A Study on the Formation Process of “Yokohama Chinatown” and its Factors

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to clarify the relationship between Chinatown and neighboring areas in terms of the development of facilities in and around Yokohama Chinatown, since the opening of Japan in 1859. Using a literature survey, we examined development projects in and around Yokohama Chinatown, focusing on “pailou (Chinese architectural arch)” and Chinese temples. As a result, we clarified that in Yokohama Chinatown, which was originally a Chinese residential area, Chinese culture is visualized in a straightforward way, through the efforts of Yokohama City and the Chinese residents. Chinatown developed in line with the trend of urban development in the surrounding area. In particular, local residents set up “pailou (Chinese architectural arch)” and then established Chinese restaurants and constructed Chinese-style buildings to accelerate the development of Yokohama Chinatown as a tourist destination. The results of this study indicate that Chinese residents in Yokohama Chinatown have used Chinese culture as a space improvement technique aimed at Japanese tourists and thus, the Chinatown in Yokohama have become a theme park as a result of their continued life in Yokohama.