Yokohama, Japan

Yokohama is the second largest city in Japan and one of the cities most used to seeing foreigners. Yokohama was the first port opened up to foreign trade after the opening of Japan in 1854. At the forefront of the Meiji restoration, the first train line in Japan connected Tokyo and Yokohama. However, Yokohama was devastated by the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and again by the firebombings of World War II, and never really regained its prominence. It remains a maritime city to this day and retains an international flavor. Around the time of the Black Ships, Yokohama was home to barely 600 people. A century-and-a-half later, it's Japan's second metropolis, with a breezy atmosphere, fine food, parks and historic districts, and loads of shopping. Unlike most Japanese cities, it's also a city of distinct neighbourhoods, including Chinatown, the historic Motomachi and Yamate districts, and the new seaside development of Minato Mirai 21. Yokohama is barely 20 minutes from central Tokyo, meaning that it's an easy day trip or nighttime excursion. Among Japanese it's a popular date spot.