UWAMACHI -- Yokosuka's "Upper Town"

上町商店街ホームページ – ようこそ、坂の上の街へ。上町日和

UWAMACHI (上町) -- Yokosuka's "Upper Town" 

Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture .... From the bustling Keikyu Yokosuka-Chuo Station, if you slowly climb a slope called "Hirasaka", you will find some nostalgic scenery that retains the atmosphere of the Showa era.  That is the 'Uwamachi Shopping Street.'

-- What kind of place is it?  

The Uwamachi area is not just a single street.  Streets like 'Uwamachi Ginza' and 'Nakazato Street' are connected like siblings, forming one warm town together.  

This place, located on a hill overlooking the station area (downtown), is a pleasant spot where the sea breeze passes through.  The street that once had an arcade now has its roof removed, allowing the historic buildings to reveal their beautiful appearance under the open sky.

-- Looking up at the town's symbol, the "kanban architecture"

  

When you walk around this town, be sure to look up a little.   

There, you will find many unique and wonderful buildings called kanban architecture.

-- What is a 'kanban architecture'? 

In the past (after the Great Kanto Earthquake), this style became popular for making buildings more fire-resistant and visually attractive.  The front of the building was made flat and decorated with copper plates or tiles as if it were a single signboard. 

Over many years, the copper plates changed to a beautiful green color (verdigris). 

This deep hue and solid atmosphere are treasures unique to Uwamachi that cannot be reproduced by modern buildings.  Buildings that have been carefully preserved, including "Midoriya", are still actively operating as shops today.

-- Memories of "Uwamachi for the Army, Shitamachi for the Navy"

  

In the naval port city of Yokosuka, there used to be a saying:  

"Uwamachi for the Army, Shitamachi for the Navy".

  

This area naturally developed into a town where shops gathered since the Meiji era.

  

In the past, it was also a residential district where many navy officers and their families lived.  It is said that because they catered to discerning customers, Uwamachi has many shops that handle "truly good things".

-- A new breeze is blowing, the future of Uwamachi

While valuing its history, Uwamachi is now trying to be reborn anew.

A new bustle

Utilizing sites such as the former hospital, night markets with lanterns are being held, and people can stroll around the town as if it were a "museum." Exciting events are increasing.

Art and music

In the autumn, the "Uwamatsuri" festival is held, filling the town with music, art, and delicious gourmet food.

Places to be passed down

Retro buildings are being renovated, and young people are starting cafes, secondhand bookstores, and galleries.  A pleasant atmosphere mixes nostalgia and newness.

Uwamachi in Yokosuka City developed as a historic town alongside the establishment of the naval district office during the Meiji era, serving as a residential area for naval officers and surrounding army facilities (such as the former army hospital).

Located on the hillside of Hirasaka-ue, it features a retro shopping street lined with signboard-style buildings and is still cherished today as a residential and commercial area that retains the Showa-era atmosphere.

History and Features of Uwamachi:

Residential Area in the Naval Port Town: In contrast to the seaside "Shimomachi" (commercial area), the hilltop "Uwamachi" developed as a residential district.

"Army Uwamachi": In the past, the area had many army hospitals and related facilities and was called "Army Uwamachi" within the naval city of Yokosuka.

Uwamachi Ginza Shopping Street: A shopping street with over 100 years of history, where many "signboard-style" buildings that became popular after the Great Kanto Earthquake still remain, creating a charming retro streetscape.

Historical Buildings: Modern architecture, such as the "Yokosuka Uwamachi Church and Megumi Kindergarten," registered as a national tangible cultural property in 2003, is scattered throughout the area.

Development: In 1950 (Showa 25), parts of the surrounding towns were reorganized, forming the current "Uwamachi."  Today, it is known as a nostalgic yet fresh area where long-established shops coexist with new stores.

Ancient Burial Mound Park

 大塚台古墳公園｜横須賀市池田町 - 三浦半島観光地図

== Ōtsukadai Kofun Park

The Otsuka Kofun is the largest keyhole-shaped burial mound on the Miura Peninsula, and it was actually located about 80 meters northeast of this park, at the summit with an elevation of around 77 meters. However, it disappeared due to a land readjustment project.

