Aoba-ku

Aoba-ku is an administrative ward in northwestern Yokohama that covers residential areas and business districts around several train stations. The ward spreads across gentle hills and valleys, with roads winding between older and newer housing developments.

The area belonged directly to the shogunate during the Edo period and remained mostly rural until the 20th century. The ward was officially established in 1994 when Yokohama reorganized its administrative structure.

The name comes from the green hills that shape the area, and many neighborhoods still keep parks and tree-lined streets. Families use the public spaces near train stations for daily errands and meetings.

Most services and shops cluster in the station districts, which connect well through the main rail lines. The ward office in Ichigaocho is open on weekdays during morning and afternoon hours for inquiries and documentation.

The northwestern sections along the Yamoto River valley changed from farmland to residential zones during the 1990s. A few small fields and gardens still appear between the newer housing rows.