Street Photography in Central Yokohama with Fujifilm X100V
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 160 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/2.5
Eterna/Cinema film simulation
Wine Bistro Nature
Established in October 2009, this restaurant is located on the shores of Ooka River, a river that is lined with cherry blossom trees and extends all the way from Kamiooka to the Port of Yokohama.
The restaurant is located within walking distance of 5 different train/subway stations making it very convenient to access.
Many years ago when I arrived in Japan (nearly 40 years ago), this river was heavily polluted and noxious and no one would dream of setting up an eatery that features views/access to the river’s edge.
Nowadays, the water is clean, the waterfowl have returned, fish have returned, and paddle boarders make their way up and down on the river on the weekends.
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 160 for 1/350 sec. at ƒ/3.2
Velvia/Vivid film simulation
Elevated Rail Bridge
The Keihin-Tohoku/Negishi Line runs through the cities of Yokohama, Tokyo, and Saitama, for a distance of 76.8 km (47.72 mi), and is primarily a commuter line with trains stopping every two or three minutes during peak hours.
Even with such a tight schedule, we can regularly see freight traffic including tanker cars using the same tracks as the commuter lines.
Tourists visiting Yokohama will be best served using the Negishi Line to visit Yokohama Station, Sakuragicho Station, which is the gateway to the Minatomirai waterfront district, and Ishikawacho Station, which is the gateway to Yokohama Chinatown, Yamashita Park, and Motomachi Avenue.
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 1000 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/11
Classic Chrome film simulation
Golden Hour Skyline
The large, 32-story building on the left bathing in the evening sunlight is the newly constructed Yokohama City Hall (2020).
I visit one of the cafes in the building almost every day after work to chill out and decompress before heading home. In addition, there is a small supermarket, a few restaurants, a convenience store, a drug store, a bakery, a barber shop, a post office, art exhibitions, free Wi-Fi, a souvenir shop, and more besides the normal administrative offices on the upper floors.
The promenade on the eastern side of the building has benches nestled between regularly planted greenery of in-season flowers where you can relax and enjoy views of the waterfront skyline or watch small cruise boats slowly passing by as they head out into Tokyo Bay.
Reassuringly, the upper floors of the building are also designated as an evacuation area in the event of a tsunami. Hopefully, I will never need to make use of such facilities.
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 1250 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/11
Provia/Standard film simulation
Mother & Toddler
At the end of this street, if you turn left at the intersection there is a child day care center for working moms. Is she going there to maybe drop off this child? Or maybe she has a younger child and is on her way to pick up that child?
She’s not dressed up, nor is she using a baby stroller, which is what most Japanese mothers would use when going out with friends or family with young children in tow.
In dense urban areas of Yokohama like this neighborhood, dropping off or picking up a child in a car isn’t allowed due to lack of parking, so we can see moms and kids walking from home to drop off kids at the daycare, or walking home after picking up the kids from day car after work.
That said, the majority of families, especially single-parent families, do not have cars due to lack of sufficient parking, and the high costs associated with owning a car (regular safety inspections, annual taxes, high-cost of parking, etc.).
On the upside, if you live in an urban area, most people can easily get by without the use of a car since many necessary shops are within walking distance and public transportation is incredibly efficient and inexpensive.
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 1250 for 1/160 sec. at ƒ/5.6
Classic Negative film simulation
Neighborhood Police Box
A little old lady making her way past a typical urban police box (koban/交番) near Sakuragicho Station in central Yokohama, Japan. Note the police officer’s bicycle on the right, which has a little white box behind the bicycle seat for documents the officer will use when doing work on-site, including passing out parking tickets.
Although there are police stations like what you’d find in the West with administrative offices, jailing facilities, etc., most interactions with the police in Japan occur at your local koban, which are spread throughout the city and are often located in convenient areas where there is typically a lot of foot traffic.
The sign on this koban shows what police station has jurisdiction over this koban, and then lists the name of the koban:
“Kanagawa Prefecture Isezaki Police Station”
“Sakuragicho Station-Front Koban”
If you ever lose your wallet, bag, camera, etc., on a park bench, on the street, etc., please visit the local koban first. If the lost item is found by a Good Samaritan, this is where they will take your item in hopes of finding the owner.
Before the advent of cell phones with maps, I often used kobans to ask the police for help whenever I got lost and needed some directions in finding my way back home. I have also been fortunate to have my wallet returned to me by a stranger who turned it into the local koban.
