Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse
横浜赤レンガ倉庫 · Naka, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Bonded warehouses from the end of the Meiji era reborn as Minato Mirai's most romantic cultural and shopping landmark. Two red-brick buildings stand by the sea: by day, slow time in gift shops and cafés; when the lights come on at night, they become the classic foreground of Yokohama's night view — with a Christmas market, Oktoberfest and a winter ice rink, there's a reason for a 'Red Brick' date in every season.
Know before you go
- Red Brick Park is open, but don't trample flower beds on the lawns or fly drones (much of Minato Mirai is restricted)
- after the lights come on, don't fire strong flashes at the buildings and spoil others' photos. Crowds are huge at the Christmas market, Oktoberfest and other events — don't cut in or hog space in front of stalls
- drink in moderation, don't be loud and don't leave glasses lying around (most carry a deposit, so return them). During exhibitions and performances in No. 1, don't arrive late or eat inside. The plaza is paved with historic brick and stone, so don't run in spiked shoes or high heels and damage the paving — or yourself.
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
The Red Brick Warehouses are a living fossil of Yokohama's 'opening of the port and modernisation'. Built as state bonded warehouses in the second phase of the Shinkō Pier harbour works, Warehouse No. 2 was completed in 1911 (Meiji 44) and No. 1 in 1913 (Taishō 2), designed by Tsumaki Yorinaka, head of the Finance Ministry's temporary construction bureau, using the most advanced earthquake-resistant brick techniques of the day and Japan's first freight lift. In the Great Kantō Earthquake of 1923 the central part of No. 1 collapsed; after the war they were requisitioned by the US military until 1956, and their life as warehouses ended in 1989. After major restoration from 1994 to 2002 they reopened on 12 April 2002, No. 1 becoming exhibition and concert halls and No. 2 a shopping complex — new life blooming within old brick walls.
Local customs
Japanese visitors treat the Red Brick Warehouses as the ceremonial end point of a 'Minato Mirai stroll': at dusk, walking along the waterfront from Queen's Square to Red Brick Park, watching the sunset and waiting for the lights on the plaza steps is a regular outing for Yokohama couples. At the German-style Christmas market you must have a mug of Glühwein, at Oktoberfest you raise a glass at the 'Akarenga Oktoberfest', and the winter-only ice rink is a joy for families. Locals also like seeing exhibitions and small concerts in No. 1, treating the old warehouse as 'the art museum on their doorstep'.
Religion & beliefs
- The Red Brick Warehouses are a Yokohama-certified historic building and modern industrial heritage, now a cultural and commercial facility with no religious character, so no worship etiquette is needed. Please take care of the century-old brick walls and wooden interiors — no carving or graffiti. In the exhibition and concert halls of No. 1, follow venue rules: don't touch exhibits, don't photograph or film performances, and silence your phone. Red Brick Park is an open plaza where you can picnic and walk dogs on leads
- during big events follow crowd control, and queue as directed for paid areas such as the Christmas market.
Etiquette
Etiquette & taboos
Don’t DON'T
- Red Brick Park is open, but don't trample flower beds on the lawns or fly drones (much of Minato Mirai is restricted)
- after the lights come on, don't fire strong flashes at the buildings and spoil others' photos. Crowds are huge at the Christmas market, Oktoberfest and other events — don't cut in or hog space in front of stalls
- drink in moderation, don't be loud and don't leave glasses lying around (most carry a deposit, so return them). During exhibitions and performances in No. 1, don't arrive late or eat inside. The plaza is paved with historic brick and stone, so don't run in spiked shoes or high heels and damage the paving — or yourself.
Locals appreciate DO
- Yokohama people's love for the Red Brick Warehouses is very everyday: at weekends they browse No. 2 for goods — Yokohama-only sweets, handmade glass, canvas bags
- have the famous breakfast at Bills, or gaze at the sea from a terrace café. Young people like photographing the 'three towers of Minato Mirai' (Landmark Tower, Queen's Square and the InterContinental) in one frame from Red Brick Park
- mothers like letting children chase pigeons and ride scooters on the plaza. Local photographers are obsessed with the red-brick silhouettes of the 'blue hour', calling it Yokohama's most photogenic ten minutes.
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- About 6 minutes' walk from 'Bashamichi' or 'Nihon-Ōdōri' station on the Minato Mirai Line
- the Akaikutsu bus also stops at 'Aka-Renga Sōko'. No. 2 has about 40 shops on floors 1–3 (roughly 11:00–20:00, restaurants later)
- exhibitions in No. 1 follow their own schedules. Suggested route: browse No. 2 in the afternoon → sunset at Red Brick Park at dusk → night photos of the lights. For the Christmas market (late November to 25 December) and Oktoberfest, check the official schedule in advance, and go on a weekday if it's crowded. The plaza is free
- events are charged separately. Yamashita Park, Chinatown and Ōsanbashi Pier are all within walking distance.
Maps & transport notes
- Paste '横浜赤レンガ倉庫' into Google Maps to pinpoint it (note that 'レンガ' is written in katakana
- '赤煉瓦' is also recognised but the former is more accurate). Search the buildings separately as '横浜赤レンガ倉庫1号館' and '横浜赤レンガ倉庫2号館', and the plaza as '赤レンガパーク'. For transport use '馬車道駅' and '日本大通り駅'. The English 'Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse' also works. The official website is yokohama-akarenga.jp
- event schedules there are authoritative.
Eat nearby
What to eat nearby
Must-try
- Yokohama yōshoku (Western-style dishes)
- Napolitan spaghetti
- Navy curry
Yokohama yōshoku (omurice / hamburg steak), Napolitan spaghetti (Yokohama is one of the birthplaces of Japanese yōshoku), navy curry (in the style of nearby Yokosuka), Kiyōken shūmai bentō (a Yokohama speciality), café desserts
| Where to eat | Restaurants and the food court in the Red Brick Warehouses, the Minato Mirai restaurant area, the Kiyōken main store (around Yokohama Station) |
|---|---|
| Dining etiquette | On warehouse event days, follow staff directions in food queues |
| Typical price per person | JPY 2,000–3,800 ≈ CNY 90–171 |
| Tips | View restaurants charge a premium — a shūmai bentō picnic by the harbour is the local way. |
Prices are typical rates as of October 2026, not exact quotes; CNY equivalents are approximate where exchange rates fluctuate.
OiMax from Tokyo · CC BY 2.0
Photos
Photos
Syced · CC0
Suicasmo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ymblanter · CC BY-SA 4.0
Sources & verification notes
- Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse public historical materials, GaijinPot and Wikipedia (researched on 2026-10-16)
- event schedules are as officially announced.
- Sources: Red Brick Warehouses: zh.wikipedia.org, 'Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse' (No. 2 completed 1911 / No. 1 in 1913, designed by Tsumaki Yorinaka, reopened 2002-04-12)
- travel.gaijinpot.com, 'Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse'.
- To verify: the 'what locals like' and 'taboos' parts of entries are mostly long-standing, stable social and cultural knowledge, cross-checked against travelogues and media rather than individually sourced from official sources
- for specific businesses (such as Bills, Kaikōan, Niki no Kashi), check the latest Google Maps reviews to confirm they are open.
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