The Otsuka Kofun group was discovered in 1924 (Taisho 13) by Dr. Naotada Akaboshi.  

Excavations were conducted in 1952 (Showa 27) and from 1992 (Heisei 4) to 1994 (Heisei 6), confirming three keyhole-shaped burial mounds and three round burial mounds.

Within Otsukadai Kofun Park, Tumulus No. 1 is a restored kofun and is called the Otsuka Kofun.

It is a keyhole-shaped tumulus that was located at the top of the Otsukadai hill. From the top of the rear circular portion, at an elevation of about 78 meters, one could see far away to Mount Fuji and even as far as Tokyo Bay.

From the posterior circular part, a shallow pit-shaped coffin bed facing the east-west direction has been confirmed, measuring 3.05 meters along the major axis, 1.17 meters along the minor axis, and 35 centimeters in depth. The coffin bed is the place where the coffin was placed, but the coffin itself has not survived, possibly because it was made of wood.

Around the coffin bed, two straight swords, one small knife, more than fifteen iron arrowheads, two earrings, and more than forty small glass beads were excavated. Additionally, one piece of cracked Sue ware (unglazed pottery) was found in the earthen cover above the coffin bed.

- - - - -

There were eight archaeological sites from various periods in the Yoshii-Ikeda area.

-- At the Otsukadai site, remains of early Jomon period dwellings and anti-aircraft gun positions from World War II were excavated.  

-- At the Aoike site, fragments of pottery from the middle Jomon period were excavated.  

-- At the Mitsuaridani site, remains of dwellings from the late Yayoi period to the early Kofun period, as well as burial mounds called hōkei shūkōbo (rectangular moat tombs), were excavated.  

-- At the Omochi site, Kami-Yoshii North site, and Kami-Yoshii South site, remains of dwellings from the late Kofun period through the Nara and Heian periods were excavated.  

-- At the Nishitani site, stone-lined underground channels from around the Sengoku period were excavated.

- - - - -

There is a large jar used for storing food. The fact that such a large jar can be made suggests the advancement of pottery-making techniques and the abundance of food.

This large jar is called "Sue ware", a type of new pottery introduced from Korea.  Since it is fired at high temperatures in a full-scale kiln, it is hard and durable.

- - - - -

Iron arrowheads (arrow tips made of iron) were attached to the tip of an arrow to enhance its lethality.

In the early Jomon period, stone arrowheads made of stone or bone arrowheads made of bone were mainstream.  In the Yayoi period, they began to be made of bronze, and in the Kofun period, they came to be made of iron.

Since iron was not something that everyone could obtain, as time went on, the gap between the rich and poor, and between rulers and the ruled, widened.

Special Ship Retires in Yokosuka

25 January 2026, Yokosuka 

— Research ship 'Mirai' holds its final public viewing; formerly 'Mutsu', active in the Arctic and other regions

The research vessel 'Mirai' (about 8,700 tons) of the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, which had been in operation for 28 years for observing the Arctic Ocean and deploying large observation buoys in tropical seas, was retired, and its final public viewing was held on the 25th at Yokosuka New Port Pier in the city.

Its predecessor was Japan's first nuclear-powered ship, the 'Mutsu,' which was launched in 1969. In 1974, there was a radiation leak accident off the eastern coast of Aomori Prefecture. After repairs and test voyages, the ship was divided into three sections. The central part, which contained the nuclear reactor, was removed, and the bow and stern were reused and fitted with diesel engines, transforming it into the 'Mirai.' The nuclear reactor is on display at the Mutsu Science and Technology Museum in Mutsu City, Aomori Prefecture.

- - - - -

From the Nuclear-Powered Ship to "Mirai" 

The journey of "Mirai" was itself a testament to the culmination of Japanese science and technology. Its predecessor was Japan's first nuclear-powered ship, "Mutsu." In 1997, it was reborn as a state-of-the-art research vessel powered primarily by a diesel engine, enabling observations in previously challenging conditions, such as extremely cold seas and rough weather. With a length of 128.5 meters and a weight of 8,706 tons, its size was also a weapon for ensuring stable data collection even in turbulent waves. 