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 1250 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Velvia/Vivid film simulation
Ramen & Yakiniku Restaurants
I captured this elderly man walking past a ramen shop (left) and a yakiniku shop (right) as he was leaving from a nearby construction site.
The ramen shop is a chain store originating in Yokohama 22 years ago with shops mostly in the Yokohama and Shonan areas, with one shop in Hong Kong. I am not a foodie, so I don’t know much about Japanese noodles. For me, the numerous lights and old-style stools in the shop and the wooden exterior are what caught my eye.
The grilled meat (yakiniku) shop is quite photogenic with the use of purple noren (store curtains) listing menu items with red lanterns under a bright yellow signboard.
This shot was taken early in the evening before the throngs of office workers leaving work descended upon the local eateries and bars near Yokohama Station. Conversely, workers from the nearby construction site had already started leaving work just before dusk.
Blue hour in the evening is my favorite time of the day to wander city streets with my dog and camera. There is still enough ambient light to counterbalance bright street lamps and store lights.
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Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 3200 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Velvia/Vivid film simulation
Japanese Pub
A typical Japanese salaryman (white-collar worker) standing outside an izakaya (Japanese pub) that serves a wide variety of seafood dishes including sushi, sashimi, and a vast selection of sake.
This shot was taken near Yokohama Station just as the throngs of office workers started to appear on the narrow streets lined with countless bars, pubs, and eateries.
References:
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 1250 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Provia/Standard film simulation
Showa Era Movie Theater
The original Sotetsu Movil movie theater was established in 1956 right across from Yokohama Station and relocated to its current location in 1988. When I first saw a movie at this theater decades ago, they primarily focused on Hollywood blockbusters in addition to a smaller selection of Japanese movies and animated films.
Nowadays, the theater has game centers, restaurants, bars, etc., in addition to 5 theaters. Sotetsu Movil now caters more to movie buffs by featuring mostly Japanese films, Hollywood and Japanese classics dating as far back as the 1930s, and foreign language films from Europe and East Asia.
For me, this old movie theater and its retro design brings back many fond memories of the late Showa Era when Japan’s economy was growing and prosperous.
References:
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 3200 for 1/160 sec. at ƒ/5.6
Pro Negative High film simulation
Tree Pruning
Whenever I head out by train or car, it seems there are always small crews of 3 to 5 men pruning trees along some street or in some park in Yokohama for the purpose of ensuring that branches and fallen leaves do not become a hazard for drivers or pedestrians. The pruning also seems to benefit the health of the trees and helps reduce debris and damage to trees during typhoon season.
Yokohama citizens pay an annual “green tax” of 900 yen (approx. USD $6.50), while the bulk of the green tax is paid by medium-size companies (50 employees or more) and larger corporations.
I appreciate having access to so much greenery, especially during summer when the shade of a tree can offer some refuge from the sun when waiting for the light to change at a pedestrian crossing, or when I am out walking my dog.
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 800 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Pro Negative High film simulation
City River
Katabira River (帷子川) as seen from Hiranuma Bridge just southwest of Yokohama Station. The river starts in Asahi Ward as a little brook and runs right next to Yokohama Station where it empties into Tokyo Bay.
The river is surprisingly clean and offers sanctuary to a wide variety of waterfowl, aquatic animals, fish, and aquatic plant life.
On weekends, you might be able to catch kayakers making their way upriver from the Port of Yokohama.
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 3200 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Pro Negative High film simulation
Japanese Izakaya: Icchaga Yokohama Nishi-Guchi Branch
Another Japanese pub (izakaya) serving all-you-can-drink alcohol with meals of fresh fish, sushi, fried foods, etc. averaging about 3,000 yen (approx. USD $21.50).
Tucked away at the back of a narrow ally, this small izakaya has enough seating for only 18 guests.
I took this shot around 5:00 p.m., so the shop was still in the process of getting ready for the office workers who typically start rolling in around 7:00 or 8:00 p.m.
I like how the woman at the back of the alley almost blended in with the surroundings. I didn’t even notice her at first she was so still and focused on her phone!
References:
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 1000 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Pro Negative High film simulation
Super Discount Store
The Don Quijote super-discount store near the south exit of Yokohama Station used to be a name-brand fashion outlet years ago with beautiful store window displays and had an air of class and quality. I used to visit there just to check out the nice suits and neckties they had on display. Sadly, my wallet was not thick enough to actually purchase something.
