※This article was written and structured by AI based on the latest trend information. All content reflects information as of April 2026.
Rising from the Old Yokohama City Hall: BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai's Grand Opening Wave — A New Era Where History Meets Innovation
An unprecedented mixed-use development has arrived in Yokohama's Kannai district. On March 19, 2026, "BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai" opened on the site of the former Yokohama City Hall, quickly making a name for itself as a vibrant new urban hub that integrates dining, retail, lodging, office space, and entertainment under one roof. With the opening of "OMO7 Yokohama by Hoshino Resorts" slated for April 21, spring in Kannai is buzzing with an energy unlike anything the area has seen before.
A Redevelopment Rooted in the Memory of Place
BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai stands at 1-1-1 Minatocho, Naka-ku, Yokohama — right in front of the south exit of JR Kannai Station. The former Yokohama City Hall that once occupied this site was designed by architect Togo Murano and is considered one of postwar Japan's most iconic public buildings. In August 2025, it became the first postwar structure in Yokohama to be officially designated a "Historic Building." Honoring that legacy, the BASEGATE project has transformed the site into a living complex where culture and everyday life can thrive in a new era.
The development was led by a consortium of eight companies centered on Mitsui Fudosan, with partners including DeNA and Hoshino Resorts. The project merges private-sector expertise with Yokohama's urban regeneration vision. The site covers approximately 16,500 m², with a total floor area of roughly 128,500 m², comprising two buildings including a 33-story high-rise tower. With 55 tenants in total, the complex dramatically reshapes the commercial scale of the Kannai area.
The concept is "MINATO-MACHI LIVE" — a "living city" where Yokohama's rich port-town heritage resonates with bold new content to enrich the local community. Three public plazas feature large digital signage, and an electric mobility vehicle called "Kannai Marlo" encourages visitors to explore the surrounding area. The development is thoughtfully designed to draw a wide range of visitors, from daily commuters to leisure seekers and tourists.
62 Restaurants Converge — "Stadium Side BAR Street" Redefines Dining in Kannai
The dining scene at BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai has been one of the biggest talking points since opening. The complex houses 62 restaurants and cafés. The standout is a food street called "Stadium Side BAR Street," comprising 34 establishments that take full advantage of their perch overlooking Yokohama Stadium. Japanese, Western, Asian, and specialty cuisines line the street, offering a depth that works equally well for pre- and post-game drinks, casual meals, or business entertaining.
The complex also features Japan's largest permanent live-viewing arena, "THE LIVE Supported by Daiwa Chisso" (operated by DeNA), and an immersive experience facility, "Wonderia Yokohama Supported by Umios" (also operated by DeNA), creating a seamless environment where food and entertainment flow naturally together. Watching a game or concert and then enjoying a great meal afterward — this is exactly the kind of Yokohama lifestyle that makes the experience here truly unique.
Yurindo × "1909 Shokudo" — A 450-Tsubo Complex Where Books, Food, and Culture Converge
Dining is just one piece of the puzzle. One of the most emblematic tenants at BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai is "Yurindo BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai," a beloved bookstore chain deeply rooted in Kanagawa and Yokohama. Spread across three floors — B1F through 2F — of The Legacy Building (the former city hall wing), spanning approximately 450 tsubo (1,490 m²), it opened on March 19, 2026.
The concept is "a hybrid space where books, food, work, and art intersect." Each floor has a distinct identity:
- 1F "Yurindo Port Bazaar": A curated selection of craft goods, food products, wine, and a juice bar — perfect for Yokohama souvenirs
- 2F: Thematically arranged bookshelves alongside a coworking lounge called "Cultivate Space" and a collaborative exhibition with the Kanagawa Museum of Modern Literature
- B1F: The all-day dining restaurant "1909 Yurindo Shokudo," a fully reservation-only speakeasy-style hidden bar "Yurindo Shokudo (Bar)," and a gallery and shop called "Gravibes"
Hours are 10:00–21:00 for 1F and 2F, and 11:00–22:30 for B1F (with some variations). Collaborative products with Yokohama Beer and Caravan Coffee are also available, delivering a fresh kind of bookstore experience where shopping, dining, and working all come together around the culture of the region.
"Rincos BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai" — A New-Format Supermarket Becomes the Neighborhood's Kitchen
Even the daily grocery run got an upgrade. "Rincos," a premium supermarket brand operated by Maruetsu, opened on the 2F of BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai on March 19, 2026. With a sales floor of approximately 269 tsubo (roughly 900 m²), this marks the brand's first new location in about three years, since the Platinum The Sky store opened in March 2023.
