日本財団図書館（電子図書館） 美しい都市景観の形成に関する研究
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History of Urban Development
Expansion of the city area through reclamation projects
Summarizing the changes in reclamation projects in Yokosuka City, the following characteristics can be observed.
== Reclamation projects in the central Yokosuka area, starting with the construction of the Yokosuka Ironworks (Shipyard)
In 1865, the Tokugawa Shogunate built the Yokosuka Iron Works (later the "Yokosuka Naval Arsenal") in Yokosuka Village (the present-day Honcho area) as a facility for the construction and repair of warships. Along with this, land reclamation work was carried out on the three bays of Sanga-ho, Hakusen, and Uchiura, which make up the current Yokosuka main harbor area.
Subsequent land reclamation shifted to the current Yokosuka New Port side, gradually extending eastward from Ōtaki Town. As a result, Ōtaki Town (1867), Shiodome Town (1869), Minato Town (1871), Ogawa Town (1878), Wakamatsu Town (1879), Yonegahama (1889), Yasuura Town (1922), and Miharu Town (1930) were created through reclamation. Most of the reclaimed areas during this period were inland from the present Route 16, and they now form the central part of the city. (The years in parentheses indicate the completion year)
Furthermore, in 1929, land reclamation further seaward from Wakamatsu Town, Yonegahama, and Yasura Town began, and in 1931, the vast Hinode Town (about 18 hectares) was established.
== Reclamation of Kurihama Bay Associated with the Construction of a Thermal Power Plant
In connection with the construction of a thermal power plant (Tokyo Electric Power Company), land reclamation off Sendagasaki in Kurihama Bay began in 1957 and the reclamation work was completed in 1973. In addition, the reclamation of Kurihama Port adjacent to the power plant was carried out at the same time (reclamation completed in 1965).
== Large-scale land reclamation projects that began in the 1960s
(a) Reclamation of Ōtsu and Mabori Beach
The reclamation work at Ōtsu and Mabori was completed in 1969, covering about 68.3 hectares. The coastal area, once bustling with beachgoers, was transformed into a residential development.
(b) Reclamation of the waterfront area of Oppama Industrial Complex
In 1969, the reclamation of the waterfront area of the Oppama Industrial Complex (off Natsushima) began, and by 1985, reclamation projects had been carried out for (Sumitomo) shipyard land (completed in 1972), and land for Nissan Motor's transportation and storage facilities (completed in 1982), among others.
(c) Construction of Yokosuka New Port
In 1965, in connection with the national Second Five-Year Port Development Plan, the construction of Yokosuka New Port began, accompanied by land reclamation work. The new port was planned as a cargo ship base surpassing both Nagaura and Kurihama ports, and involved the reclamation of Ogawa Port and the construction of new piers. The port facilities of the new port, completed in 1975, include five berths, cargo handling areas, and open storage yards.
The reclaimed land of Ogawa Port, carried out as a city-led project (completed in 1971), involved the city's development of city blocks. Between 1972 and 1981, high-rise apartments of around ten stories and office buildings for companies were constructed one after another.
(d) Land Reclamation Project in the Yasuura Area - Construction of "Yokosuka Seaside New Town"
From 1980 to 1992, a land reclamation project was carried out in the Yasuura area, creating approximately 61 hectares of land.
The reclaimed land was named Heisei Town, and the development of "Yokosuka Seaside New Town" is was undertaken. This new town was created with medium- to high-rise residential buildings in the central area, surrounded by commercial facilities, cultural and sports facilities, and office buildings.
Under the above plans, land sales in the new town began in 1994, and town development included, as basic facilities, symbolic green spaces such as the “Seaside Fishing Park” and “Umikaze Park,” as well as coastal roads such as “Yokosuka Kaigan Street” (Beach Boulevard).
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== Summary of the Expansion of City Area through Reclamation Projects
The history and overview of reclamation projects in Yokosuka City can be summarized as follows:
-- The history of reclamation along the coast of Yokosuka City is long. By the late Edo period, reclamation work had already been carried out in the area of present-day Yokosuka Main Port associated with the construction of the Yokosuka Iron Works. Subsequently, the reclaimed land gradually expanded southward from the Yokosuka Iron Works, and by the early Showa period, reclamation had extended to the area around present-day Miharu Town.
-- In the postwar period, large-scale land reclamation was carried out along coastal areas other than the Yokosuka Honcho district. A representative example of this is the reclamation associated with the construction of the Kurihama Thermal Power Plant (1957–1965). Furthermore, in the 1960s, reclamation projects began at Otsu and Mabori coasts, as well as in the area that is now the Oppama Industrial Complex, marking the full-scale start of large-scale reclamation.
-- In recent years, a notable example is the reclamation in Heisei-cho, where the construction of the "Yokosuka Seaside New Town," a mixed-use development featuring waterfront parks, residential facilities, and cultural and commercial facilities, is currently ongoing.
