Osanbashi Pier is Yokohama’s main international passenger terminal, with a public rooftop promenade extending about 400 metres into the bay. Its open wooden deck and grassy areas give you room to walk or pause beside the water, with views across the Minato Mirai skyline, including Landmark Tower and the Red Brick Warehouse. The pier is also a working cruise port, so ships may be part of the scene. Come near sunset or after dark for the city lights, or take a waterfront walk in daylight.
A pier with a public rooftop
Osanbashi serves as Yokohama’s main international passenger terminal, but the pier is also open to the public. Its upper level functions as a park, with a wooden deck, open space and grass beside the water. Below, the terminal includes an expo hall and port facilities.
The pier is about 400 metres long. Walking out over the bay gives you a broad view of Yokohama’s waterfront, with Minato Mirai landmarks such as Landmark Tower and the Red Brick Warehouse visible across the water. The open deck is the main reason to visit even when no cruise ship is in port.
The pier’s past and present design
Yokohama’s port opened in 1859, helping connect Japan with other countries as the country entered a period of modernization. Osanbashi was built in the 19th century and has served through several changes in the city’s history. The pier was damaged in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and rebuilt in 1925.
The current terminal design dates to 2002, after an international design competition. Foreign Office Architects designed the distinctive structure, whose wooden deck rises and dips across the rooftop. The sloping surfaces and broad public spaces give the working port a walkable upper level.
A waterfront walk at different hours
In daylight, the deck and grass offer places to pause beside the bay. The skyline view is a particular draw around sunset, when the light changes over the water, and after dark, when Minato Mirai is illuminated. The pier also works as a stop on a waterfront walk; it is near Yamashita Park and across the water from the Red Brick Warehouse.
Cruise ships use the terminal, so you may see a vessel alongside during a visit. The pier remains a sightseeing stop in its own right, with public access to the rooftop promenade. Bus access and free entry make it an easy addition to a Yokohama outing.
Preguntas frecuentes
Is Osanbashi Pier free to visit?
Yes. Access to the public areas of the pier is free.
What can you see from Osanbashi Pier?
The rooftop promenade looks across Yokohama’s waterfront toward Minato Mirai, including Landmark Tower and the Red Brick Warehouse.
When is the best time to visit Osanbashi Pier?
Go around sunset or after dark for views of the Minato Mirai skyline and its city lights.
How long should you spend at Osanbashi Pier?
The available information does not specify a typical visit length.
