A Train Rider's View of Yokohama Land Use

Here's a video out the window from the Keikyu train line as we traveled south through Yokohama toward Yokosuka ("outbound" and away from Tokyo). If you check out the Keikyu English website you'll read that the train line is pretty extensive - with a mainline that connects the Miura Peninsula, Yokosuka, Yokohama and Tokyo, a distance of about 35 miles. According to Wikipedia, the main line has over 40 stations, with a operating speed of 120 kilometers/hour (over 75 mph). Additionally, there are small spur lines connecting to various local destinations. This is just one of the many various routes that operate through the Kanto plain area of Japan.

The video depicts the land uses adjacent to the rail line as the train nears the Kamiooka station. Most of this section of the line is elevated, so it provides a good view of the adjacent neighborhoods. This footage is typical of the density evident in Yokohama and Yokosuka near the Keikyu line. Take particular notice of the extremely small building setbacks, mixed land uses (stores, small offices and housing units), and lack of surface parking.