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This Week in Yokosuka – 18 August 2020
Welcome to ‘This Week in Yokosuka’, an away-from-home edition of ‘This Week in Tokyo’. Check out photos from our adventures and read insights into our explorations as we get under the skin of the World’s Greatest Metropolis, and beyond.
This week’s edition, hosted by Mac, our Founder and Lead Guide, takes us to the naval city of Yokosuka. Located across the bay from Tokyo and Yokohama on the Miura peninsula, Yokosuka has been an important coastal community for centuries and now hosts a large naval base for both the Japanese and American fleets. In fact, Fleet Activities, Yokosuka comprises 2.3km2 and is the largest U.S. Naval installation in the world outside the U.S.
Sucurry: This Naval heritage has influenced the local cuisine. Yokosuka is known for its Navy burger and Navy Curry. Restaurants featuring one (or both) of the two are a stone’s throw from wherever you are in the city, and you’ll find take-home packs of Navy curry variants sold everywhere. Even the city mascot, called Sucurry (スカレー) loves the stuff. It’s probably part of the job description. Here’s a picture of me and him outside JR Yokosuka Station. Follow Sucurry on Twitter for Yokosuka promotional goodness!
One of the most famous Kaigun (Navy) Curry Restaurants in Yokosuka is Wood Island, founded in 1980 by Shimamori-san. It is located right in front of the main entrance to the US Naval Base. To make it a Yokosuka Navy Curry, the main event has to be served with salad and milk. The taste test has been conducted and Wood Island is a winner. Highly recommended.
“There’s a New Tokyo?”: Talking to friends who served in the navy, it seems things have calmed down in the last 20 years, but Yokosuka still caters to sailors on shore leave. Dobuita Street is home to a number of bars and restaurants, some brand new and some channelling a retro vibe. Above is the scene at Showa-era classic ‘New Tokyo’, and below is a shot of me drinking some Yokosuka Pride at Yokosuka Beer, a brewpub and restaurant located at one end of Doubita Street.
Mikasa: The Japanese battleship Mikasa was the flagship of Admiral Togo during the 1905 Russo-Japanese war. Now she’s docked at Yokosuka’s Mikasa Pier and is a museum with some fascintaing relics including the bow crest of the Mikasa, carried on her bow from her commissioning until 1987.
Sarushima: Sarushima is Tokyo Bay’s only uninhabited island. The name means Monkey Island, but there are no monkeys on the island. I was upset too.
The island is a 10-minute ferry ride from Yokosuka’s Mikasa Pier. It was once a fortress that protected Tokyo Bay, and it still has remnants from that period such as the barracks and gun batteries.
The header image is taken from the boat across from the mainland, and the photo below is of the fortress area. This area is famous for being the inspiration for the ruins in the Studio Ghibli’s movie Castle in the Sky, and the location of the hideout for Kamen Rider’s nemesis, the Shocker.
There is lots more to explore in Yokosuka, as our tour guests who have come with us to this fascinating city know. Let us know if you want to include a visit to Yokosuka on your next trip to Japan!
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