Duties of Uraga Magistrate's Office

The Uraga Magistrate’s Office ( 浦賀奉行所 ) was established in 1720 in the area formerly known as Nishi Uraga Village.  There were facilities such as the Uraga Administration Office for official duties and the Uraga Inspection Office (checkpoint) which inspected ships entering and leaving Edo (present-day Tokyo).

Here is some more information on what the office was tasked to do:

 入り鉄砲に出女 "Iri Teppo ni Shu-jo" (guns in, women out) was one of the transportation policies aimed at maintaining order in Edo and controlling the daimyo during the Edo period and was enforced by the Edo Shogunate at checkpoints.

  -- "Iri-teppo" refers to weapons such as guns brought into Edo.

  -- "Shu-jo" refers to women who leave Edo, and are wives and daughters of feudal lords living in Edo.

== [Purpose]

To prevent feudal lords and others from rebelling in Edo.

To prevent the wives and daughters of feudal lords who were living in Edo as hostages from fleeing to their home provinces and rebelling against the shogunate.

== [Method of crackdown]

For the passage of guns, a gun pass with the seal of the senior councilor must be submitted to the checkpoint.

For the passage of women, the pass that they carried was checked against the Shogunate's caretaker's seal, and the details written on the pass and the woman were carefully revised and confirmed before they were allowed to pass.

Miura Peninsula Observations

【山さ行がねが】隧道レポート　旧 佐島隧道

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The Miura Peninsula is a hilly peninsula that stretches about 25 km from the southernmost point, Jogashima in Miura City, to the northernmost point, Enkaisan in Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama City, and has an average width of about 5 km. 

Of note, because the Boso Peninsula, located on the opposite shore across Tokyo Bay, is so thick and huge, Miura does not stand out much on small-scale maps. 

However, it was Kurihama Port on the peninsula that Perry landed on his black ships at the end of the Edo period, and the neighboring Uraga Port was opened when the isolation policy was lifted. 

Also, Yokosuka Port developed as the largest base port of the Japanese Navy after the Meiji period.

Although it has a history that is more military-oriented, the density of the land in the sense that it is full of history is amazing. It is also probably the most densely populated peninsula in Japan.

Miura lies at the edge of a megalopolis that receives direct sunlight from the capital, Tokyo.

At the same time, the peninsula is the most accessible place for people in the metropolitan area to go to the beach, and all the main roads within the peninsula are congested during high season holidays. 

Zushi City, located on the other side of the peninsula from Yokosuka City, is a tourist city with a tropical atmosphere and is the center of Shonan status (next door is the historic city of Kamakura), while Hayama Town, located to the south, is a quiet town with a famous Imperial Villa.

This may be a misleading statement, but if I may say so, the "back side of Miura" such as Zushi and Hayama is a place of healing that has, to some extent, protected the "countryside" from the scorching heat of Tokyo with the shield of hills.

Uraga no Watashi (Uraga Ferry)

“Uraga no Watashi” (Uraga Ferry)

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== History of Uraga Ferry Boat

The ferry, nicknamed "Pom Pom Sen" and a symbol of Uraga, has a long history dating back to around 1725, soon after the magistrate's office was established in Uraga.

In the Edo period, there were two boatmen for each boat. The employment of these boatmen and the upkeep of the boat were essential to the daily life of the area, with the cooperation of people from the Kamoi and Kurihama districts, which are a little further away, in addition to people from the East and West Uraga areas.

From August 1878, a community of 17 neighborhood associations in East and West Uraga began to maintain and manage it. The fare at that time was 3 rin per person. (3 rin = 3/1000th of a yen） The hours of operation were set from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., with double fare at night. This marked the birth of the ferry as a form of transportation operated by the community.

The town of Uraga did not become involved with the ferry until 40 years later, in 1917. At that time, the town received a transfer of business rights from the community for 5,000 yen. This was the heyday of the ferry and the average number of passengers per day reached 1,000. Therefore, another route was in operation in an area about 300 meters from the current location in the direction of Uraga Station.

In April 1943, the town of Uraga merged with Yokosuka City, and the ferry became operated by Yokosuka City, but later, in October 1949, the city changed to a system of leasing city facilities to private operators for operation.

The 9.5-meter-long, vermilion-toned vessel makes daily round-trips along the "Uraga Kaido" (Uraga sea route). The name "Atagomaru" comes from Mt. Atago in Nishi-uraga Town. The boat was replaced by a mechanical boat in 1962, and was previously an oar-powered boat called a "Tenma-Sen". The current Atago Maru is the second generation, and was put into service in 1998 to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the Uraga ferry.

The boat's design was inspired by the boats that once carried the portable shrines during the Higashikano Shrine festival, called "gozabune" (literally, "goza boat").

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Uraga Ferry “Uraga no Watashi” ｜ YOKOSUKA ROUTE MUSEUM

The Uraga Ferry dates back to the Edo period (1600s-1868), and it was said that the shishi samurai during the Late Edo Shogunate (mid-19th century), Sakuma Shozan and Yoshida Shoin, visited the Japanese inn, Tadoya, that existed on the east side of Uraga. The ferry route is named Uraga Kaido, or “Uraga Sea Route,” and it is unique within Japan as a municipal road on the sea. Passengers being transported across this road will have the opportunity to see a special view of Uraga from the waters.

