Tokyo Swan 11: Minato Mirai

Ahh Minato Mirai, now this was one of my favorite places to visit in Japan. Tucked away in Yokohama was this amazing outdoor theme park that required no entry admission fee. Instead, you paid for each individual ride you wanted to try out. The great thing about this is that you were free to just walk around the area and take in all of the great scenery at no cost! The giant Ferris wheel overlooking the water, the haunted house, the various arcades; Minato Mirai had it all.

I went to Minato Mirai multiple times over the course of my year in Japan, and it was always a pleasure to be there. The roller coaster that went underground was also a lot of fun! Also, there were a few huge, nearby shopping malls that had tons of great stores and restaurants. It was also not uncommon to see various cool street performers like singers or magicians around the park, and it was always a fun place to go to.

There is an old legend surrounding the giant Ferris wheel about the different colored lifts or cars one would ride in. There is only one purple one, and it is believed that if a couple rides in the purple compartment, then they will fall in love. Sadly, I think I wound up in a blue one, so no such luck for me! I hope one day I can go back to Minato Mirai and try my luck again!