Yokohama has a nighttime population of about 3.777 million and a daytime population of about 3.496 million, giving it a daytime/nighttime population ratio of 92.5%. The city loses more than 280,000 people during the day, clearly showing its bedroom-community role. But with roughly 3.5 million people still present during the daytime, Yokohama is also a huge employment city. “Yokohama is only a place to sleep” is not an accurate description.
Yokohama daytime and nighttime population data (2020 Census)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Nighttime population (resident population) | 3,777,491 |
| Daytime population | 3,495,975 |
| Daytime-nighttime difference | -281,516 |
| Daytime/nighttime population ratio | 92.5% |
| One-person households | 699,171 households |
| Total households | 1,753,081 households |
| Share of one-person households | 39.9% |
Even after losing 280,000 people during the day, Yokohama still has a daytime population of about 3.5 million
The daytime-nighttime difference is minus 281,516. For every 100 nighttime residents, there are 92.5 people in the city during the day, meaning that more people commute or study outside Yokohama—especially in Tokyo—than travel into the city.
At the same time, a daytime population of 3,495,975 is enormous. Large numbers of people work, study, and live within Yokohama, giving the city more independent employment and education functions than a typical suburban bedroom community.
Tokyo commuter districts and Yokohama's own business centers coexist
Aoba, Tsuzuki, and Kohoku wards have many households commuting to Tokyo on the Den-en-toshi and Toyoko lines, while Keikyu, JR, and Odakyu routes also support metropolitan commuting. At the same time, Yokohama Station and Minato Mirai contain employment centers including Nissan Motor and FUJIFILM Business Innovation, Shin-Yokohama has corporate and event functions, and the waterfront includes logistics and manufacturing.
Because Yokohama is a huge 18-ward city, Tokyo-oriented residential districts and areas with strong local employment overlap. A daytime/nighttime ratio of 92.5% indicates neither that Yokohama is “not a bedroom community” nor that it is “entirely a bedroom community.” It sits between a residential city in the Tokyo metropolitan area and an independent economic center.
How to read these figures
Population and labor statistics are available only for specific reference years and may not reflect later economic conditions or changes in employment.
The article is organized primarily around published statistical figures. Numerical values directly observable in the statistical tables should be distinguished from interpretations of background factors.
Summary: Yokohama is a self-sustaining major city with a strong bedroom-community function
Yokohama loses about 280,000 people during the day, so it clearly has a residential-city function, but it is also an employment and education center with a daytime population of about 3.5 million. Both Tokyo dependence and Yokohama's own economy are part of the city's real character.
- Nighttime population: about 3.777 million
- Daytime population: about 3.496 million
- Daytime/nighttime population ratio: 92.5%
- Tokyo commuter districts coexist with employment centers such as Yokohama Station and Minato Mirai
Source: Published statistics listed in the Analysis notes at the end of this article
📊 Analysis notes
This article is based on the following statistical data.
- Statistics used: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Social and Demographic Statistics System (Population and Households) (Table ID: 0000020101, view on e-Stat)
- Area: Yokohama
- Year: 2020
- Data retrieved: June 6, 2026
- Notes: The article is organized primarily around figures from published statistics. Because population composition, employment practices, and other factors outside the article also matter, numerical values directly observable in the statistical tables should be distinguished from interpretation.
Chart and table values have been independently aggregated and visualized from the statistical data above.
Table values have been organized from the statistical data above.