Yokohama 150 Years

Find out about the celebration of 150 years since the Yokohama port opened to the world.

The theme of the 150th Yokohama Port Anniversary was “Set Sail”. In the following paragraphs we’ll try to recreate the event and show you what happened back in 2009, when the Port of Yokohama celebrated one century and a half of being open for trade.

Theme Events Celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Opening of the Port of Yokohama – A Grand Exposition for Yokohama’s 150th Year

Experience 150 years of Yokohama at our grand exposition celebrating the past and the future. A full program of events will be held to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the 1859 opening of the Port, based on three themes that are the lifeblood of Yokohama − the sea, the city and nature.

Initial Event Presentation

153 Days of Exciting Experiences,Spanning the Centuries April 28–September 27, 2009

The year 2009 marked the 150th anniversary of the 1859 opening of the Port of Yokohama.

To commemorate this anniversary, the city of Yokohama sponsored “EXPO Y150”, a grand exposition focusing on the history and attractions of the city, based on the theme “Set Sail”.

Events venues included:

  • the Bayside Area, centered in the Minato Mirai district;
  • the Mother Port Area of popular eateries and fashion shops around Yokohama Station and in the Yamashita-Yamate neighborhoods;
  • the Hillside Area adjacent to the lush natural setting of Zoorasia.

Events held in these three areas of “sea”, “city” and “nature” plated the seeds of a vibrant future for the city of Yokohama. The ship named “EXPO Y150” was ready to set sail.

Tanemaru was the Mascot of the 150th Anniversary of the Opening of the Port of Yokohama

Tanemaru embodies the spirit of the camphor tree that stands in the courtyard of the Yokohama Archives of History, watching over Japan since the opening of the country more than 160 years ago.

In the year 2009, Tanemaru “set sail” into the next 150 years, bearing new seeds of vitality for Asia and the rest of the world.