Tsukuihama --- The Lost Resort

 

In the 1960s, the Keihin Kyuko railway company extended its rail lines south from Yokosuka down into the Miura Peninsula area .... Keikyu also built resort facilities to attract customers to ride the new rail lines .... In the small beach community of Tsukuihama, a luxury hotel called "Miura Cape Chateau" was opened in 1965, and it stayed in business until 2000 .... All gone now...

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(Article written in June 2008)

1. Beach resort led by Keihin Kyuko Railway

In the past, entry restrictions were put into place at Miura Kaigan Station due to the large number of tourists.  At the time, cars traveling between the Keihin area and the Miura Peninsula were concentrated on National Route 16, and traffic jams ran from Isogo Ward through Yokosuka City.  Beach huts were lined up close and close to each other, and the sand was filled with beachgoers.  Beach seine fishing was also popular, mainly with families.  At the time, the sandy beaches along the coast of Tokyo had almost disappeared due to reclamation, and this area became the largest beach in the Tokyo and Yokohama suburbs.

The so-called Iwato boom that began in 1958 (Showa 33) led Japan into high economic growth, and at the same time, a leisure boom arrived.  Around that time, on the Miura Peninsula, Keihin Kyuko began extending its railway line south of Kurihama, and in 1963 it opened from Keihin Kurihama (now Keikyu Kurihama) to Nobi (now YRP Nobi), and in 1966 it opened to Miura Kaigan, marking the first time that a railway line had entered Miura City.

In conjunction with this, Keihin Kyuko called the area from Nobi to Miura Beach "Blue Daytona Beach" and launched a major campaign.  Incidentally, Daytona Beach is a tourist destination in Florida, USA, known for its vast sandy beaches.  Keihin Kyuko held the Miura Beach Festival, and in conjunction with the festival, they operated tourist trains such as the "Miura Beach Train" that ran directly from Shinagawa to Miura Beach and carried entertainers.

In terms of facilities, they also created many directly managed tourist facilities and began to develop tourism along the line.  In 1965, they opened Hotel Cape Chateau on the hill behind Tsukuihama Station, in 1969 they opened a beach center facing the beach, and in 1973 they opened a field archery facility at the foot of Takeyama.  In addition, in 1968 Keihin Kyuko began to tie up with Tsukuihama's tourist farm, which was developed in the 1960s, and in addition to the original mandarin orange picking, they expanded the scale of the event to include strawberry picking and potato digging.  In this way, one of the prefecture's leading tourist destinations was formed from Tsukuihama to Miura Coast.

2. Changes in leisure activities and the decline of tourist destinations

After the first oil crisis in 1973, the leisure boom went into a sudden downturn.  Even after the bubble economy began, leisure activities became larger and more diverse, and tourists began to easily travel to Hokkaido, Okinawa, and overseas, so the tourists who once flooded the station never returned to this area.  The number of beach huts lining the coast continued to decrease year by year, and now there are less than half of them around Miura Kaigan Station.  Around 2000, all the tourist facilities built by Keihin Kyuko in this area were forced to close, and the beach center has been turned into a parking lot, but nothing else is being used there.

The only "bubble-like leisure facility" that appeared in this area during the bubble period was "Maholova Minds Miura," built on a plateau overlooking Miura Kaigan.  It was originally built as a luxury resort condominium, but sales were poor after the bubble collapsed, so it was restarted as a resort hotel.  It offers services at a low price considering the quality of the facilities, and it seems to attract a fair number of customers due to its reasonable price.  It is a conspicuous building on the flat Miura Plateau, which is mainly farmland.  Recently, the area has become a commuter area using the Keihin Kyuko Line, and residential development is progressing near Miura Kaigan Station.

http://www.kana-chiri.org/chiiki/kawariyuku/Miura1.html

   

The Subtle Joke Monument in Perry Park

じょうきせんの碑｜横須賀市

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Tucked away in a corner of Yokosuka's Perry Memorial Park is a small monument which seems to exist as an inside joke...  

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"Jokisen" Rakushu Poem Monument

For about two hundred years, the Edo Shogunate had adopted a policy of national isolation that prohibited trade and traffic with foreign countries.  Suddenly, as if to shatter Japan's dream of peace, on July 8, 1853 (June 3, Kaei 6 in the lunar calendar), a fleet of four black ships appeared off the coast of Kamoi, Uraga, urging Japan to open its borders, and six days later the fleet landed at Kurihama.  The fleet was commanded by Commodore Perry.

The samurai of the various domains guarding Edo Bay and the Uraga Magistrate's Office were shocked and shaken by the sight of these large black ships.  How astonishing was the arrival of the black ships urging Japan to open its borders, not only to the Shogunate officials, but also to those who saw and heard about their grandeur? 

This rakushu (humorous poem) succinctly expresses that surprise.  According to the Kurihama Village History, this rakushu is also said to have been written by the Elder Manabe Akikatsu (pen name Matsudo).

