The story of Yokohama three towers (横浜三塔物語) is a kind of urban legends that if you go to the three spots where you can see all three towers at the same time, your wish will be granted. Visiting these three spots is a great experience to savor the day trip in Yokohama.
Yokohama Three Towers
The Yokohama Port has been a gateway to the Tokyo area and has welcomed countless cruise ships since its opening in 1859 as Japan’s first modern international trading port. At that time, Yokohama three towers played a role as lighthouses and were symbols for ships entering Yokohama Port. It is said that the sailors who came to Japan from overseas nicknamed the three towers like below based on the playing cards
These three towers survived both the great Kanto earthquake and World War II.
Those sailors probably felt relieved that they finally arrived in Japan when they saw the towers and gradually regarded them as guardians of their safe cruise.
The features of each tower
The Kanagawa Prefectural Office (The King) was built in 1928 and is one of Yokohama’s signature works of modern architecture. The top tower of this building was built based on the five-story pagoda outfit.
The Yokohama Port Opening Memorial Hall (The Jack) was built in 1917 and is made of brick and granite architecture to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Yokohama port. The clock tower is 36 meters tall.
The Yokohama Custom Building (The Queen) was built in 1934. The top tower of this building is a mosque-like appearance which is reminiscent of of a noble lady.
As a one-day walk touring destination
As a one day visit to Yokohama, you should stop by at these three spots: Osanbashi Pier, Red Brick Warehouse, and the Kanagawa Prefectural Office Building. There you can find plates which indicate a view point of Yokohama Three Towers. Highly recommended plans for one-day walk visitors are there.
Conclusion
Yokohama is a great touring destination which has a lot of faces from its historical features to the state-of-the-art Japanese modern life. Next time you have a chance to visit Yokohama, why don’t you walk around Yokohama three towers and savor the views and history of this area.
National Tour Guide (English), Eiken Grade 1, TOEIC A rank. Have been studying and teaching English for over 30 years.
