Yokohama

Yokohama is Japan's second-largest city, directly south of Tokyo, and the Osanbashi Pier extends into the bay with views of the Minato Mirai skyline. The waterfront district has observation wheels, malls, and the Cup Noodles Museum, which is more engaging than it has any right to be. Yokohama's Chinatown, the largest in Japan, covers several blocks and has hundreds of restaurants, with steamed pork buns and Cantonese dim sum everywhere. Sankeien Garden, a traditional Japanese garden with ponds, bridges, and relocated historic buildings from around the country, is about 15 minutes by taxi. Yokohama's proximity to Tokyo means you can reach Shibuya or Shinjuku in about 30 minutes by train. The city has its own style of ramen, a soy-based tonkotsu broth, and the Ramen Museum in Shin-Yokohama recreates a 1950s street lined with ramen shops from different regions. Taxis here open and close the rear door automatically.