Yokohama’s internationalized history has given the city many contrasting sides – from the futuristic bayside to the historical “old towns” of Kannai to the perfectly preserved shrines and temples of Sankei-en Garden. And with just four hours and a local insider, you’ll experience more of these sides than you knew existed.

Whether you walk down lantern-lit Noge’s narrow alleys to a cozy izakaya serving Yokohama’s famous Kirin beer and breadcrumb-battered aji furai (mackerel), stop off at the Yokohama Noh Theater for an impressive production of traditional Japanese performing arts, or simply gawk at giant shopping complexes in the fast-paced downtown districts, you’ll soon see why this city must be experienced to be understood.

Along the eastern bay of Yokohama, you could be hypnotized by brightly-lit skyscrapers in Minato Mirai, the city’s futuristic CBD, or drink in a spectacular 360-degree view from the giant Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel. In Yokohama’s Chinatown, the biggest in Japan, spending hours getting lost among 600 stalls selling souvenirs and slurpy soup noodles will be shockingly easy.

But save some time to discover a Yokohama you didn’t even know existed in Yamate, a peculiar residential district just south of Chinatown full of 100-year-old mansions once occupied by Western merchants and diplomats. Or, for a truly local experience, the bustling fish market has super-fresh sashimi moriawase and a professional tuna-cutting demonstration!