Over 28 years, it traveled approximately 2.3 million kilometers (equivalent to 58 trips around the Earth). It made over 20 Arctic voyages, alerting the world to the severe reality of declining sea ice. In research that forecasts humanity's future—such as studies on climate change phenomena and global warming—it was recognized by scientists worldwide as a "floating ocean laboratory." 

Currently, construction is underway on "Mirai II," which is scheduled to take over the duties of Mirai, with completion aimed for around November this year.

New Development at YRP

https://corp.mobile.rakuten.co.jp/english/news/press/2023/0731_01/

Rakuten Mobile, Inc. and Yokosuka Telecom Research Park Co., Ltd. today opened a new RIC (RAN Intelligent Controller)*¹ research facility at the Yokosuka Research Park in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, with the aim of contributing to the further advancement of Open RAN (Radio Access Network) development.

Rakuten Mobile will conduct research and development (R&D) on RIC at the research facility, while Yokosuka Telecom Research Park will provide the research location, as the two companies aim to accelerate the advancement of Open RAN technologies. The research facility will be used to verify improvements in network efficiency, power saving and security enhancements by deploying emulators for RIC development, and using RICs to manage Rakuten Mobile's test RAN environment according to network usage conditions.

The research facility is equipped with a verification environment that uses Rakuten Mobile's fully virtualized cloud-native mobile network, allowing domestic and international telecommunications and communication service provider equipment manufacturers and other Rakuten Mobile partners to access the research facility remotely to verify Open RAN integration and conduct RIC proof-of-concept (PoC) testing*³. 

Yokosuka Telecom Research Park provides the infrastructure necessary for conducting demonstration experiments of next-generation telco technology at the Yokosuka Research Park. The RIC research facility will utilize this location for RIC research and development.

Soleil No Oka Park

There is a very nice and large park located on a bluff along the west coast of Yokosuka City.  It is called "Soleil no Oka", which can be translated as "Sunshine Hill".  The park has wide open green areas, fields of flowers, amusement facilities, restaurants, etc., and also a large (pay) parking lot. 

Its location is a bit off the beaten track, so to speak, but once you learn the way to get there, it is a quick and convenient drive. 

Of interest, one of the reasons why such an expansive park like Soliel No Oka exists in the otherwise-crowded Yokosuka & Miura Peninsula area, is due to the site's unique history.

Towards the end of World War II, in 1945, Japan's Imperial Navy decided to build an air base on top of the Nagai bluff, which was a strategic location overlooking the Pacific Ocean approaches to Sagami Bay.  So, a long runway, hangars, and other airfield buildings and facilities were built at Nagai Air Base.  Its mission was to launch aircraft (including "Kamikaze" bombers) defend Japan from U.S. & Allied forces trying to land on Japanese soil.  

But, as things turned out, Japan surrendered before that happened, so Nagai Air Base was never actually used for combat operations.  Instead, after being taken over by U.S. Occupation authorities, many wooden-frame, Western-style, dwellings were built there, as the Japanese naval air base was converted into the U.S. Navy's "Nagai Family Housing Area". 

Nagai was used by American military-associated families until 1983, when it was finally closed and returned to the government of Japan.  In the years that followed, it was eventually decided that the area would be converted into a park, and Soleil No Oka was built and then opened for business in April 2005.

