Shinchi is one of Japan's three historic Chinatowns, along with Yokohama and Kobe, and the oldest of the three. It dates to the late 17th century, when Chinese merchants were confined here on reclaimed land much like the Dutch on nearby Dejima. The compact grid of streets is bracketed by four ornate gates aligned to the cardinal directions, with restaurants, lantern shops, and dim sum bakeries packed into the four blocks between them. It is at its best during the Lantern Festival (Chinese New Year), when 15,000 lanterns turn the streets red and gold.