Economics forced the New York Fifth Avenue wannabe-store to close shop and hand over the reins to Don Quijote—a 24/7 super discount store that barely keeps isles wide enough to meet fire standards in an effort to jam as many cheap products as they can onto the store floors.
This scene of items on the sidewalk in front of the store is a good example of what the store interior has to offer. Don Quijote will have any foreign-made knock-off you could need whether it's snacks, furniture, toiletries, appliances, automotive products, and more.
That said, they also retail reasonably priced groceries in the basement floor, and sell name-brand products at a price you’d be hard pressed to find in Tokyo’s Ginza.
It is possible to fill your Japanese studio flat with all of the basic necessities, appliances, and furniture from this store. If you are into garish designs, materials, and patterns, this store has you covered!
Visiting any Don Quijote is like a treasure hunt for some shoppers. Staff intentionally rearrange the layout of each floor and move products around so much that if you find your favorite snack or dog food and go back a couple months later, you will have to search all over again and have “fun” doing so since the inside of the store is just as mind-numbing crowded, is flooded with colorful posters, might have promotional videos playing next to each other for different products, and has that theme song constantly embedding itself into your brain.
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 3200 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Astia/Soft film simulation
Newly Renovated Japanese Pub
This newly renovated Japanese pub (Izakaya Sagami) has a simple and Showa era retro look to its comparatively small and simple entrance. The pub’s entrance belies a huge interior that can accommodate up to 114 patrons and private parties of up to 60 guests each.
A typical dining experience with a small group of friends runs about 2,800 yen (approx. USD $20.00) per person, which according to online reviews seems to be the most popular reason for the pub’s high ratings.
Several details of the pub’s entrance grabbed my attention:
First, the huge red paper lantern. I am always delighted to see paper lanterns whether they are on a store display, paraded on a portable shrine during a festival, or are used to line the streets of Chinatown.
Next, the simple sheet-metal eaves, which can still be seen on cheaply built Japanese suburban houses from the 1960s and 1970s. Back in the 80s, an old friend asked me to help her remove rust and paint her sheet metal roof, which was built in the same manner as the eaves of this pub.
Finally, the white lanterns above the entrance that are enclosed in wooden frames (listing various menu items) reminded me of how some Shinto shrines display paper lanterns in the same manner during festivals where the names of patrons are painted onto the lanterns.
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Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 800 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Astia/Soft film simulation
UFO Catcher (Yokohama, Japan)
A lone “UFO Catcher” (claw crane arcade machine) tucked in a dark corner near a dead-end alley on the south side of Yokohama Station.
I was a bit taken aback by such a shiny, clean, newish-looking game machine in such a grungy, dark corner of an alley.
The machine colors and patterns reminded me of the hit music video of 1990’s “Groove is in the Heart” by Deee-Lite.
References:
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 640 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Astia/Soft film simulation
Smokey Japanese Pub
The overall presentation of numerous white lanterns and bright lights of this izakaya betray a growing taboo in Japan--a smoker-friendly pub. Two of the placards (left and center) are advertising that it’s OK to smoke tobacco in this pub.
That said, the pub has high star reviews! If you haven’t broken the habit, this is the pub for you. For non-smokers, just be wary that there are still plenty of restaurants and bars that still allow smoking or will have a half-hazard smoking/non-smoking sections. Over the past few decades, laws and regulations have been slowly implemented to prohibit any smoking in public in line with fewer smokers among younger generations.
The izakaya is 横浜漁港 or “Yokohama Gyoko,” which means “Yokohama Fishing Port” signaling the serving of fresh fish. The menu posted outside the entrance shows alcoholic drinks being sold for only 380 yen (USD $2.71)! If I were a drinker, the low-cost alone might be enough for me to give this pub a try.
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Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 3200 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Astia/Soft film simulation
Classic Tailor Shop
Established in 1880, Jan Tokunaga is the second oldest clothing store in Yokohama, which has been run by the same family for several generations.
Originally a hat shop, the store transitioned to tailor-made suits for government officials and officers of major companies.
Then in 1961, the store moved to its current location near Yokohama Station where they enjoyed improved sales as a result of greater foot traffic.
Surprisingly, their prices are not that expensive for a tailor shop with prices starting at only 39,000 yen (USD $275) for a two-piece suit. I hope the Tokunaga family can continue serving their well-dressed customers for another generation.
