Yokohama is a  paradoxical  city.  On  the one hand, it is a
          separate  town  from  Tokyo  with  a  distinct  history  and
          atmosphere of its  own.  On the other, it is merely an outer
          suburb of the larger metropolis seeping down from the north.

          English-language guidebooks all but ignore Yokohama. Yet, it
          is one of  the  most  popular  destinations  for  the  local
          Japanese tourists. Yamashita  Park  is  crowded  with  young
          couples on any  weekend. Chinatown is one of the most famous
          restaurant districts in  Japan.  The  Bay Bridge remains the
          country's premier lover's  lane. The Foreigner's Cemetery is
          a popular historical  landmark and Motomachi is a well-known
          shopping centre. From  a  writer's  point  of view, Yokohama
          represents the perfect  compromise  between the two Japans -
          Tokyo and provincial Japan.