#kannonzaki park

[moriwanderer]

3 Steps Forward, 2 Steps Back

Or at least that's how this reno is going. I'm pretty sure we've been to and from D2 (think like Home Depot) around 4 times a day every day for the last week and we still have little to show for it. Le sigh.

Anyway, adventure and exploration!

A couple nights ago, I did a wander around the local neighborhood. It wasn't exactly late, but the sun rises and sets about an hour different here compared to the US. What this made for was an excellent spooky shot of the nearby shrine.

On Sunday, the weather was nice (but very windy!) and I took quite the long walk - from a Starbucks overlooking the bay all the way out to Kannonzaki Park and back. I had hoped to go swimming but the winds and waves basically said no way. Have some pictures!

Real palms!

Toys R Us still exists!

Fumblin wimdy!

Boris!

Surfing weather.

Morning glories!

Japan!

Nature reclaims!

There once was a gun here, many moons ago...

The view from the site of the old battery.

Also, a lighthouse!

Tunnels <3

Behold, the über tree!

The view from somewhere along the trail.

The park was quite fun and is full of wartime remnants, the lighthouse I posted above, a nature museum, and plenty of things I didn't have time to see. There are many, many stairs as it covers some pretty major hills, so be sure you're up for the task if you're gonna hike it. Not the worst trails I've been on, but certainly not easy if you're not used to hiking. By the time I made it home, it was late evening and my legs were aching. Totally worth it.

観音崎公園【公式】

[pix4japan]

Moss & Tanker Ship Considering how much tanker traffic sails into Tokyo Bay, the coastline of Cape Kannonzaki seems quite clean. There were no signs of oil or pollutants along the shore that would normally kill off the moss that lives on these rock formations. Portfolio: pix4japan.myportfolio.com Pentax KP 68 mm ISO 100 for 1/8 sec. at ƒ/18

[nozkphotography]

Kannonzaki park, Yokosuka city, Kanagawa pref.

February, 11th, 2022

[summitkaiju]

Repost from @monsattackteam: Akira Takarada and Godzilla Tour USS Ronald Reagan in Yokosuka Japan! Article and photos © Edward L. Holland and Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Janweb B. Lagazo On March 8, 2019, famed actor Akira Takarada who played diver Hideto Ogata in GODZILLA (1954) and executives from Toho Studios visited the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) homeported in Yokosuka, Japan during a personal tour coordinated by USS Ronald Reagan Public Affairs Office (PAO) and Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY) PAO. Takarada, famous for his acting roles in countless films, television dramas, and the live stage conducted a meet and greet with Sailors and posed for a group photo in the ceremonial quarterdeck of the Navy's forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). The USS Ronald Reagan is the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5, and provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interests of its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region. The one day tour included a scenic drive around the US naval base, a visit to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, lunch with exuberant Japanese and American fans at US Naval Hospital Yokosuka, and a short trip to Tatarahama beach, now known as Kannonzaki Prefectural Park, where Godzilla footprints were seen on shore in the first film, which celebrates its 65th anniversary this year. Speaking of the monumental excursion Takarada mentioned, "I was particularly attracted to American films since I was young and was very interested in them including many of Ronald Reagan's appearances. As an actor, his debonair appearance and behavior was my intent goal and it was a great honor to be able to take a special look at an aircraft carrier carrying his namesake, and see the dedication of its many Sailors on board. I now have a greater understanding of how such a huge ship functions and the daily activities of its crew." Toho Studios director Keiji Ohta also commented, "First of all, I would like to express my respect and gratitude to the representatives of the US Naval Base Yokosuka and the USS Ronald Reagan who afforded us such a valuable opportuni (at Japan) https://www.instagram.com/p/BvPIUT3Hp9i/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=xcuigqwx2yru

[ponthebear]

クマ散歩：花の広場に品行方正なクマ出没 The Bear took a walk around Kannonzaki Park Flower Zone！♪☆(^O^)／

#おでかけ #思い出

[spst-haru]