References:
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 1250 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Pro Negative High film simulation
Yokohama Coffee Shop Fifth Avenue
(横濱珈琲店五番街)
This cafe caught my interest for the lovely exterior ironwork, and the interesting signage used in the shop: YOKOHAMA Koffie TEN 5 Ave.
“YOKOHAMA” is the standard spelling for the city of Yokohama—so far so good. “Koffie” is dutch for coffee, but the sign uses a very different font. Next, “TEN” is not the number 10, but actually the spelling of the Japanese word 店, which means shop/store/branch, etc., and spelled “ten” and pronounced the same as the number 10. Finally the huge 5 at the end with the tiny abbreviation of Avenue looks like the sign maker ran out of space at the end. If the sign is as old as the shop itself, the signage might have been created this way on purpose in line with what was fashionable in the late 50s and early 60s.
The coffee shop started out as an imported grocery goods shop in 1965, and later switched to a coffee shop. The shop’s signboard of an old sailing ship hints to the store’s roots of imported goods.
Breakfast meals serving toasted sandwiches, a hard boiled egg, and a cup of coffee cost only 500 yen (USD $3.52). Considering the high rent they have to pay for a cafe so close to a major train station, it is a wonder how they can offer such low prices and still make a profit.
References:
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 3200 for 1/125 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Classic Chrome film simulation
Noodle Shop
Shot of a very typical scene in front of Kisoba Suzuichi noodle shop near Yokohama Station’s Sotetsu Line exit. Located right across from the police box (a popular meeting point for the station’s west exit), this was one of the very first noodle shops I ever visited after arriving in Japan back in the 80s.
Very little has changed around the shop since they opened up in 1971 except for the fashion choices of younger people. Otherwise, this scene is quite reminiscent of the Showa Era for me.
This is one of those shops where you order your food and eat it right there on the street while standing (called “tachikui/立ち食い” in Japanese). Most customer tend to be men, from well-dressed office workers in their suits to blue-collar workers to students can be seen grabbing a steamy hot bowl of noodles.
You place your order via a vending machine freeing up the staff to focus on filling orders, which can often be done within less than 20 seconds! There are about 20 different menu items to choose from including various toppings with either udon noodles or soba noodles, with the most popular dish being tempura soba, which cost only 430 yen (approx. USD $3.00).
References:
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 640 for 1/125 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Classic Chrome film simulation
Robin’s-Egg Blue
The iconic Tiffany Blue (robin’s-egg blue) is one of my favorite colors, and is a perfect match with the Classic Chrome film simulation (on Fujifilm cameras).
This shot was taken just outside the central West Exit of Yokohama Station. Although this spot is an easy to find meet-up point, this stretch of the sidewalk right in front of the station can be very crowded during rush hour, which makes the nearby police box a more popular meeting spot since it is slightly off of the main thoroughfare.
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 3200 for 1/125 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Eterna/Cinema film simulation
Racoon Alley (狸小路)
Tanukikoji (狸小路) is a small covered ally just barely wide enough for two people to pass that is tucked between two larger buildings, and lined with tiny restaurants, bars, and pubs, and is located only a few minutes from the central west exit of Yokohama Station.
One of the original owners of the 15 shops was from an area in Hokkaido (Northern Japan) where there was a large shopping street (shotengai) that used the name Tanukikoji. After moving to Yokohama to set up his own shop, that shop owner was the one who recommended naming the little alley “Tanukikoji” after the one he left behind in Hokkaido.
Most of the shops have been run by the same families for 4 or five generations now, and have been able to weather the pandemic as well.
Most patrons are middle-aged business men, but over the last 15 years or so, women have been showing up to enjoy the food and drink with their friends or companions.
The shops were originally established in the 20s of the Showa Era (between 1945 and 1954) just after the war. In those days, many customers to Tanukikoji were captains and officers of the ships docking in the Port of Yokohama nearby.
Back then, the sons of several owners where sent off to either schools are more famous restaurants or bars to study and apprentice for masters in larger cities that hadn’t been destroyed during the war. Upon their return to Yokohama, they applied their hard-learned lessons to creating shops that evolved into specialty bars and restaurants with a higher quality of service and offerings.
Back in the day, the shops with a second floor were a popular place for rakugo entertainers to rehearse their shows and have a meal. Sadly, rakugo performers are no longer visible in this area of Yokohama, although we can still see them on TV.
