Yamate (山手) is the name of two neighborhoods in Naka-ku, Yokohama. One is the historic Yamate Bluff area, with the Foreigner's Cemetery, many well-preserved residences, two International Schools—Yokohama International School and Saint Maur International School—and the Sacred Heart Cathedral. The other is the area around Yamate Station on the JR Keihin Tohoku/Negishi Line between Ishikawacho and Negishi Stations.
The Yamate Bluff area is famous as having been a major foreigners' neighborhood in the Bakumatsu and Meiji periods. Many oyatoi gaikokujin were based there, along with diplomatic missions and a foreigners' cemetery. The neighborhood maintains that reputation today, along with the Motomachi neighborhood located below it. In addition to the several international schools located there, the area has many tourist sites as the Minato no mieru oka koen (港の見える丘公園) (Harbour View Park), historical Western buildings like the Yamate 111 House, Bluff 18 House, a former British diplomat's house, and the Yamate 234 house. There are many historical Western buildings in this area as the British took control of Yamate for a while. Other sites are the Foreign Cemetery, Cat Museum (http://www.galerieparis.net/cat.html), and Toys Club Museum (http://www.toysclub.co.jp/), and many churches. Most people living there are either very well-off Japanese people or expatriates.
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