Gundam Factory Yokohama: The 18m Gundam That Moved

Narita to Yokohama

Early start. We checked out of Narita at 7am and took the JR all the way down to Kamakura, which was our base for the next two nights. Onigiri on the platform, rice fields out of the window, then the long ride under Tokyo.

Narita station platform in the morning — 6:55am

We dropped our bags in Kamakura and doubled straight back to Yokohama.

Minmin on a Kamakura street — Bags dropped

The Sushi Uncle

Lunch was a random find: a tiny café run by an uncle in his 70s. Four counter seats and one table for six, that’s it. The menu was literally A, B or C, and at first I thought that was dumb. Turns out it was so good. Homemade, nostalgic, the kind of food that tastes like someone’s grandparents made it. We chatted with him through Google Translate’s speech mode and found out he used to teach sushi, many, many years ago. Now he just runs the shop with his wife. Such a cozy place, and kind of sad too, because there probably won’t be many more places like this in the future.

The Gundam

After lunch, a walk along the harbour to Yamashita Pier, past the old Hikawa Maru ocean liner.

The Hikawa Maru ship at the harbour — Yokohama harbour

Then the reason we came: the Gundam Factory on Yamashita Pier. An 18-metre RX-78-2 Gundam, life size, standing in a steel dock. And it moves. Every so often, the music starts, the dock lights up, and the whole thing walks forward, kneels and raises its arm. It’s slow and a bit wobbly, but when something that big moves its head and looks at you, your inner 10-year-old goes crazy.

The Gundam standing in its dock — The RX-78

The Gundam Café on site does latte art with the logo, and drinks you can take up to the deck.

A latte with Gundam latte art — Gundam latte

Drinks on the deck overlooking the Gundam — Gundam latte

The Gundam Dock at Yamashita Pier — Gundam Dock

The Yokohama skyline across the water — Gundam Dock

Eye Level in the Dock Tower

The extra ticket for the Gundam Dock Tower is worth it. You queue in the “waiting area”, then go up the scaffolding to a deck right next to the Gundam’s chest and head. When it moves, it moves right next to you.