Update on Yokosuka Port Market (To be revamped & reopen in early-2021)

In recognition of its real estate value-add capabilities, Ichigo Corporation has been awarded preferential negotiation rights to renovate and become the operator of the Yokosuka Port Market located in Yokosuka, a port city in Kanagawa Prefecture near Tokyo.

1.  Yokosuka Port Market Overview

Yokosuka lies on the western shore of Tokyo Bay on the Miura Peninsula in Kanagawa Prefecture.  Perched between the sea and forested hills, it is a picturesque harbor city known for historical sites related to Japan’s 19th-century opening to the world.  Its busy port hosts Japanese and U.S. naval facilities as well as a fishing industry that produces a variety of seafood, while the surrounding area is used to grow a range of vegetables.

Yokosuka is launching a major redevelopment to promote tourism in tandem with the opening in spring 2021 of a new ferry route linking Yokosuka to Kita Kyushu, a city in southern Japan.  The redevelopment will include construction of a hotel near Mikasa Park, the opening of a 19th-century coastal fortification as a tourist site, and the creation of a visitor center on Sarushima, a historic island in Tokyo Bay. 

As part of this tourism promotion project, City Support, a public entity owned by Yokosuka, sought proposals to use the Yokosuka Port Market, which was originally opened in 2013 after renovation of a refrigeration warehouse that had been built in 1987.  City Support held an open public bid
to solicit proposals from companies to renovate and operate the facility as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP).

Together with our partner companies, Ichigo submitted a proposal to make better use of  the existing building by deploying Ichigo’s value-add real estate capabilities, while also working closely with the local residents to invigorate the community.

The central concept behind Ichigo’s proposal is to turn the Yokosuka Port Market into a bustling port marketplace for seafood, produce, and other local foods that will become a source of pride for not only residents of Yokosuka but also the entire Miura Peninsula.

Ichigo has drawn inspiration from similar public markets in New York, London, Barcelona, and Toronto to turn the Yokosuka Port Market into a creative hub of culinary culture, with live music to entertain shoppers and diners and a co-working space to support local entrepreneurs.  Ichigo aims to make the market a tourist attraction that captures the essence of this port city, collaborating with nearby tourist and historic sites to draw more visitors.

2.  Project Background and Timeline

Ichigo has acquired preferential negotiation rights from City Support for an Ichigo-led joint venture to operate the Yokosuka Port Market.  Following completion of the necessary administrative procedures and approvals, the renovated Yokosuka Port Market is expected to open in spring 2021.

This project is in line with the initiatives announced in Ichigo’s Ichigo 2030 vision on April 17, 2019.  As a sustainable infrastructure company, Ichigo is working to revitalize the local community, create new employment, and promote regional economic development.