Battleship Mikasa

Relive Japanese naval glory aboard the Mikasa, flagship of the Combined Fleet | Stars and Stripes

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The city of Yokosuka keeps a well-preserved part of Japanese naval history as a memorial to times past.

HMJMS Mikasa — 121 years old, 400 feet long and 76 feet wide — resides at Mikasa Memorial Park on the city waterfront near a statue of Adm. Togo Heihachiro, “the Nelson of the East,” who rode the Mikasa to victory in the Battle of Tsushima Strait.

The historic Japanese battleship, built and commissioned at Vickers Shipbuilding in Cumbria, England, was the flagship of the Combined Fleet that defeated Russia’s Baltic Fleet in May 1905 during the Russo-Japanese War.

Japan ultimately prevailed in the conflict, becoming the first Asian power in modern times to defeat a European power and cementing its rise as the dominant power in northeast Asia.

The Mikasa was decommissioned in September 1923 under the Washington Naval Treaty, which limited the number of battleships allowed for Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom. The ship was towed to its present site in Yokosuka in 1925, where it’s now open to the public.

Battleships are known for their powerful guns, and the Mikasa does not disappoint.

On the upper deck amidships are four 3-inch guns with working screws that allow visitors to elevate the barrels.

At the bow and stern are twin 40-caliber, 12-inch gun mounting turrets. Up front, the main turret is the symbol of the battleship; it weighs 50 tons and was operated by hydraulic pressure.

From the radio room on the upper deck, sailors would transmit messages in Morse code. A display shows the alphabet in Morse code, including the most crucial code used for distress, …---… or SOS.

Visitors climb down steps to reach the main deck. A hallway display of more than 250 model ships includes the USS Constitution, the oldest ship still serving in the U.S. Navy.

U.S. sailors may also recognize a portrait of Commodore John Paul Jones who served in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War. He was the captain of the USS Bohomme Richard when he uttered, “I have not yet begun to fight!” while fighting the HMS Serapis.

The museum is filled with naval uniforms, historical photos of the Mikasa and its crew, medals and artifacts from the ship, including the original rudder wheel; the ship’s bell; and Capt. Shigetake Seki’s favorite camera, which took most of the historical photos that are displayed on Mikasa.

A ship tour illustrates the life of a Japanese sailor from the early 1900s, from the mess decks, where the sailors ate, to the galley, or kitchen, and the admiral’s and captain’s cabins.

There are also fun interactive activities on the main deck, including a virtual reality simulator in which guests can experience the Battle of Tsushima Strait. A video game simulates steering and firing the ship, re-creating the battle at sea.

From the bridge, where the captain and crew managed the ship's direction and speed, is a perfect view of Tokyo Bay, including Sarushima, commonly known as Monkey Island.

The Mikasa is a perfect place for history buffs to learn about this important part of Japanese history.

On the QT

Directions: A 13-minute walk from Yokosuka-chuo Station, via the east exit. 82-19 Inaokacho Mikasa Park, Yokosuka 238-0003

Times: Open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., April through September; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., March through October; and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. November through February. Closed Dec. 28-31.

Costs: Adults are 600 yen; seniors 65 and older are 500 yen; and ages 15-18 pay 300 yen

Food: The are includes cafes and restaurants, including one serving Mexican cuisine.

Information: www.kinenkan-mikasa.or.jp/en/documents/leaf_e.pdf

Historic and Scenic Kinugasa Park

KINUGASA PARK --- It is adjacent to the site of the former/disappeared Kinugasa Castle on Mt. Kinugasa, the original home of the Miura clan. The official name of the mountain is "Kurakake-yama" (鞍掛山) because of its resemblance to a saddle on a horse's back, but today it is widely known as "Kinugasa-yama (衣笠山)" (衣笠山).

The park was established in 1907 to commemorate the war dead of the Russo-Japanese War.  There are many cherry trees and bush clovers planted in the park.  The cherry blossoms are especially famous and have been selected as one of the 100 best cherry blossom viewing spots in Japan.

Although the elevation is low, the view is relatively good, and one can see the urban area of Yokosuka, Yokohama, Tokyo Bay, the Boso Peninsula, and even the center of the city on a clear day.

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Kinugasa-yama was once the site of the main castle of the Miura Clan, which was powerful on the Miura Peninsula from the Heian to Kamakura periods.

It was a medieval mountain castle without stone walls or a moat, and it is thought that the Fukayama and Oyado Rivers served as moats, making good use of nature.

The Miura clan is said to have originated when Muraoka Tametoshi, a descendant of the Kanmu Taira clan, followed Minamoto no Yoriyoshi in the Battle of Mae-no-Kunen (1051-1062), and took the name "Miura Tametoshi" from the name of the territory he was given as a reward for his participation.

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The origin of Kinugasa Castle was a residence built in 1062 at the foot of Mount Kinugasa by Miura Heidaio Tametoshi, who is said to have been the founder of the Miura clan in this area. Later, this castle became the headquarters of the Miura clan, and was enlarged as the Miura clan expanded its power.

In 1180, when Minamoto no Yoritomo raised an army in Izu to overthrow the Heike clan, Miura Yoshicho supported Yoritomo, but Yoritomo was defeated in the Battle of Ishibashiyama. Unable to join Yoritomo's army, the Miura clan, including Yoshiaki, turned back and fought a battle at Kinugasa Castle against Hatakeyama Shigetada's army on the side of the Heike clan, and Kinugasa Castle fell. His father Yoshiaki was killed and the Miura clan fled to Awa Province.