According to trade area data, approximately 7,134 households and 10,016 residents live within a 500-meter radius, with around 70% being single-person households between the ages of 25 and 64. To meet the needs of urban residents, the store carries approximately 6,730 SKUs:
- Produce: approx. 400 items
- Meat: approx. 350 items
- Fresh fish: approx. 420 items
- Prepared foods: approx. 260 items
- Daily goods and general food: approx. 3,500 items
A shared parking facility with 228 spaces is available, and an innovation café called "INNOVATION Café" is also set to open on the same floor in April 2026 — ensuring the area works as a natural stop not just for groceries, but for a midday work break as well.
Opening April 21 — "OMO7 Yokohama by Hoshino Resorts" Takes Up Residence in a Historic Landmark
The most anticipated opening is "OMO7 Yokohama by Hoshino Resorts," set to launch on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. This is a one-of-a-kind project that transforms the architectural heritage of the former Yokohama City Hall into a fully functioning hotel.
The hotel offers 276 rooms across 9 room types. Guest rooms occupy floors 3 through 8, with dining on the 2nd floor and a front desk and retail area on floors 1 and 2. The design concept is "renovation as grafting" — the grand staircase from the original building, designed by Togo Murano, has been relocated and reintegrated into the reception area, giving new life to original architectural elements within a contemporary context. Original hardware (fixtures and fittings), lighting, and textiles referencing the building's original tile patterns have been preserved and incorporated throughout, making a stay here an architectural experience in itself.
The hotel also features a dedicated dog-friendly floor and private garden, as well as a rooftop terrace with sweeping views of Yokohama Stadium — offering both visitors and locals a fresh way to enjoy everything Yokohama has to offer.
With the opening of OMO7 Yokohama, BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai evolves beyond a commercial complex to become a true base for lodging and tourism. Staying in a historic landmark, browsing Yokohama-related books at Yurindo in the morning, picking up local ingredients at Rincos, and raising a glass at Stadium Side BAR Street — this kind of seamless "Kannai stay experience" is finally becoming a reality.
Phase 2 Toward 2030 — The Urban Renewal of Kannai Is Just Getting Started
The two currently open buildings — the 33-story tower and the 8-story building — are just part of the bigger picture. Two additional buildings are planned under the leadership of Mitsubishi Estate: a 32-story tower (approximately 170 m tall) and a 20-story tower (approximately 99 m tall), with completion targeted for fiscal year 2030. The additions will include offices, residences, commercial space, entertainment venues, a museum, and a sky lounge, dramatically expanding the urban potential of the entire Kannai district.
Comfort Hotel Yokohama Kannai (3-33 Sumiyoshicho, Naka-ku, Yokohama) — just a one-minute walk from Exit 3 of the Yokohama Municipal Subway "Kannai" Station — also reopened after a full renovation on March 31, 2026. The 14-story, 241-room fully non-smoking hotel has introduced a new "Comfort Library Café" with a curated book selection themed around Yokohama's history, food, architecture, and art. Located roughly a five-minute walk from BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai and about six minutes from Yokohama Stadium, it plays an important supporting role in meeting the accommodation demand of the entire area.
In Closing — Why Now Is the Time to Experience the Dawn of "New Kannai"
BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai has breathed new life into a site steeped in history, transforming the former Yokohama City Hall into a fully integrated hub for dining, lodging, leisure, and work. The opening wave that began on March 19, 2026 is still rolling — with 62 restaurants along Stadium Side BAR Street, the hybrid bookstore experience at Yurindo, the urban supermarket Rincos, and the OMO7 Yokohama opening on April 21, there is still more to come.
Visit Kannai this spring as the cherry blossoms begin to fall, and feel for yourself the energy of a city reinventing itself. What BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai embodies is a distinctly Yokohama philosophy: don't erase the past — graft the future onto it.
Sources & References
- "BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai Grand Opens on March 19, with 55 Tenants Including OMO7 Yokohama by Hoshino Resorts" — Mynavi News (March 25, 2026)
https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20260325-4257426/ - "BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai Opening Report" — Impress Watch (2026)
https://www.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/2096857.html - "Comfort Hotel Yokohama Kannai Reopens After Renovation" — PR TIMES (2026)
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000268.000037991.html - "Yurindo BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai Opens March 19" — Bun to Bi
https://www.buntobi.com/articles/entry/shop/022052/ - "Rincos BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai Opening Information" — Diamond Chain Store
https://diamond-rm.net/store/540171/ - "BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai Architecture & Culture Report" — Tecture Mag (April 4, 2026)
https://mag.tecture.jp/culture/20260404-146631/ - "OMO7 Yokohama by Hoshino Resorts Opens April 21, 2026" — HAMA NEAR
https://hamanear.com/hotels-omo7yokohama/