Monument Inscription:

   泰平の眠りをさます上喜撰

   たった四盃で夜も寝られず

   Taihei no nemuri wo samasu jokisen

   Tatta yon-hai de yoru mo ne-rarezu   

   Awoken from peaceful slumber due to Jokisen

   Just four cups and can't fall back to sleep

Note: Key to understanding the poem is the clever/humorous use of the word "Jokisen", which, depending on the kanji used, has a double meaning of 上喜撰 (tea) and 蒸気船 (steam ship) .... The "four cups of tea", mean "the four steam-powered U.S. Navy warships" -- e.g., the Black Ships...

Kanagawa’s Two Most Famous Arrivals: Commodore Perry and Godzilla - Sea Leg Adventure

Hello Kitty Yokosuka Jumper (Suka-Jan)

Hello Kitty, My Melody sukajan jackets combine symbols of Japan traditional, old-school, and cute | SoraNews24 -Japan News-

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Japan is a country with a rich history of distinct aesthetics. If we’re talking sights that have been considered representative of the country for centuries, we have to start with Mt. Fuji and cherry blossoms. Meanwhile, in more modern eras, the cute characters of Sanrio have also become a globally recognized shorthand for “JAPAN!”

So what better place for those symbols of Japan to meet than on a canvas that’s itself a style that originated in Japan: the sukajan.

The sukajan gets its name from the town of Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, where the look was established following World War II as the fashion senses of American sailors at the city’s naval base blended with those of local Japanese youths. The resulting garment, also sometimes called a “souvenir jacket” in English, features smooth, shimmering fabric with contrasting colors for the chest/back and sleeves, along with embroidery evocative of Japan. Often this comes in the form of flying dragons, leaping carp, or raging wind gods, but Tokyo-based fashion company Nevermind’s muses are instead Sanrio stars Hello Kitty, My Melody, and Kuromi.

It’s not all modern pop, though, as the designs of the all-rayon also incorporate traditional motifs, starting with the Kitty-chan jacket with a storm of sakura petals blowing through the night sky with Mt. Fuji in the background and a crescent moon above, and Kitty herself donning a kimono on the jacket’s back.

Hirasaku Army Cemetery

The Hirasaku Army Cemetery was transferred to our city on April 1, 1951, under the Former Naval Port City Conversion Act. The cemetery enshrines 23 soldiers who died in World War I, as well as the remains of approximately 400 soldiers from the Yokosuka Heavy Artillery Regiment who died in battle or from illness.

Due to the confusion at the end of the war and the sudden demobilization of those involved, records were scattered and the surviving family members of the war dead are not known. After that, the cemetery fell into disrepair with broken grave markers, but in October 1964, with the cooperation of local residents, the scattered remains were collected and reburied, a surrounding fence and approach to the cemetery were constructed, and in 1973, a memorial monument was erected to pray for the repose of the war dead.

* It was originally called "Yokosuka Heavy Artillery Regiment Cemetery" (Yokosuka Army Cemetery).

* It was built in 1890 as a burial ground for the 1st Fortress Artillery Regiment when the regiment was founded.

* After the war, it became overgrown because many people came and went during cherry blossom season and other times. It seems to have been maintained by members of the local neighborhood association and Buddhist church.

* In October 1964, an Olympic memorial pool was built, and the remains scattered in the park area along with those from the cemetery there were reburied in the current cemetery, and a fence was also built around it.

* The local senior citizens' association regularly cleans the temple grounds. We are grateful for this. The city administration center is responsible for caring for the trees.

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oukanokizuna.web.fc2.com/gunjinbochi/sanpai-kanagawa-yokosuka.html

International Events

Yokosuka City government annually organizes and hosts four public ceremonies and festival events which commemorate its international history.  

The first one occurs during April in the historic Uraga port district.  A local festival is held in the shipyard area to commemorate the departure, in 1860, of the naval vessel, "Kanrin Maru" -- which was the first Shogunate ship to sail across the Pacific Ocean, carrying a group of officials to visit & tour the U.S.  A ceremony is held in which representatives from the U.S. and Netherlands embassies attend.   

Also, in April is the "William Adams Cherry Blossom Party", held at "Tsukayama Park" in Yokosuka's Hemi district.  William Adams lived in Japan during the 1600s, and his adventurous experiences are fictionalized in a popular novel and award-winning TV series called: "Shogun".  In real life, Adams was granted a fiefdom over land in the Hemi area.  Representatives from the British and Dutch embassies attend a ceremony amidst the beautiful Sakura trees, which are blossoming at the time.  

Later in the year, during early-July, when things are much warmer, a festival with fireworks is held by the beach in the Kurihama district.  The lively event commemorates the landing, in 1853, on Kurihama beach, by Commodore Perry and members of his U.S. Navy warship squadron -- which, at the time, Japanese called: "the arrival of the Black Ships".  Perry's visit marked the beginning of the "opening" of Japan to international commerce and foreign residents.  Senior U.S. Navy officers and American embassy officials attend a ceremony which is held as part of the festival.  

