My wife and I have found an apartment that allows two cats with reasonable price and good space (very hard to find) in Eirakucho, it’s between the Isezaki-Chojamachi and Bandobashi station. The opposite site (seperated by Odori Park) is the Isezakicho area which I’m aware of the reputation.
We have walked there to survey the area, which seems fine. However, in front of the street of our target apartment there are 4-5 love hotels (70% sure run by Yak, at least one of them) in which I was quite skeptical at first, but nothing much, relatively quiet and just bright at night which might be good. We like what the place connects us to: Yamashita Park, Stadium, Red Brick, Sakurakicho, etc.
All of my wife co-workers said it’s a good place to live as one of them lived there before. There are some homeless but the co-worker said no problemo, as she had helped them sometimes.
Is there anything bad or need to be aware of the area? I think we going to live there anyway just for precaution.
Edit: The reason why I ask is because I’ve read some bad reputation of Kannai. I have heard the area Hinedocho station through Ishikawacho is quite rough as I have seen [this comment.](https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/comments/t2msoj/comment/hymwhok/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) Also active Yakuza offices etc. Just not sure Eirakucho is included or not.
Edit 2: I’m willing to hear good reputation as well.
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I would rather 4-5 love hotels than izakaya, host/hostess clubs and night clubs.
It’s not like people are going to be loitering around making lots of noise.
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I live at Koganecho station. Isezakicho is famous for meth and prostitutes. That being said I’ve never felt unsafe there but I guess compared to other places in japan it’s not the best
I’ve actually lived in that area. The shopping mall street of isezakichou is pretty nice in my opinion. Some Yokohama natives I have met told me how their parents told them not to hang around that area because they knew it was where yakuza had set up shop. While there are some brothels scattered around the area, I’ve never felt threatened or seen anything shocking. It seems pretty normal and safe now. It’s probably mostly changed with maybe some remnants of the past if you look for them.
I think your wife’s co-worker got it right. It is a bit of a grittier area, but you are unlikely to run into anything worse than the occasional drunk. If you like to eat out, you would be spoiled for choices in that vicinity: you can find anything in that area between Ishikawacho and Noge. Yakuza should be no concern, as they are not exactly harassing people on the street, Japanese or not.
Hi neighbor
But nah it’s quiet
When Yokohama allowed foreigners in with Perry, they didn’t want them to be able to travel freely throughout the city and wanted to constrain their travel, eating, drinking and want for prostitutes to a specified area. Kannai was built/chosen for that purpose as it was basically surrounded by river/canals and could be closed off via 4 main gates that the foreigners could be let in/out of before they went back to their ships.
Due to this, the yakuza was given free reign to manage it and set up shop in Motomachi area for that purpose and both built up restaurants/bars. Along with this they brought in Chinese dock workers, Chinese prostitutes, and drugs for their use…. which also helped to set up Chinatown right next door to both Motomachi and Kannai.
Those elements persist today, but are most apparent at night and on the far side of Isezakicho. The area you are at is pretty good (no place is completely safe), but would see some spillover.