［ 海色グラデーション ］ . . . 12月 観音崎公園にて。 . . . 青緑からエメラルドグリーンへのグラデーションが美しい。 . . . 波が白い泡を 波打ち際につくりだし、 海面の模様はどんどん変わっていきます。 . . . 一瞬一瞬、所々で色も模様も違う海は、 飽きることなく眺めてしまいます。 . . . ==================== 📸 2019.12 Kannonzaki Park, Yokosuka, Kanagawa . Nikon D5300 🌊⛴🌊⛴🌊⛴🌊⛴🌊 ==================== . . . #japan #kanagawa #yokosuka #kannonzakipark #kannonzakiparkbeach #kannonzakiparkcoast #beach #coast #kannonzakiparksea #sea #kannonzakiparkwave #wave #seawave #kannonzakiparkrockyarea #rockyarea #神奈川 #横須賀 #観音崎公園 #観音崎公園海岸 #海岸　 #観音崎公園海 #海 #観音崎公園波 #波 #観音崎公園岩場 #adobephotoshoplightroom #nikond5300 #instagram #photo #photography 　 (神奈川県立 観音崎公園) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-RjsClpg0W/?igshid=2whrzbcyvbhc

[rollinpage]

    A large tunnel, for a small island anyway, with several doors set into the sides. There are labels on the doors, but they are all in Japanese.

It’s 1854.  Commodore Matthew Perry has just sailed his black ships into Tokyo bay and forced the Tokugawa Shogunate to open Japan to foreign trade for the first time in more than 200 years.  The sudden appearance of large, modern warships on Japanese shores served as a wake up call and made it clear that Japan couldn’t ignore the march of technology anymore.  Of course, Japan in the late Edo period was not in some kind of dark age, completely cut off from the outside world.  The Dutch had been bringing news, books, ideas, and stories of the outside world into Nagasaki Prefecture the entire time the country was closed. So in spite of the country’s relative isolation, the Japanese government knew what was going on in outside the world.  In fact, I have heard it said that, when Commodore Perry finally met with the Shogun’s representatives, they asked about the recent war the U.S. fought against Mexico.  To the Japanese at the time, though, all of this was so far away. But with the U.S. demanding trade and the British, French, and others waiting in line behind them, it was becoming clear that Japan needed a much stronger navy.  At first, this meant buying used ships from other naval powers, but that was just a starting point.  In 1865, French naval engineer François Léonce Verny was hired by the Tokugawa Shogunate to build two modern military shipyards – the first of these would transform a small fishing village on Tokyo Bay called Yokosuka into a naval powerhouse.

The modern city of Yokosuka as seen from the old battery on Sarushima.

Through out the Edo Period, Yokosuka and the surrounding area was under the direct control of the Tokugawa Clan and the Shogun directly, who had built a few small fortifications control watch traffic in and out of Tokyo Bay, inspecting cargo, and ensuring that no foreign ships or illegal goods entered the country.  Of course, this didn’t stop Commodore Perry and his fleet – a fact not lost on the Shogun and his advisers.  That is why they hired Verny and he got right to work, building dry-docks, repair facilities, and iron works, and even launching the Yokosuka-maru, Japan’s first domestically produced steam ship, in 1866.  This also resulted in the expansion of defensive fortifications into modern coastal artillery batteries.  Following the fall of the Shogunate, the newly formed Imperial Japanese Navy took over the Yokosuka Shipyard in 1871, keeping Verny and the other French engineers on until 1878 while they trained the Japanese engineers who would continue their work.  Over time, the Yokosuka Shipyardl became the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal which served as the backbone of the larger Yokosuka Naval District. As the shipyard and port facilities were expanded and additional sites were built and consolidated, Yokosuka became the first of four major naval districts in Japan due to its size and close proximity to the capital in Tokyo.

Battleship Mikasa stands on the waterfront, as seen from the ferry to Sarushima.