Finally, in November, a commemorative event is held at Verny Park, located next to Yokosuka Navy base (CFAY), to celebrate France's role in the development of a large naval-industrial complex in Yokosuka.  Beginning in 1865, a team of French engineers and officials, led by Leonce Verny, arrived in Yokosuka to build-up the necessary infrastructure and install management systems, etc., for what would later become Yokosuka Naval Arsenal.  Verny's Japanese counterpart was the Shogunate official, Lord Oguri.  Diplomats from the French embassy and navy attend a ceremony and reception held in the park.  

As you can see, Yokosuka has a unique "international" history, which these various festivals and events showcase every year.

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式典・表彰｜横須賀市

Historic Uraga "Brick" Dock

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/original/perspectives/20250112-232616/

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== Former Shipbuilding Site Conveys History, Heritage of Japan’s Shipbuilding Industry; Uraga Brick Dock in Yokosuka, Rare Dry Dock in Japan

YOKOSUKA, Kanagawa — An open-air performance of the play “The Japanese Ideology Chapter 7” was recently held at Uraga Brick Dock in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture.

The play, which lasted for about an hour, was performed by a group of artists called Olta and is a continuation of the group’s previous “The Japanese Ideology” shows. Japan’s modernization was the theme of the play.

The performers from Olta moved from stairs to puddles at the dock, while the audience walked around them, enjoying the show at a variety of distances and angles.

“It was a performance that effectively made use of the unique location,” said a male company worker in his 40s from Yokosuka.

Uraga is the birthplace of modern shipbuilding in Japan. It is where the Edo shogunate built the first Western-style sailing warship Ho-o Maru, after a U.S. fleet led by Commodore Matthew Perry appeared on the seas off the coast of Uraga in 1853.

The dock was built in 1899, and more than 1,000 ships were constructed and repaired at the dockyard where the dock is located until its closure in 2003. Destroyers for the Imperial Japanese Navy were among the vessels built there before World War II. Among those built there after the war are the Mashu Maru I, a ferry connecting Hakodate and Aomori; the sailing ship Nippon Maru II; and Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers.

The dockyard led the country’s shipbuilding industry from the 1950s through the 1980s, when Japan was said to have been the world’s top shipbuilding nation, and the area was reportedly bustling with workers engaged in shipbuilding.

In 2003, however, the historic dock was closed due to changes in shipbuilding demand and Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd., which owned the dock, had undergone a business reorganization, among other factors. In 2021, the dock was donated to the city of Yokosuka.

According to the city, there are only two large brick-built dry docks in Japan, and only the one in Uraga can be seen with no seawater at all times. There are said to be very few similar docks in the world.

Ships are built or repaired at dry docks. Water gates close before the water is drained, and the ships are set afloat again when the dock is refilled with seawater.

Uraga Dock is about 180 meters long, 25 meters wide and 10 meters deep. Many bricks are still found on the sides of the dock, and the blocks where ships were placed are lined up on the floor. More than 2 million bricks are said to have been used in its construction.

The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry has designated the dock as a facility of industrial heritage for modernization, as it recounts the history of the shipbuilding industry. Recently, it has been called the Uraga Brick Dock.

The city of Yokosuka hopes to convey the pride and history of the area around the dock and its prosperous shipbuilding history while capitalizing on its potential as a new tourist resource.

The dock is only open to the public during events or for guided tours.

“The Japanese Ideology Chapter 7” was performed as part of the “Sense Island / Land 2024” art festival, which was held from October to December 2024 in various places around Yokosuka, including on the uninhabited island Sarushima.

Koajiro Forest .... Located Southwest of Yokosuka

https://www.city.miura.kanagawa.jp/material/files/group/24/shinyotai.pdf

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Listening to the chirps of many small birds and the sounds of Japanese pygmy woodpeckers pecking at trees, we passed through the Koajiro Forest in Miura City, where we came across three caves on the cliffs facing the shores of Koajiro Bay. 

Today, Koajiro Bay is a quiet crab paradise, but at the end of the Asia-Pacific War, it was used as a base for the "Shinyo" special attack boats in preparation for the American invasion of the mainland. 

Around Koajiro Bay alone, more than a dozen tunnels (underground bunkers) of various sizes were dug, and their existence can still be seen today. The bunkers facing the bay are relatively easy to explore, but the tide can rise up to the entrance, and there are puddles inside, so if you are going to explore, you will need boots, a flashlight, gloves, and a hat.

Holding a flashlight in one hand, I cautiously enter the pitch black cave. There are many things that remind me of the time, such as the remains of a pulley on the ceiling for storing boats, the remains of rails on the floor for transporting boats, and the remains of a door at the entrance to the cave. There are also many centipedes, which will suddenly fall on your head if you are not careful.

Deployed here in Koajiro, the 27th Shinyo Unit was a unit of 184 people, including 25 Shinyo boats and 50 crew members (kamikaze pilots), and repeatedly conducted training in Sagami Bay. On July 29, 1945, with defeat imminent, three Shinyo boats (with six crew members) were sent out on a "special mission" (kamikaze). However, the next day, they were attacked by American aircraft off the coast of Sagami and all of them were killed in action.

