One of the smarter moves in the redevelopment of Yokohama's bayside Minato Mirai area was the decision to preserve these former customs houses, which date back to the early 20th century. The two warehouses (known as 'akarenga' in Japanese) survived the 1923 Kanto earthquake thanks to iron reinforcements, and emerged unscathed from WWII.
The No 2 building underwent redevelopment in 2022 and is now home to a refreshed selection of shops, bars and restaurants. Popular breakfast spot Bills is still here after the renovations, alongside a Disney Harvest Market for Mickey Mouse-themed meals, environmentally-friendly houseware store Sustainable Think and craft chocolate maker Chocola Meets, to name but a few of the 66 stores.
It's not all about shopping here, though. The No 1 building gets used for a wide range of events, including exhibitions and performances.