Oct 21, 2016 - 1 min read

Landmark Tower and Nippon Maru

Unique combination of sailing ship and skyscraper

By Takako Sakamoto

Community writer

This is Japan's second tallest building, the Landmark Tower

The Landmark Tower and the sail training ship Nippon Maru

Look at the reflection of Nippon Maru on the water surface

Landmark Tower and Nippon Maru Memorial Park

Relax on the grass looking up at the second tallest building in Japan!

You have to crane your neck to see the top of the building from here

Old air compressor and the Landmark Tower

Looking at the Landmark Tower from the Bashamichi Promenade

Humans are strange creatures. Since olden times they never ceased to be awed whenever they saw something gigantic, like dinosaurs, pyramids, big Buddhas, and in the 21st century, skyscrapers. No matter how often I see and want to ignore these skyscrapers, every time I see them I can't help looking up and saying to myself, 'wow', in a small voice.

The Landmark Tower is no exception. Every time I see it it makes me look up with my mouth wide open. It has been an icon of Yokohama Bayside since it was built in 1993. It was the tallest building in Japan (296.3 m/972 ft) until surpassed in height by Abeno Harukas in Osaka (300 m/984 ft) in 2012. At the foot of this modern-time pyramid, the Nippon Maru, a 20th century classic sailing ship, is docked. It was built in 1930, and after enjoying a colorful history retired in 1984. It has been docked here as a museum since then. Looking at these fruits of 20th and 21st century technology at the same time is quite an unique experience, and you can have that easily here in Yokohama Bayside Area.