Yokohama Port Festival 2016

Celebrating the opening of the port in 1859

Meg Sing Jun 06, 2016 - 1 min read

A man in traditional yukata festival wear buys two meat skewers from the "yakiniku" lady

A display of artwork by children depicting their idea of what Yokohama Port is all about

An open lawn area where people can sit and enjoy live performances on stage or grab an early spot before the fireworks show

A band performs to crowds with the port in the background

Food stalls are ever popular and long lines of customers patiently wait their turn

People eager to grab a spot for the fireworks camp out hours ahead of time

Bottles of colourful syrup that are poured on top of "kakigōri" shaved ice, a popular food choice at summer festivals

A group of enthusiastic young cheerleaders dance in synchronisation during their time in the spotlight

A mix of parents, young people sit in the audience, watching traditional performances

Ladies in traditional wear tiptoe in olden day "geta" sandals and clap in time to the flute and drums

Classic festival food includes "takoyaki" octopus balls topped with pork floss

Another food commonly eaten during festivals is "yakisoba", a savoury combination of noodles, egg, lettuce and batter

The fireworks show on the last day is the main attraction for many

The bright, pretty flashes of light induce many "ooh's" and "ash's" from onlookers

This year marks the 35th annual Yokohama Port Festival that commemorates when the port was officially declared open to foreign trade by the Treaty of Amity and Commerce in 1859. In the sixty years following, the port expanded rapidly by exporting raw silk and importing foreign technologies from abroad. Last year the festival drew crowds of approximately 750,000 people. Mostly a mix of young families, high school friends and couples attend the port festival, which finishes on the second day with a Yokohama Port Festival Fireworks in the evening. Minatomirai is the closest station to Rinko Park, the venue where the festival is held.

More info

Find out more about Rinko Park.

Meg Sing @meg.sing

The language intrigues me and as well as Japan's personality, vividly different in each season in the year. Having previously lived in Tokyo for a year, I've developed a weakness for onsen, Mt. Fuji, autumn leaves, the festivals and Japanese stationery. More than trying my hand at photography, I...