Shin-Yokohama Station Guide: Shinkansen Transfers, Ramen Museum & Lockers

Shin-Yokohama Station: The Shinkansen Gateway to Yokohama

Shin-Yokohama Station (新横浜駅) is the Tokaido Shinkansen stop for the Yokohama area. If you are arriving in Yokohama by bullet train from Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya, or anywhere along the Tokaido Shinkansen, this is where you get off. For all Kanagawa station guides, this is the main entry point.

An important note: Shin-Yokohama is not in central Yokohama. The station is about 10 minutes by train from Yokohama Station (the city center). First-time visitors sometimes assume they are arriving in the heart of the city — they are not. Plan for a short transfer to reach Chinatown, Minato Mirai, or the waterfront.

The station serves five rail lines and handles a high volume of travelers. Multilingual digital signage in English, Chinese, and Korean helps international visitors navigate, and according to yokohamastation.com, all platforms display departure information in both English and Japanese.

Station Layout: Five Lines Across Three Levels

Shin-Yokohama Station is organized vertically across three main levels:

Level	What's There
3F	Tokaido Shinkansen platforms (1-4)
1F	JR Yokohama Line platforms (5-6), main concourse, shops
B2	Yokohama Municipal Subway Blue Line platforms
B3-B4	Sotetsu Shin-Yokohama Line and Tokyu Shin-Yokohama Line platforms

The Shinkansen platforms are on the top floor. The JR Yokohama Line runs at ground level. The subway and the newer Sotetsu-Tokyu lines are underground. The station concourse on the 1st floor connects all lines and has ticket gates, shops, and the JR Central staffed ticket office known as Midori no Madoguchi (みどりの窓口, literally "green window").

Transfers: Shinkansen to Local Lines

Shinkansen to JR Yokohama Line (Internal Transfer)

This is the most common transfer at Shin-Yokohama. According to japan-bullettrain.com, you can transfer from the Shinkansen to the JR Yokohama Line through internal transfer gates without exiting the station. The transfer takes about 2-3 minutes — follow signs for "JR Line" or "横浜線."

This is the transfer you use to reach central Yokohama (Yokohama Station, 10 minutes). JR Pass holders can use the same pass for both the Shinkansen and the Yokohama Line.

Shinkansen to Blue Line Subway

To transfer to the Yokohama Municipal Subway Blue Line, you must exit the Shinkansen ticket gates first. Follow signs for "地下鉄" (subway). The transfer takes approximately 3-4 minutes. The Blue Line provides access to Shin-Yokohama Prince Hotel, Yokohama Station, and other city destinations.

Sotetsu-Tokyu Link Line: New Direct Connections to Tokyo and Western Kanagawa

The Sotetsu-Tokyu Link Line (相鉄・東急直通線) opened in March 2023, adding direct connections from Shin-Yokohama to areas previously requiring transfers. According to yokohamastation.com, the Tokyu side runs services to Shin-Tsunashima, Hiyoshi, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, and Meguro. The Sotetsu side connects to Hazawa Yokohama-Kokudai, Nishiya, Ebina, and Shonandai.

For travelers, this means you can now reach Shibuya and Ikebukuro from Shin-Yokohama without going through Yokohama Station — a significant improvement for those connecting to western Tokyo.

Luggage Storage and Station Facilities

Coin lockers are available in the station. As with most major JR stations, expect a range of sizes from small (backpack) to large (full suitcase). Lockers accept coins or IC cards (Suica, PASMO). Availability can be tight during peak travel times — if you arrive during Golden Week, Obon, or year-end holidays, have a backup plan.

The station concourse has convenience stores (typically open early morning to late evening), a JR Central ticket office, and several quick-service restaurants. Check current locker locations and prices at the station, as these may change.

Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum

The Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum (新横浜ラーメン博物館) is approximately a 5-minute walk from the station's north exit. The museum features multiple regional ramen shops under one roof, set in a recreated 1950s Tokyo streetscape. It is one of the area's most popular attractions and a good reason to build in extra time at Shin-Yokohama rather than transferring immediately.

The museum is designed so you can sample small portions (mini bowls) from several different shops, trying styles from across Japan without committing to a full bowl each time. This makes it popular with travelers who want to compare Hokkaido miso, Kyushu tonkotsu, and Tokyo shoyu ramen in a single visit.

Hours and admission may vary — check the museum's official site before visiting, as the information was not confirmed in our current research. The museum is typically open daily.

Onward Connections: Central Yokohama, Kamakura, and Tokyo

To Central Yokohama (Yokohama Station)

JR Yokohama Line from Shin-Yokohama to Yokohama Station takes about 10 minutes. From Yokohama Station, you can reach Chinatown (Motomachi-Chukagai), Minato Mirai, and the waterfront via the Minato Mirai Line or local buses.

The Blue Line subway also connects to central Yokohama if you prefer the underground route.

To Kamakura

There is no direct train from Shin-Yokohama to Kamakura. The most common route is to transfer at Yokohama Station to the JR Yokosuka Line, which runs to Kamakura. Total travel time is approximately 40-50 minutes. For an alternative route via Ofuna Station, which connects to the Shonan Monorail and other Kamakura-area lines, see our Ofuna Station guide.

Back to Tokyo

From Shin-Yokohama, the Tokaido Shinkansen reaches Tokyo Station in about 30 minutes (Nozomi) to 40 minutes (Hikari). JR Pass holders should use Hikari or Kodama — the JR Pass does not cover Nozomi.

Alternatively, the new Tokyu Shin-Yokohama Line offers a direct connection to Shibuya without transferring at Yokohama Station — useful if your Tokyo destination is on the Tokyu network.