Some of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s most impressive and important ships were built and berthed in Yokosuka.   Japan’s first submarines, purchased from the U.S., were brought to Yokosuka,  Japan’s first domestically produced battleship, the Satsuma, was built in the Yokosuka dry docks.  Several of the battleships and carriers Japan used in WWII were built and maintained in Yokosuka.  Like carrier Shikoku and battleship Yamashiro.  Technical schools and research stations were established throughout the Yokosuka Naval District and Eventually and Air Technical Arsenal was established to design new naval aircraft for the Japanese.  Throughout the Imperial era, and right up until Japan’s formal surrender at the end of WWII, Yokosuka maintained its position as the most important naval headquarters in the country.  But, the end did eventually come.  The Naval Arsenal and shipyard were taken over post war by the U.S. Navy, who still use the original dry docks designed by Verny in the 1800s.   In fact, what little still exists of the original Yokosuka Naval Arsenal are mostly on the current American Fleet Activities Yokosuka navy base, where several sites, like the dry docks and headquarters buildings, are still in use.  Even so, many of the bunkers are walled off and off limits, – both on base and off.  This is probably the biggest difference between Yokosuka and the other formal Naval Districts from this time period.  While places like Kure and Nagasaki own their naval heritage and seem proud to show it off to the public, Yokosuka has hidden much of it away, leaving only a few traces of what once was.

The path through the former barracks, carved into the stone of the small island. Today, a raised wooden walkway leads past the fenced, locked structures.

However, there are a couple places that remains of the old Naval Arsenal can still be found.  The best known of these is probably Sarushima, or Monkey Island.  This small island is located a short ferry ride from the battleship Mikasa park and contains the mostly preserved ruins of the old Meiji Period defensive gun battery that once inhabited the island.  It also boasts that it is the only island in Tokyo Bay that hasn’t been extensively altered, expanded, or otherwise changed to make it inhabitable.  The island had been used as a small fortification by the Tokugawa Shogunate for much of the Edo Period, but when the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal was established, the island’s defenses were expanded into a modern shore based artillery battery to protect the approaches to Tokyo from hostile ships.  From 1881 until the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, the shore battery occupied the entire island with further support buildings on shore nearby.  After the earthquake, however, many of the gun emplacements were damaged, and as technology marched on, they were not repaired.  Rather, the island was converted into a smaller anti-aircraft battery, which was abandoned after the war.  Shortly after the U.S. Navy took over the area, the city started using the island as a marine park, which it still is today.

Sarushima, or Monkey Island. It is said that, during the Kamakura Period, a monk was traveling across Tokyo Bay on a boat when he was suddenly caught up in a storm. which wrecked his boat and tossed him into the sea. When he woke up on the beach, he was certain monkeys had some from the island and saved him, in spite of the fact that no monkeys have ever lived on the island.

So, a few weeks ago, I headed over to Yokosuka, hopped on a boat, and had a look for myself.  In all honesty, from a historical standpoint, it was a little disappointing.  The island itself is a cool place to walk around, appreciate the view of Tokyo Bay, and enjoy a little hiking, BBQ, and nature.  But all of the old buildings and structures are locked and sealed.  Most of the gun emplacements are poorly preserved with just the concrete circle marking where they once stood, with many of the structures around them erased and no other markers indicating what was there.  One emplacement even had a hiking path carved through it.  The observatory at the island’s highest point is chained shut and cut off from visitors.  Meanwhile, there are cones, plastic gates, and caution tape everywhere, almost as if someone considered preserving the remains as a proper museum, but then just couldn’t be bothered.  When you consider the fact that the battery had been reduced by the time of WWII war, and the fact that there are far better sites preserved elsewhere, it hardly seems worth the 1,500 yen for the ferry if you are going to the island for the gun battery.  If you want to see better preserved gun batteries in Yokosuka that were in use during the war, I suggest taking the bus to Kannonzaki Park and hiking up the mountain to see the remains of the old fortress there.  But that is another article for another day.

the path toward the main tunnel,

If you are in the area and have a day to kill, Sarushima is a nice place to visit.  But at 1,500 yen per person just to get there, if you are serious about history, it may not be worth the cost.

  the small cutout in this wooden walkway shows the old, worn stone path soldiers would have walked when the battery was in place.

A path winds around Sarushima

The earthworks and concrete of a large gun emplacement on Sarushima. This is the largest emplacement we saw on the island and the only one with the ammo storage and earthworks still intact.

ammunition storage in a large gun emplacement.

this smaller side tunnel

the current walking path cuts across a smaller gun emplacement.

