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.

- - - - -

式典・表彰｜横須賀市