Smoking Izakaya & Bars in Yokohama (2026): Noge, Kannai and Chinatown
Table of contents
Yokohama's two-layer street-smoking rules
The City of Yokohama regulates smoking and littering under its ordinance on preventing the scattering of empty cans and cigarette butts. Citywide, littering (including butts) is prohibited and may draw a fine of up to 20,000 yen; you are also required to make an effort not to smoke while walking, and to carry a portable ashtray when smoking outdoors. Separately, busy station areas and entertainment districts are designated as no-smoking districts where violations carry a 2,000 yen fine. As of July 2026 the city lists nine such districts: the Yokohama Station area, Minato Mirai 21, Kannai, Tsurumi Station area, Higashi-Kanagawa Station area, Shin-Yokohama Station area, Totsuka Station area, Futamatagawa Station area and Hiyoshi Station area. Districts can be added or expanded, so check the city's official list for the current position.
The city states explicitly that heated tobacco products count as manufactured tobacco under the Tobacco Business Act and therefore fall within the ordinance's definition of smoking — so inside a no-smoking district, IQOS-style devices are treated the same as cigarettes.
Are Noge, Kannai and Chinatown inside a no-smoking district?
This guide does not assert one way or the other. Yokohama's official list of no-smoking districts contains no district named "Noge", "Chinatown" or "Yamashita-cho". The nearby Kannai district is officially described as "JR Kannai Station and the former city hall area" (about 4.1 hectares, designated 21 January 2008), which is a deliberately limited description. Exact boundaries cannot be inferred from the district names alone — you have to check the city's published no-smoking district map (PDF and Google Maps). Open it before you go out, and remember that even outside a district, the citywide rules still apply. In crowded, narrow-pavement areas like Chinatown and Noge, the practical answer is to move to a designated smoking area or an indoor smoking room rather than smoking on the street at all.
The city has also been considering an amendment that would ban smoking in public outdoor spaces across the whole city, and ran a public comment period from 13 February to 15 March 2026. As of July 2026 no confirmed submission or effective date could be found on the city's official site, so this guide does not treat it as settled. Check the City of Yokohama website for the current status.
The four venue types for smokers
- Smoking-permitted room (kitsuen kanō ten): cigarettes + food/drink OK. Grandfathered small venues only — the classic "smoking izakaya"
- Smoking-purpose venue (kitsuen mokuteki ten): cigar bars and snack bars that sell tobacco and serve no staple food (no rice or noodle dishes)
- Sealed smoking room (kitsuen senyō shitsu): cigarettes OK, but no food or drink inside the room
- Heated-tobacco-only room: IQOS / glo / Ploom only, food and drink OK — the common chain-store option
In every case, people under 20 (customers and staff alike) may not enter smoking areas, and venues must display the officially designated sign at the entrance (source: https://jyudokitsuen.mhlw.go.jp/smoking_room/). Venues that opened after April 2020, and large chains capitalized above 50 million yen, cannot use the grandfather clause.
How to find one: read the door sign
The sticker at the entrance is the reliable signal. "Smoking permitted" or "smoking purpose" means you can smoke cigarettes while eating and drinking; "smoking room" means smoking is separated from dining; "heated tobacco room" means IQOS-style devices only. No sign means the interior is non-smoking. Noge is dense with tiny single-counter bars and Kannai has many multi-tenant buildings, so check the sign at each venue's own door rather than at the building entrance.
Find smoking-friendly venues on MottoSuitai
You can browse smoking-friendly izakaya, bars and cafes by prefecture on MottoSuitai's smoking-friendly restaurant search. For designated outdoor smoking areas near Chinatown, see the Yokohama Chinatown area. The nationwide rules are covered in our guide to smoking izakaya and bars, and local fines in the street-smoking fines guide.
This is a third-party guide based on official MHLW and City of Yokohama information as of July 2026. It names no individual venues, because each venue's registration and policy can change. Always confirm with the sign at the door, the venue's official information and the City of Yokohama website. This article provides information about smoking environments and does not encourage smoking; smoking under the age of 20 is prohibited by law in Japan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.Can you smoke in izakaya in Noge?
A.In some. Small venues operating since before April 2020 may keep a registered smoking-permitted room where cigarettes and dining are both allowed. Look for the official "smoking permitted" sign at the entrance — this guide does not name individual venues.
Q.Are Noge and Chinatown inside a no-smoking district?
A.This guide does not assert either way. Yokohama's official district list contains no "Noge" or "Chinatown" district, and exact boundaries can only be read from the city's published no-smoking district map. Check that map before smoking outdoors.
Q.How much is the fine for street smoking in Yokohama?
A.2,000 yen for violations inside a designated no-smoking district. Citywide, littering including cigarette butts is separately prohibited and may draw a fine of up to 20,000 yen. Heated tobacco products are treated the same as cigarettes inside the districts.
Q.Can I bring children to a smoking izakaya?
A.No one under 20 may enter smoking areas, even without smoking. In a fully smoking-permitted venue this means under-20s cannot enter at all — choose a non-smoking venue instead.