What to Eat in Yokohama: Local Food Guide

Yokohama is a food town, and the move is to graze rather than commit. Its biggest draw is Japan's largest Chinatown, but the city is also the birthplace of iekei ramen — rich pork-and-soy bowls — and home to a whole museum dedicated to noodles. Come hungry.

What to order

• Chinatown street eats: nikuman (steamed pork buns), shoronpo (soup dumplings), grilled skewers — graze stall to stall
• Iekei ramen: the thick pork-soy bowl that started in Yokohama, often with spinach and nori
• Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum: a retro hall of regional ramen shops under one roof
• Sweets and bubble tea along the Chinatown lanes
• A bay-view dinner in Minato Mirai if you want to splurge on the skyline

Local tips

In Chinatown, skip the giant tourist restaurants and graze the stalls and smaller counters — better value and more fun. Iekei shops often have ticket machines; point and pay. The Ramen Museum lets you order mini-bowls so you can try several shops in one visit.