Of note, here's a previous blog post about the park's history:

https://deepyokosuka.blogspot.com/search?q=nagai

Some Oppama History

The northernmost district of Yokosuka City, which borders Yokohama City is called "Oppama" (追浜).  It is place with an interesting history.  During the early 20th Century, the coastal area of Oppama was developed into a large air base for the Imperial Navy -- it became the birthplace of Japanese naval aviation.  Its official name was: "Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal".  After World War II, the airfield and facilities were taken over by U.S. Occupation Forces, and it was renamed Naval Air Station Oppama.  Following the Korean War, in the late-1950s, NAS Oppama was closed down and returned to the Government of Japan.  A few years later, in 1961, Nissan Automobile Corporation built a large factory on former air base land -- "Nissan Oppama" became a large part of Yokosuka's economy, with several thousand employees, and many other smaller supporting businesses & subcontractors.  Oppama train station is on the Keihin Kyuko line, just a few stops from Yokosuka Chuo station.  Nearby and stretching away from Oppama station is a large & vibrant traditional shopping street ("shoten-gai" 商店街) filled with small businesses, retailers, restaurants, etc.  Oppama also is the site of a popular summer festival and occasional night bazaars.

= = = = = = = = = =

追浜の歴史１ - すまい造りの佐野工務店 | 横須賀市追浜の工務店すまい造りの佐野工務店 | 横須賀市追浜の工務店

We spoke with Takeshi Aoki, who published 'A Tour of Oppama’s History' and served as the director of the Oppama Administrative Center in Yokosuka City. He is currently active as the head of the 'Aoki Juku,' organized by the Kanagawa Shimbun, to learn about the changes in the town of Oppama.

Tracing its history, Oppama is a treasure trove. Long ago, the coastline of Kanazawa and Oppama, with Nojima, Natsushima, and Eboshijima islands, was said to have been very scenic. Natsushima was inhabited by ancient Jomon people around 9,500 years ago, and the Natsushima Shell Mound, now a nationally designated historic site, still exists there. 

The beaches around Natsushima are where, a century ago, an Imperial Navy captain flew a French-made seaplane. Less known, but just before the Nissan Oppama Factory, the oldest ritual site called the 'Natagiri Ruins,' featuring a rare ox skull used for rain-making ceremonies during the Kofun period, has been discovered intact.

In the Muromachi period, the construction of temples began, and Nōei-ji Temple was founded in the first year of Ōei (1394). Behind Nōei-ji Temple is the Enokido Yokoana group from the Nara period, and the artifacts excavated there are displayed at the temple. Additionally, Jitoku-ji Temple was founded in the 14th year of Ōei (1406), and Hōfuku-ji Temple was also established around the time of the Ōnin War in the 2nd year of Bunmei (1470).

In the late Edo period, in the 6th year of Kaei (1853), the U.S. Perry Expedition anchored off Natsushima and even landed on the island to collect flora and fauna. At this time, Commodore Perry surveyed Yokosuka Bay and named Sasukehana Bay and Natsushima as Webster Island. 

Upon returning to America, having observed the skillfulness of the Japanese, he predicted that if the country ended its isolation and opened up, introducing technical expertise, Japan would become a nation capable of competing with Western countries in manufacturing in the future. With the advent of the Meiji era and the advancement of modernization, Perry's prediction was precisely realized, symbolized by the old Yokosuka Naval Air Corps and the Naval Aviation Arsenal in Oppama.

Yokosuka's "Mascot Character"

 Japan is famous around the world for its "soft power" and producing lots of comics (manga -- 漫画) and cartoons (anime -- アニメ).  In keeping with its imaginative & visual artistic culture, some Japanese agencies, groups, or businesses produce what are called "mascot characters" (マスコットキャラクター) as cute and approachable representatives of their organizations.  Like the masked & costumed actors at Disneyland, a mascot character is a cute, quirky figure created to represent a place, event, organization, or company -- usually to promote local pride, tourism, or branding. They are designed with simple, endearing features and often embody regional culture, history, or products.  The mascots embody the spirit of their region, acting as approachable ambassadors that connect people emotionally to a place or brand.  Of note, Yokosuka City Government has its own mascot character called: "SUKARIN" (スカリン -- see image below).  SUKARIN was created back in 2007 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the city.  The design was chosen through a public contest.  It is said to be a fairy that came from the sea and its gender is unknown.  The name comes from a combination of Yokosuka (SUKA) and marine/sea (RIN).  SUKARIN's blue color is inspired by the sea of Yokosuka harbor -- and it wears a small sailboat as a hat.  SUKARIN is used and displayed in support of many activities, publications, and events in Yokosuka.