Later, when the Kamakura shogunate was established, this castle became the home of the Miura clan again, but it was abandoned in 1247, the first year of the Kamakura period, when the Miura party fell in the Battle of Houji.

Historic Yokosuka Railroad

Yokosuka Line | Japan Experience (japan-experience.com)

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The Yokosuka Line is a railway line that goes from central Tokyo down the Miura Peninsula that forms the south-western flank of Tokyo Bay.

The Yokosuka Line therefore links Tokyo to the big cities of Kawasaki and Yokohama, the popular travel destination of Kamakura, and the city of Yokosuka.

From Tokyo Station, some Yokosuka Line trains continue on east via the Sobu Line to Chiba prefecture without the need to change trains.

For convenience it is referred to the Yokosuka Line all the way from Tokyo Station to the last stop of Kurihama Station, but the Yokosuka Line proper is the section of the line south of Ofuna Station.

Yokosuka Line History

The Miura Penisula has always been militarily important because of its strategic position at the mouth of Tokyo Bay. The Yokosuka Line serving the peninsula was built well over a century ago, in 1889, to provide transportation to what was one of Japan's most important military bases.

The Yokosuka Line proper (Ofuna southwards) ran only as far as Yokosuka until 1944 when it was extended as far as its current terminal station, Kurihama, to cope with a surge in post-war use.

The Yokosuka Line underwent a major renovation in 1980 when a dedicated line was built for it between Tokyo and Ofuna. This massive project, called the "SM Separation," involved, among other things, establishing the new station, Shin-Kawasaki, and relocating the Yokohama Station building and the adjacent Tokyu Toyoko station. Yokosuka Line trains now run parallel to the Tokaido Line as far as Ofuna instead of on it, greatly relieving rail congestion.

Yokosuka Line Stations

There are 19 stations on the Yokosuka Line, which covers a distance of a little over 70 km. All Yokosuka Line trains are local (kakueki-teisha 各駅停車) stopping at every station. Between Yokohama and Ofuna stations, the Yokosuka Line acts as a local service for the Tokaido Line, which it runs parallel to.

Navy Curry Rice interoperability

Japanese sailors share their ‘secret’ curry recipes with US Navy chefs in Yokosuka  | Stars and Stripes

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YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — Japanese curry, a popular dish whose recipes are jealously guarded in the galleys of the country’s naval vessels, is coming to American clubs at the homeport of the U.S. 7th Fleet.

Four Maritime Self-Defense Force ships are supplying their curry recipes to clubs at Yokosuka, recipes closely held to prevent one ship from appropriating the distinctive ingredients of another, according to Larry Criner, acting Fleet and Family Services director.

To mark the occasion, Club Alliance — the base enlisted club — hosted a tasting event on July 21 to showcase Kizuna 111, a curry made aboard an unnamed Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship.

“The folklore is that it’s a secret, so the other ships don’t ‘steal’ the flavor of the other ship,” Criner said at the event. “Think of it as capture the flag.”

The tasting was attended by Capt. Les Sobol, Yokosuka Naval Base’s commander; Yokosuka city vice mayor Hiroshi Kamijo; Capt. Rafael Facundo, deputy commander and chief of staff for U.S. Naval Forces Japan; and officers from the Maritime Self-Defense Force and the guided-missile destroyers JS Onami and JS Takanami.

“This is about embracing your teammates and your partners on common ground,” Sobol said at the event. “When you get to break bread with somebody and you get to eat something that they're very proud of and they're proud of making, it's magical.”

Sailors in the Japanese navy are served curry nearly every Friday at base dining halls and in ship galleys. The service picked up the tradition from the United Kingdom, which adopted curry from India.

The Japanese discovered curry had the right ingredients to prevent beriberi, a disease linked to a vitamin B1 deficiency, and the meal became a staple in the service, according to the Atlas Obscura website. Japanese sailors consume about 45 tons of curry a year, about 2.25 million meals, according to the Maritime Self-Defense Force website.

Four curry varieties will be rolled out eventually at the Chiefs Club, the Officers Club and Club Alliance at the naval base and Club Takemiya at Ikego Housing Detachment, Criner said.

“This helps with our partnership with our Japanese allies,” he said. “Everyone’s so excited. The Japanese are excited to share these flavors of curries that are uniquely theirs, and the Americans, we are excited to be part of the process.”

Kizuna 111, the curry at Friday’s tasting, is beef-based and comes with two varieties of rice: garlic and coffee. In Japanese, Kizuna means “the bond that connects us.”

“It's just amazing,” Sobol said. “It's very well done. The coffee rice is not overpowering, there is just a hint of coffee taste, just enough to make it tastes really good. The curry is sweet and savory with not a lot of spice to it. It is well done and balanced.”

Club Alliance will serve Kizuna 111 on Friday at the Italian Gardens restaurant, base spokesman Randall Baucom told Stars and Stripes by email Monday. How often it will be available has yet to be determined.

Cooks from each ship taught Yokosuka Morale, Welfare and Recreation chefs how to prepare the curries. Kizuna 111 takes a couple of hours to make; the most difficult process is getting the beef appropriately tender, MWR chef Takashi Watanabe said Friday.

“It's an honor,” he said.

Expert diners approved of the result.

“The curry was very good, with a rich taste to it,” said Chief Hiroyuki Ogata, a culinary specialist on the JS Onami.

An order of Japanese navy curry will go for $5 at the base and housing area clubs, Criner said. The menu is subject to change, depending on available ingredients.

“Give it a try,” Sobol said. “If you're curry fan, you're gonna love it. If you're not a curry fan, you're gonna be pleasantly surprised about just how good it is.”