In Aburatsubo Bay, located next to the small peninsula where Aburatsubo Marine Park is located, the base of the special attack submarine Kairyu was located.  Currently, many yachts and cruisers are moored there, but at that time, 60 Kairyu were deployed in combat. 

The 56th Shinyo Unit (183 people including 25 Shinyo boats and 53 crew members) was stationed in Ena Bay in Matsuwa, Minamishimoura Town, and the unit headquarters was set up in Fukusenji Temple. The crew members and base staff were apparently lodged in private homes. There are about 10 underground trenches remaining around Ena Bay. 

Why not take a moment to reminisce about the war 60 years ago while looking out at the sparkling Koajiro Bay and Ena Bay? 

Note: "kamikaze" is an attack method used by the Japanese military at the end of the Pacific War. It involves young soldiers personally piloting aircraft to ram enemy ships.

Great Generals of Japan: Miura Osuke Yoshiaki

(Art by: Utagawa Yoshikazu 1858 (Ansei 5))

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Miura Yoshiaki was a warrior who was a lord of Kinugasa Castle at Miura county of Sagami Province (current Yokosuka City) during the late of Heian period. 

In 1180, when the surviving child of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, Minamoto no Yoritomo raised his army, Yoshiaki decided to join Yoritomo’s army and raised his army constructed by his whole clan. However soon after he left the Kinugasa Castle, news that Yoritomo was defeated at the battle of Ishibashi-yama arrived, then Yoshiaki returned to his castle and fought from the castle. 

However, soon the army of the enemy led by Hatakeyama Shigetada attacked this castle. Yoshiaki fought back desperately with all of his army, but soon the situation turned bad and all the arrows to shoot the enemy were running out. Then he decided to die by protecting the castle, after he let his clan to escape to the Awa Province. 

He died when he was 89 years old. 

During Edo period, he was known as a veteran with the righteous and compassionate personality. 

The poetry on the background is “When you are old, and you have already attended upon your master for a long time, think of his master in the same way as you think of your children ”.

The Dockyard That Drove Japan’s Modernization

Metal One Corporation / METAL CULTURE / Yokosuka Works [Yokosuka]

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The Yokosuka Iron Works was the largest construction project in the final years of the Edo Period (1603–1868), and powered the modernization of Japan. Built 150 years ago, it incorporated a dockyard that now serves as part of a U.S. Navy base.

Admiral Perry came to Japan in 1853 and forced the Edo Shogunate to open the country to the outside world. This revealed the nation’s relative lack of strength compared to other countries, so the shogunate hastily began to build up its military. The shogunate planned the construction of a modern dockyard to build warships, and put Commissioner of Finance Oguri Tadamasa (who was also the assistant governor of Kozuke Province, equivalent to present-day Gunma Prefecture) in charge of the project.

Oguri was a member of an 1860 delegation the shogunate sent to the United States. He was astonished by the high level of steelworks and metalworking technology at the Washington Navy Yard, and reportedly took a screw back with him. Upon his return, he was ordered to construct the dockyard. He sought help from the United States, but that country was embroiled in the American Civil War, so he enlisted the cooperation of France instead. French engineer Léonce Verny visited Japan and helped choose the Port of Yokosuka for the site due to its deep waters.

In 1865, the shogunate gave the dockyard the name Yokosuka Iron Works, since it would be used to process iron. In 1871, construction was completed on Dry Dock 1. Before World War II, six docks had been built. “Ogura and the other officials at the time were very good at what they did,” says Yokosuka City Museum Curator Katsuhiro Kikuchi with admiration. “Rather than leaving the construction of the dockyard up to France, they went to Europe themselves and procured the necessary equipment and human resources, employing several different languages. What they did was much like the job of an employee at a modern trading company.” A steam hammer imported at that time has been preserved at the Verny Commemorative Museum.

The Yokosuka Iron Works was known for its shipbuilding technology as well as its human resource development, and had a major impact on Japanese engineering research. It also served as an integrated mill, and manufactured things like the Kannonzaki Lighthouse, Japan’s first Western-style lighthouse, and mining equipment for the Ikuno Silver Mine. It achieved a world-class level of technology, such as manufacturing things like the aircraft carrier Shinano in 1940, the largest such craft in the world at the time. The Yokosuka Iron Works laid the foundation for Japan’s development as a technological powerhouse, and was the starting point for manufacturing that continues to this day.

Designer Manhole Covers...?

DVIDS - News - NAVFAC, PWD Introduce CFAY Designer Manhole Cover

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Yokosuka’s Naval Facilities, or NAVFAC, Far East unveiled a designer manhole cover last week carrying on a modern Japanese tradition that’s grown in popularity over the last 50 years.

The Public Works Department Production Team fashioned the cover after the Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka command crest with the hiragana for “osui,” or sewage, near the cover’s edge.

Satomi Furuno is a Production Control Specialist at NAVFAC. She said her team believe the manhole covers are a good item to help build deeper relationships within the community because it can go beyond language barriers and cultural differences. It was also fun project.

