山下公園Yamashita Park
© Yokohama City
The most famous park in Yokohama city, Yamashita Park, is the base of Yokohama sightseeing according to nearby tourist areas such as China Town, the Motomachi district, and the Yamate district横浜で最も有名な公園「山下公園」。中華街、元町、山手など横浜の観光スポットにも近く、まさに横浜観光の拠点となる公園だ。関東大震災の復興事業として市内の瓦礫などを埋め立てて造成された山下公園は、大桟橋の入口から山下埠頭までのおよそ700メートルの長さで海岸に面しており、面積は約7万平方メートルを有する。
園内の西側には芝生の広場があり、芝生の木陰にシートを広げてくつろぐ人の姿も多い。一方、東側には氷川丸や遊覧船の乗船場などがあり、マリンタワーや元町にも近く観光地的な雰囲気が色濃く漂っている。また園内には記念碑や歌碑が多く、代表的なものにはサンディエゴ市から贈られた「水の守護神」、童謡で馴染みの深い「赤い靴はいてた女の子像」、「かもめの水兵さんの歌碑」などがある。公園の西端には、震災で被災した在浜インド人に対する横浜市民からの援助に感謝してインド商組合から寄贈された「インド水塔」があり、横浜市認定歴史的建造物となっている。
休日はもちろん平日であっても多くの人で賑わう山下公園。中華街にも近く、他にも公園周辺にはさまざまなレストランがあるので食事には困らないが、芝生の広場でお弁当を広げながら横浜の風情を感じて過ごすのもおすすめだ。
山下公園
住所：横浜市中区山下町279
http://www.city.yokohama.jp
Text: Saori Hashiguchi, which are the result of the cities reconstruction following the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake. Yamashita Park is situated along the coast from Osanbashi Pier to Yamashita Wharf and is approximately 700 meters long and 70000 square meters in area.
There is a patch of grass on the west side of the park where a lot of people relax on sheets under the shade of the trees while the east side, surrounded by the Motomachi district Marine Tower, tends to have a more lively mood. Also, there are lots of monuments, some with poems inscribed on them like “Guardian of water” gift by San Diego city, “Statue of a girl in red shoes,” which is a famous children’s song, “A monument inscribed with sea gulls on the horizon” and more. There is an Indian water tower that was donated by the Indian commerce association to thank citizens in Yokohama city for helping aid Indians who were hit by the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake. The Indian water tower has been assigned as an authorized historical building of Yokohama city and is located on the west side of the park.
The park is bustling with many people not only on the weekends but also throughout the weekdays. There are various restaurants around the park and close to China Town; however, we recommend that you feel the elegance of Yokohama bringing a sheet with you to enjoy lunch on the grass.
Yamashita Park
Address: 279 Yamashita-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama
http://www.city.yokohama.jp
Text: Saori Hashiguchi
Translation: Akihiko Hamada
山下公园
地址：横滨市中区山下町279
http://www.city.yokohama.jp
