Art tour of Yokosuka's waterfront

Yokosuka Museum of Art

Yuko Kawada's work gives different impressions depending on the viewing position

The museum is surrounded by mountains on three sides and has an open environment with grassy plazas on both the sea and mountain sides. Outdoor movie screenings are held every year in the "Sea Plaza" in front of the main entrance. The restaurant facing the plaza also has terrace seating. There is no shortage of places to relax and enjoy other than the exhibits, such as the library and the rooftop where free binoculars are installed.

The glass-covered interior of the building has holes in various places on the inner walls, allowing soft natural light in. Four exhibitions of the museum's collection are held each year, showcasing modern and contemporary Japanese art, as well as works by artists with ties to Yokosuka. With the 10th anniversary of the museum's opening approaching in 2017, a vote for the most popular items in the collection is being held until December 11th.

The summer special exhibition "Nature and Art Specimen Exhibition" was a valuable exhibition where the mineral coordinator and art materials lab also participated, and art works and specimens of rocks, insects, plants, etc. from the Yokosuka City Museum of Nature and Humanity were all displayed together.

Address: 4-1 Kamoi, Yokosuka City
Opening hours: 10:00-18:00
Admission fee: 310 yen for adults, 210 yen for high school students, university students and those aged 65 and over
*Including Taniuchi Rokurokan
*Free for junior high school students and younger, and high school students who live or study in the city

"Special Feature: Yuko Kawada - Millennium Green" Exhibition
Date: July 9th (Sat) - September 25th (Sun), 2016
Closed: Monday, September 5th
http://www.yokosuka-moa.jp

Kaneyo Restaurant

The beach at Hashirimizu, with a tropical atmosphere

On the way from Maborikaigan Station to the Yokosuka Museum of Art, Kaneyo Shokudo, located at the edge of Hashirimizu Beach, is a local exchange hub where people of all ages gather, from families who come to play at the beach to young people and the elderly. Kaneyo Shokudo is run as a Cafe & art studio in a building that was originally a fisherman's hut, which has been demolished and reconstructed. The menu includes seafood caught by John, also known as Kanazawa Hitoshi, who grew up locally and whose father is a fisherman, while free diving. In the winter, they also cultivate wakame seaweed and kombu. Why not take a break with some visually appealing food and drinks while watching the scenery change little by little with the tides?

It's colorful and makes you excited to cook!

John, who had just come out of the sea, and the staff at Kaneyo Shokudo

Address: 1-6-4 Hashirimizu, Yokosuka City
Business hours: 11:00-22:00
Closed: Mondays *Please check the website for private events etc.
TEL: 046-841-9881
http://art-onthebeach.com/

Hashirimizu Shrine

The road continues straight from the sea to the main hall.

Hashirimizu Shrine is a power spot for matchmaking and women's power, located inland from Kaneyo Shokudo towards Kannonzaki. It enshrines the husband and wife deities Yamato Takeru, a hero of Japanese mythology, and his wife Ototachibanahime. It is said that when Ototachibanahime was traveling by boat from the Miura Peninsula to the Boso Peninsula with Yamato Takeru, the sea became rough, so she threw herself into the sea to calm the anger of the sea god and protect Yamato Takeru.

At the Chozuya (purification fountain), you can collect sacred water, which is said to spring up over a long period of time from Mt. Fuji.

It might be a little scary to risk your life to protect your husband...

Address: 2-12-5 Hashirimizu, Yokosuka City
Shrine office: 9:00-15:00
http://www12.plala.or.jp/hasirimizujinjya/

Uraga Ferry

The cute red "Atago Maru"

The Uraga Ferry, which can be reached from Senba, a 5-minute bus ride from Keikyu Uraga Station, is affectionately known as the "Ponpon Boat" and is a symbol of Uraga that has existed for nearly 300 years. At this port, which extends into the bay by about 1.5 kilometers, ferries are an important means of transportation for people traveling between the east and west banks. The ferry route is designated as a city road in Minakami (Route 2073), which is rare in Japan, and is named "Uraga Kaido."

There is no timetable, but when the ferry is on the opposite bank, you press the call button and the red Atago Maru, decorated like a royal ship, will arrive immediately. The ride is short, about 3 minutes, but if you are not in a hurry, the boat may stop briefly on the water. You can see the cranes and docks that stand on the former site of the Uraga Shipyard from the water.

The Kanae Shrines on either side of the Uraga Kaido are said to be power spots for financial luck, where your wishes will come true if you visit.

East Ferry Terminal, next to an art gallery

Address: East Ferry Terminal (Higashi Uraga 2-22), West Ferry Terminal (Nishi Uraga 1-1)
Admission: 200 yen for adults, 100 yen for elementary and junior high school students, 50 yen for others (bicycles, etc.)
Business hours: 7:00-18:00 *Lunch break from 12:00-13:00
Closed: December 31st to January 3rd, and during bad weather
For inquiries regarding operation status, please contact Miura Soken Co., Ltd. at 046-841-1509.

Mikasa Park

If you get close, you'll get quite wet.

Mikasa Park is where the Mikasa, one of the world's three largest memorial ships that played an active role in the Russo-Japanese War, is preserved. The park has a theme of "water, light and sound," and features a musical fountain that can be enjoyed even after dark. Children cheer as the colorful fountain dances splendidly to classical and pop music. The performance lasts a full 15 minutes. At the "wall fountain" in the back, a mural emerges from the flowing water.

Address: 82 Inaokacho, Yokosuka City
Business hours: 8:00-21:00/April to October, 9:00-20:00/November to March
http://www.kanagawaparks.com/verny-mikasa/mikasa/

Kadoya Bar

A small, relaxing restaurant with only counter seats

Dobuita Street Shopping Arcade will make you feel like you're in America, even while in Japan. Kadoya Bar is a cozy bar with seven counter seats attached to an outdoor shop, where you can enjoy delicious drinks and snacks in a mountain hut-like atmosphere, with a bar frequented by US military personnel and a specialty shop selling Sukajan jackets. The drink menu includes rare draft beers such as Yona Yona Ale and Dogo Beer, as well as a selection of alcoholic beverages, mainly domestic. The menu is also proud of the food made with local ingredients such as Yokosuka beef, Hashiri Suisan oysters, and Yokosuka vegetables, and is the pride of owner Nakatani Shinji, who was originally a regular customer at the bar. You may even strike up a conversation with fellow Yokosuka-loving customers.

Smoked omelette made with homemade smoked cheese and pistachio nuts, and two eggs from Yokosuka

On their way back from Shioiri Station, some customers pop open the small window on the outside and buy a draft beer to take away.

Business hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday 12:00-22:30 (last order 22:00)
Friday, Saturday, and the day before a public holiday: 12:00-23:00 (LO 22:30)
Closed: Tuesdays
TEL: 046-827-8957
http://dobuita-kadoya.com/index.html