The covers being replaced were nearing the end of their service life and “NAVFAC was looking for a manufacturer who could provide products in a timely manner,” Furuno said.

“I knew that designer manhole covers were very popular in Japan because my sister-in-law enjoys collecting cards of manhole covers produced by Japanese cities and had actually gone out to take pictures of them,” Furuno said.

Japan’s designer manhole covers began in Okinawa’s Naha City in 1977. The covers were crafted with “happy fish in water that had been cleaned by the new sewer system,” according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan article. The initiative promoted the infrastructure’s installation and helped to bring awareness to the sewage system’s need. Other cities soon followed and, by 1981, city government’s added fluorescent and reflective paints to the covers for safety and aesthetics. Today, it’s estimated more than 90-percent of Japan’s municipalities maintain at least one designer manhole cover.

The customized covers have become more elaborate over the years and highlight the area’s claim to fame. They feature castles, local crops, sports teams, anime characters, ancient battles, and anything else imaginable. They’ve become so entrenched in Japanese society, that there are enthusiasts – like Furuno’s sister-in-law – who travel the country to visit each one and build large photo galleries in their phones. These hobbyists are called “manholers” and many local governments have taken notice. Cities will occasionally retire manhole covers and auction them off to collectors interested in owning a heavy piece of local culture. National organizations devoted to the metal art coordinate annual conventions. In Kansai, a region famous for raising wagyu cattle, it’s possible to find vendors at festivals who grill steaks on replica covers to sear the street ornament’s unique patterns on each cut.

NAVFAC and Public Works plan to install at least three of the colorized manhole covers outdoors “somewhere around the Main Gate and Kosano Park,” Furuno said.

The monochromatic versions will be installed at random and finding them will be like an “Easter Egg Hunt around base,” she said.

The one that was first installed is in a spot that is about as random as possible on Main Base. The monochromatic version of CFAY's designer manhole cover is tucked away behind the Yokosuka Base Water Treatment Plant on the edge of Mitscher Street, and down a narrow side street only accessible via E Street.

The installation's Public Works Officer, Cmdr. Tyler Scharar, said that he hopes the covers can "help deepen the our relationship with our neighbors in Yokosuka City."

"Fleet Activities Yokosuka Public Works Department is proud to bring this Japanese cultural tradition to our base for the enjoyment and enrichment of our 26,000 tenants and visitors," he said. "This effort was led by our PWD Japanese teammates who are totally committed to the success of the U.S. Navy and the many Sailors and families who get to call Yokosuka their home."

Port Market

Yokosuka Port Market a foodie paradise in Japan | Stripes Japan

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(October 26, 2024)

If you are on or around Yokosuka Naval Base and looking for a pleasant local food experience or some nice souvenirs for your friends, head to the Yokosuka Port Market. 

The market reopened in October after two years of renovation and is only a short 7-minute walk from Yokosuka Naval Base’s Womble Gate. Shoppers are treated to a one-stop-shopping experience with many shops selling fresh produce and other groceries from Miura Peninsula. Grab some seasonal local vegetables, fresh seafood, meat and other souvenirs. 

Head to the spacious food court area for a nice lunch with a splendid view of Tokyo Gulf and Sarushima Island. 

Hungry? Sample the “Miura Fish Bowl” packed with local tuna, yellowtail, sea bream and horse mackerel sashimi for 1,800 yen ($12). Another must-try is the Tokyo Bay Fisherman’s Noodle with clam broth for 950 yen. Drop by the Yokosuka Beer Taproom for some great craft beer and roasted meats from the Butcher’s Table. Other stars include Buoscano’s lasagna and a soft serve from Yokosuka Gelato Factory. 

Shop some of the great souvenirs like t-shirts, baseball caps and Yokosuka Navy Curry pouches at the Yokosuka Souvenir Shop. 

Make plans to check out the new Yokosuka Port Market for your own pleasant local food experience!

Cinnamon

Looking for cinnamon rolls on “Japan’s closest street to America”【Taste test】 | SoraNews24 -Japan News-

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Nothing, But Sugar's name doesn’t really check out, but do their desserts pass the test?

As a team of dedicated wordsmiths and vocabu-liers, we here at SoraNews24 believe that the proper use of language is an important responsibility. So ordinarily we might cluck our tongues, gnash our teeth, and shoryuken the ceiling at the name of Nothing, But Sugar, a shop we visited in the town of Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. Not only does that comma have no business being there, Nothing, But Sugar actually has more than just sugar on offer.

However, we’re not only sticklers when it comes to language, but also sweets fans with a ravenous hunger for desserts, and so we’ll give Nothing, But Sugar a pass on its linguistic oddities, since its store is filled with cinnamon rolls.

A little geographic background: Yokosuka was one of east Japan’s first major ports, and is also the site of a large U.S. Navy base. That makes the town a bit of a cultural melting pot, especially on Dobuitadori, or Dobuita Street, which is lined with shops selling Americana and vintage U.S. fashions, as well as Yokosuka’s representative apparel, the sukajan (a style of embroidered silk baseball/bomber jacket), as well as hamburger joints and bars with a classic American aesthetic. Because of that, Dobuita is sometimes called “Japan’s closest street to America,” and as of 2021, it’s also home to Nothing But Sugar, a shop specializing in American sweets.