The entrance to Tanukikoji is easy to miss if your face is glued to your phone, so be sure to keep your head up and watch where you’re walking if you plan to visit here.
A total of 15 shops are crammed into this tiny alley, with some shops able to accommodate only 4 patrons at most. Reviews of some of the shops state the “master” (owner of the shop) treats his younger clientele like his own children by offering life advice like a father figure.
References:
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 2000 for 1/160 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Eterna/Cinema film simulation
Waiting for the Others
A typical Japanese salaryman (white-collar worker) standing outside one of the tiny bars tucked into an alley between two tall buildings.
This alley, named Tanukikoji (狸小路), is only about 30 meters (104 ft) from the Northwest Exit of Yokohama Station and has shops that have been run by the same families for over 66 years.
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 250 for 1/160 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Eterna/Cinema film simulation
Younger Stylish Man on the Wait
Unlike the vast majority of Japanese salarymen who wear the uniform of dark suits, dark shoes, and white shirts, the gentleman in this shot has a nice sense of style and is wearing a bold flat brim hat, which we don’t see very often during our daily commutes between cities.
First impressions? A young IT engineer (so that he can afford such an ensemble) waiting for his girlfriend next to the More’s Department Store, a popular store for younger people with a taste and budget for mid-tier and high-tier fashion branded goods and products.
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 3200 for 1/210 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Classic Negative film simulation
Traditional Barber Shop
This traditional barber shop (床屋/tokoya), located about 3 minutes from the Northeast exit of Yokohama Station, has a nice retro Showa Era vibe about it!
I like the classical barber’s pole, the glass blocks used for the wall, and the use of fashion model posters taped to the glass window where the poster on the right has a nostalgic 80s look to it.
Although I usually get my haircut at QB House (walk-in cheap haircuts usually done in less than 10 minutes), I occasionally visit my favorite barber, which is a totally different experience (and price).
My barber’s process starts out with a shampoo, then the haircut, and blow dry followed by a shave (including forehead, nose bridge, around the ears, and back of neck) with warm lather and a straight shaving razor.
After the shave, a hot damp towel is placed on your face for a few minutes as you relax, which is then followed up with a facial massage, scalp massage, neck massage, and shoulder massage.
Finally, depending on the time of year, my barber will give out small gifts of rice, potatoes, or fruit from his hometown in the countryside.
Unlike the quick, cheap, and convenient QB House chain, a traditional barber can take as long as an hour if they don’t have many clients waiting their turn. I highly recommend visiting a local tokoya barber if you ever have the chance.
References:
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 3200 for 1/100 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Provia Negative film simulation
Train Station Police Box (Koban i.e. Mini-Police-Station)
I have only needed to use my local koban once when a neighbor was beating on another neighbor in our building with an aluminum baseball bat. I got trapped into being the only eye witness to the act, and ended up spending hours at the police station explaining my life story and of course appearing in court as a witness for the prosecutor. It was super time consuming and exhausting. By the way, the violent guy with the bat got put behind bars.
Unlike some countries, Japanese police fall under a national umbrella where uniforms, patrol car markings, etc., are pretty much consistent nationwide. The only difference I have been able to notice is the name of the prefecture on patrol cars.
Compared to Japan, some countries like the United States can have wildly different uniform designs, all kinds of hats, color schemes of uniform and car markings, and much more that differ at the town level, city level, county level, state level, and highway patrol level. Even to this day, I have never understood the difference between a sheriff, marshal, and chief of police in the States.
P.S. I only felt confident taking the police officer's portrait since his identity is partially obscured by the mask covering. He noticed me but ignored me so I guess it was OK.
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 3200 for 1/140 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Astia/Soft film simulation
Yokohama Station (West Exit)
The entire West Exit of Yokohama Station has been The Sotetsu Joinus department store started out as a small shopping arcade at the West Exit of Yokohama Station in 1956. Over the years, Joinus has undergone numerous renovations and expansions, with the most recent work completed in 2019.
The city of Yokohama finished renovations to public spaces at the west exit this year in 2022 that widened sidewalks, covered more outdoor space to protect pedestrians from the weather, and expanded barrier-free access between the station, the bus terminals, and the taxi stands.
Based on 2022 figures aggregated by Recruit Holdings, the average number of passengers using Yokohama Station is about 1,673,613 people per day.
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