What to Eat in Yokohama Chinatown

The largest Chinatown in Japan, this lively, colorful district of Yokohama has a history of around 160 years. Becoming one of the first ports open to foreign trade in 1859, it quickly became the residence for Chinese traders settling there. Nowadays this busy area of the city is full of some of Japan's best Chinese restaurants and food stalls. If you're planning to visit Yokohama Chinatown, come with an empty stomach and check out these popular places.

Pan-fried Dumplings

Yaki Shoronpo, shengjianbao or fried dumplings, it doesn't matter what you call these things, they're utterly delicious. These little pockets of joy are similar to soup dumplings but are pan fried instead, giving them a crunchy bottom with a mouthful of delectable soup inside. Nibble into the side of one and suck out the soup first, otherwise you'll have molten pork juice spraying all over your face. Head to Wangfujing for some of the best.

Black Pepper Bun

While picking up some fried dumplings, make sure to pick up some Taiwanese style black pepper buns too from Wangfujing. These buns are baked rather than fried, making them much lighter, with a spicy black pepper flavored pork filling.

Peking Duck

If you're wanting more of a hearty meal to fill you up, rather than street food, as you might expect Chinatown is full of delicious roast duck restaurants. While there's also a stall selling premade Peking duck pancakes for you to buy, it's better to head into a restaurant for the complete meal, the amount of duck you'll get is tiny, and lets face it no one is content with just one pancake.

Panda Buns

Steamed buns are everywhere in almost any Chinatown around the world and Yokohama's is no exception. Perfect for anyone's Instagram feed and delicious to boot, as you enter the gates of Chinatown you'll see buns made into a panda face, which have almost become a symbol of Yokohama Chinatown. You'll find a variety of different flavors such as the typical pork bun, sweet red bean paste and matcha.

Sichuan Cuisine

For those with a hankering for spice, there's nothing quite as satisfying as food from China's Sichuan region. One of the most popular dishes in Japan, there are some great places to try mapo tofu in Yokohama. Head to Keitokuchin for an authentic rendition of this beloved dish along with other classic Chinese and Sichuan staples.

Biang Biang Noodles

Northwest China is famous for its noodles dishes but none more so than biang biang mian. These thick, hand-pulled noodles are offered either as a fried, dry version or in a tomato, beef soup, both are recommended. While there's only one place to get these delicious noodles in Chinatown, Lanzhou Beef Noodles, you won't to go anywhere else anyway as they're delicious.

Conclusion

Whether it's your first time in Japan, or tenth time, Yokohama Chinatown is a unique area full of both authentic Chinese culture and a fascinating mixture of Japanese and Chinese together. As the largest Chinatown in Japan, the streets are full of delicious snacks to try and a range of different Chinese restaurants that have been doing business for years.