Originally, Nothing But Sugar sold muffins, pudding, and cinnamon rolls. These days, though, they’re strictly a cinnamon roll specialty shop, though they plan on brining the pudding back soon, which is perhaps why they haven’t just changed their name to Nothing But Cinnamon Rolls. With cinnamon rolls being much harder to find in Japan than pudding, though, we weren’t complaining about the current focused specialization, especially since there were a few different cinnamon roll variations in the display case when we walked in.

Rather than waste any time pretending we were going to limit ourselves to just one, we quickly settled on a three-pack of regular-size cinnamon rolls for 2,660 yen (US$17/50). We should note that Nothing But Sugar seems to be using the American standard of what “regular-size” is, which makes them quite big for desserts in Japan (again, this is not a complaint). They also have small-size muffins for 480 yen, in case your appetite isn’t quite as big as ours.

Back at the SoraNews24 taste-testing center, we could have just started scarfing down, but we managed to control those urges just long enough to pop the cinnamon roll in the microwave for a minute, and as mouthwatering as it looked before being warmed up…

…it looked 10 times more so afterwards!

As enticing as this melty cascade of cream cheese frosting was to look at, though, we couldn’t help but notice our cinnamon roll didn’t have much of a cinnamon-y aroma, either before or after its stint in the microwave. However, when we sliced off a piece to get some cross-section photos and keep our fingers from getting covered in frosting, it was like we’d cracked open a safe filled with olfactory treasures, as amazing cinnamon smells swiftly emanated from the roll’s interior layers.

Taking a bite, we found the texture pretty much perfect, softer and fluffier than a sice of bread or muffin, yet firmer and more satisfying than flimsy sponge cake. The flavor was excellent as well, unabashedly sweet, with the whole grain flour and cane sugar making the dough delicious and the generous sprinkling of cinnamon sugar on top only adding to the appeal.

We’d also picked out a blueberry cinnamon roll, which feels especially unique in Japan, where blueberries don’t pop up as often in cereals, pastries, and the like as they do in the U.S.

Finally, our third selection was a walnut cinnamon roll.

Not only are there walnuts mixed in with the frosting, there are chunks of them inside the cinnamon roll too, giving it some extra crunchy complexity as you chew.

So in the end, Nothing, But Sugar went three for three in our taste test, so they can call themselves whatever they like, and we’ll still love them.

Shop information

Nothing, But Sugar / ナッシングバットシュガー

Address: Kanagawa-ken, Yokosuka-shi, Honcho 2-1

神奈川県横須賀市本町2丁目1

Open 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Kicona

Pictured below is the huge KICONA pachinko & pachi-slot building .... Built in 1998 and located, with an ocean view, on Yokosuka's Kaigan Dori (Beach Boulevard) across from Umi-Kaze Park, KICONA Pachinko Parlor was a well-recognized local landmark for 26 years .... But it was shut down/closed on 29 September 2024...   

Mind Rock Award

Can Rock Change Yokosuka? Bring On the Music! | JAPAN Forward

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== Can Rock Change Yokosuka? Bring On the Music!

-- Yokosuka, a city known for its military bases, is out to revitalize. So, it held a band contest, turning on the rock music and bringing a community together.

(September 21, 2024)

Rock isn't just a music genre — it's a way of life! The MIND・ROCK・AWARD 2024, Japan's largest band contest, took place on September 7-8 in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. 

From 203 bands and artists nationwide, from Hokkaido to Okinawa, 17 were selected to perform in the final showdown. The winning band will be named the Yokosuka Rock 'n' Roll Ambassador and will headline a live show at the Yokosuka Arts Theatre.

Yokosuka, a city deeply influenced by American culture due to its United States military base, is on a mission to become a "City of Music, Sports, and Entertainment." 

Now in its second year, the contest specifically seeks bands and artists who embody the spirit of "living with a rock mindset." To qualify, at least one member of the group has to be 40 years or older. That showcases how the passion for rock transcends age.

-- Using Rock to Transform a Town

The venue came alive with the booming sound of drums and the crowd's excitement. Among the performers was a female musician who captivated the audience with her raw, solo guitar performance and powerful vocals.

After the contest, a surprise performance by Mayor Katsuaki Kamiji's band added to the excitement. The mayor, a former musician, sang and danced on stage, earning cheers and applause from the audience.

Takatomo Nozawa, a judge known for producing SMAP and other top Japanese idols, remarked on the event. "It's rare to see so many bands participate in a contest organized by a local government," he said. "Continuously holding this event will have a greater impact."

Mayor Kamiji commented, "At first, there was criticism about why a local government would promote rock music. But music is just a tool. I want to use rock to transform this town."

The event showcased the community's unique ties to American culture, fitting for a town with a US military base. 

