The most beautiful, sweetest, and coolest place for dating in Japan is, I think, the Yokohama Bayside area. And if you are thinking about proposing marriage to your sweetheart (Whoa!), or you need to declare an important thing to him or her (Divorce?!), the best place is definitely the Yokohama Marine Tower. If you visit this cute tower and are soaked in its incredible romantic night view, you can be as brave as you want to be. A soft, cozy and sweet time will make it all feel magically special.
OK! Let's go to the Marine Tower tonight.
First, please check the time of tonight’s sunset. You should arrive at the tower 15 minutes before sunset. On the 1st floor, buy your tickets. After that, go up to the 2nd floor to catch the elevator to the top. But be careful: There are no restrooms on the observation deck, so do what you need to do NOW. As soon as the elevator doors close, the excitement starts to build. As you go up to the 30th floor (it takes one minute), you'll feel like you're passing through a clear capsule in a big pillar. That's because the elevator is completely transparent. If you're standing on the right side, you are already lucky. Through the right side glass window you can see Yokohama Bay. You can also see the Hikawa-maru Ocean Liner and the Yokohama Bay Bridge.
Before you know it you are on the 30th floor in a place 100 meters above the ground. Walk around the circular deck. Can you see the clear silhouette of Mt. Fuji and the big orange sun? Wow! You are on time! And you are now sharing this stunning view with your sweetheart. What excellent timing! Please take your time, and enjoy it! But don't forget the next step. When the beautiful sunset has almost faded from the sky, walk down together to the 29th floor to grab the best position for the night view.
On the 29th floor, there are several paired seats spread out around the deck. You definitely want one of the seats facing Minato Mirai. It's gorgeous at night: Landmark Tower, the three Queen's buildings, the Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel, and a building that looks like a ship's sails (the Intercontinental Yokohama Grand). If you succeed in grabbing this love seat, everything is set. Just relax and admire this fabulous scene! You and your sweetheart will be speechless for a while.
Yes! The time has come. You're ready to say what you have come here to say. I pray for your success. Be brave...
Congratulations! You've done it!
Now you are ready to go down to the 1st to celebrate over dinner. The Bund is a very nice Italian restaurant. It has a high ceiling, big tables, and an outside terrace where you can sit and eat when the weather is comfortable. Order yourselves a glass of red wine, look into each other’s eyes, and say Kanpai! Cheers!
The tower elevator is open from 10 am to 10 pm. The entrance fee is 750 yen per person. The nearest station is Motomachi-Chukagai (Minato Mirai line). Go out Exit 4 and head towards Yamashita Park. You'll soon see the tower on the left. At night it's all lit up like a birthday candle. You can’t miss it!
Note: The Tower was built 50 years ago in 1961 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the opening of the port of Yokohama. Since then, over 25 million people have visited it. It continues to stand as one of Yokohama’s most recognizable symbols.
