling anywhere far and then missing the last train back, which would mean walking alone in the wee hours. It was during this midnight rendezvous I discovered a dessert stand that not only sells hot crepes filled with ice cream, chocolate sauce and whipped cream, but also stays open late. (This is most likely for tourists like me who will spend $4 on a crepe that locals wouldn't touch.)
I remember sitting at one of the stand's tables, eating my crepe filled with chocolate syrup and strawberries, and thinking, "Summer, I've finally found you." My friends in Indiana were already a month into fall semester, but I was enjoying a break from Sapporo's chilly temperatures in my last few days before classes began again. This was my summer vacation of 2009.
I passed another hour walking up and down the streets, occasionally stepping into a store with late-night hours. My second-best discovery of the night - after my favorite crepe stand - was that Tsutaya, the music and movie conglomerate similar to Best Buy or Fry's, stays open until 2 a.m.
I could literally listen to new releases in American and Japanese music until I fell asleep. Or until 2 a.m. Whichever came first.