19th Century Yokosuka Iron Works (Shipyard)

The Yokosuka Ironworks, although named an ironworks, was primarily a shipbuilding and ship repair facility, and was started in 1865 and renamed the Yokosuka Shipyard in 1871. After the opening of the country to the outside world, Japan needed a facility near Edo (Tokyo) that could repair large ships. After studying the state of technology around the world, the Edo shogunate commissioned the construction of a shipyard to France, and the location was decided to be Yokosuka. The French, who were entrusted with the construction, called the Yokosuka Ironworks “Arsenal d'Iokosuka”.

The Yokosuka Ironworks was positioned as a base for transferring Western technology to Japan and strengthening its industrial capabilities. In addition to ships, the Yokosuka Works produced machinery for government-owned factories in various regions, such as the Tomioka Silk Mill and Ikuno Mine, and greatly supported the modernization of Japan. The architecture of the Tomioka Silk Mill, a World Heritage Site, was also designed by the Yokosuka Works.

Kannonzaki Nature Museum

Kannonzaki Park faces Tokyo Bay and includes beach and rocky tide pool areas, as well as hills covered with lush green forests and hiking trails.  Situated within the park is a small and unique facility called 観音崎自然博物館 (Kannonzaki Shizen Hakubutsu-kan), which means "Kannonzaki Nature Museum".  It was established in 1953 as a museum and ocean research facility.  The sea located offshore from the museum is called the "Tokyo Bay Catchment Area" where the runoff waters from the surrounding hills and streams mix with the incoming ocean water flowing from the Kuroshio Current (黒潮).  The result is an area very rich in biodiversity.  The exhibits in the museum are based on the theme of “real nature and ecology” in the Tokyo Bay Catchment Area and the Miura Peninsula, and include seaweed, seasonal flowers, plants, trees, shore creatures, insects, amphibians, and reptiles.  Visitors can not only see the creatures and their behavior, but also smell and touch them, using all of their senses to experience real nature & ecology.  In particular, visitors can touch live octopus, sea urchins, starfish, sea cucumbers, crabs, and fish in the touch pool on the terrace. The museum also propagates rare coastal plants that remain in Kannonzaki Park, planting them in the museum garden, and conducts surveys of aquatic insects, amphibians, and other freshwater aquatic organisms on the Miura Peninsula.  Of note, collocated with the museum are a Visitor Center and a small restaurant called "Restore", which serves coffee, wine, and light meals.

Kannonzaki Nature Museum (Yokosuka, Kanagawa) – Access, Hours & Fees | Japan Aquariums

Exploring Japan: Quick trip from Yokosuka NB to Kannonzaki | Stripes Japan

Yokosuka Chuo Station --- "Y-Deck"

Yokosuka City is situated on the Miura Peninsula, with its west coast facing Sagami Bay (with views of Mouth Fuji) and its east coast facing Tokyo Bay.  The eastern part of Yokosuka is the most urbanized and crowded, as it is the location of a large harbor area, which has been used for many years by both the Japanese and U.S. navies.  Yokosuka's main commercial and entertainment district is located right outside the navy base/harbor area.  Yokosuka is also a transportation hub, with two railway lines that convey commuters up to Yokohama and Tokyo.  One of the train lines is called Keihin Kyuko and its main/busiest local station is "Yokosuka Chuo Eki" (横須賀中央駅).  Yokosuka Chuo Station was originally built in 1930, providing direct connecting rail service up to Yokohama.  Surrounding "Chuo Station" are all kinds of retail shops, restaurants, pubs, and other businesses.  A distinctive feature of the station is an open plaza area, and a raised large pedestrian bridge called: "Y-Deck".  The Y-Deck was built in the mid-1990s and is designed to resemble the sea and sails, in reference to Yokosuka being a port city.  The Y-Deck and plaza area outside of Yokosuka Chuo Station are used for festivals, musical/busker performances, blood collection drives, meet-up spots, politicians making speeches, etc., as well as the constant passage of thousands of people on their way to trains, buses, and taxis.  Also, a large conifer tree is located in the plaza, which is lit-up with decorative "illumination" lights during the year-end holiday season.

横須賀中央駅前広場

Tatara Beach

Tatarahama Beach｜A beautiful beach located in Tokyo bay - Nature Nippon

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Tatarahama Beach is one of the hidden beaches located on the Miura Peninsula in Kanagawa Prefecture.

The clean ocean of the Miura Peninsula is famous for the Sagami Bay side around Misaki Town, but it can also be enjoyed on the Tokyo Bay side.

The Kannonzaki area, where Tatara Beach is located, was off-limits to civilians from the Meiji era until the end of the war, leaving the area untouched by nature. Japan’s first Western-style lighthouse, the Kannonzaki Lighthouse, is also located here.

Tatara Beach is a popular spot, and is not so crowded even during the peak season, making it a relaxing place to spend time.

The beach is not a pure white sand beach because of the iron sand mixed in. There are rocky areas where snorkeling can be enjoyed.

The length of the beach is about 100 meters, and it is a small, shallow beach. Both sides are rocky. The Uraga side (at the back of the screen) seems to be easier to dive. There are sharp rocks, so snorkelers should wear gloves.

This is an ideal place for those who is looking for few people, rich nature but still no that far from the city.