A locked door and window set into the hillside lined in moss stained bricks. As with most other locations, the small placard is only in Japanese.

Barracks windows set into the brickwork

A locked gate leading into one of the many chambers cut into the hillside on Sarushima.

A sign stands over the pier on arrival to Sarushima, Yokosuka, Japan

  Yokosuka Naval Arsenal: Sarushima Battery It's 1854.  Commodore Matthew Perry has just sailed his black ships into Tokyo bay and forced the Tokugawa Shogunate to open Japan to foreign trade for the first time in more than 200 years. 

[tostomo]

Sea, 海, 横須賀, 観音崎, Pentax K-3 at 県立 観音崎公園 (Kannonzaki Park) by Tomohiro Sato on EyeEm

[recentanimenews]

FEATURE: Anime vs. Real Life – “Minami Kamakura High School Girls Cycling Club” [Part 3]

After performing so well at the school’s criterium, the Minami Kamakura High School Girls Cycling Club (yes, that’s a very long title for a club and an anime) received some school funding, and is finally ready for their first proper trip as a club. Their first tour: biking around the Miura Peninsula from Yokosuka all the way down to Misaki.  

  The Miura Peninsula is located in the southeastern part of Kanagawa Prefecture and divides Tokyo Bay to the east, from Sagami Bay to the west. The anime’s main location, Kamakura, is situated in the north of the Miura Peninsula, but the club’s first outing takes them to Yokosuka, in the central part of the peninsula. Yokosuka has played a major role in Japan’s naval history, and is nowadays mostly associated with the United States Navy base and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force HQ located there. It was also in Yokosuka where Commodore Matthew C. Perry landed with his fleet in 1853, initiating the opening of Japan to international trade.

  Given its history as a naval base, the port has also been a fitting setting for shows like High School Fleet and Arpeggio of Blue Steel. But Yokosuka also seems to be getting popular among cycling shows as of late, as the recent Long Riders, and now Minami Kamakura High School Girls Cycling Club have both used the area as a setting for their shows. Now, let’s take virtual trip from Yokosuka to Misaki and find out how far they’ve actually traveled in the real world.  

  *All images were taken with GOOGLE STREET VIEW

    The gang meets up at JR Kamakura Station and hop on the train to Yokosuka Station, which should only take them around 20 minutes. (If you missed my two previous articles about the show and Kamakura, please check them out here: Part 1, Part 2.)

    They get off at Yokosuka Station, which was also featured in last year’s High School Fleet. As you can see, Minami Kamakura High School Girls Cycling Club's backgrounds look as lovely as ever, and match their real-world counterparts stroke for stroke most of the time.

    The small building to the left is the Verny Commemorative Museum.

    Probably the first thing every tourist (including our protagonists) do once they get out of Yokosuka Station is to head to the Verny Park right next to it. The park is located along the waterfront and offers great views of both the Japanese and American Naval bases, as well as the many warships anchored in Yokosuka Bay. The park was named after the French naval engineer and foreign advisor, François Léonce Verny, who was responsible for the construction of the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal in 1865. 

    The Verny Park also includes the small Verny Commemorative Museum. 

    The girls finally start their cycling trip after the quick park visit… 

    …passing by the Yokosuka Arts Theater… 

    ... and make their next stop at the Mikasa Park. The park is named after its main attraction, the famous ship girl battleship Mikasa. The flagship of Admiral Heihachiro Togo fought in several battles during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), including the major Battle of Tsushima. The Mikasa was decommissioned in 1922, but was restored and reopened as a museum ship in 1961.

    After the quick stop the cycling club hits the road again, cycling along the coastal road towards Hashirimizu. 

    I can’t really blame them for taking a couple of picture breaks here and there. 

    They take their next break at the Kannonzaki Public Park. Like I just mentioned, I can’t really blame them for taking a lot of pauses, but this is already their third break after only cycling 11km (around 7 miles). 

    They didn’t even stop by Japan’s first lighthouse, the Kannonzaki Lighthouse, which was one of the four lighthouses built by the aforementioned Verny. They also completely ignored the Kannonzaki Nature Museum (building to the left).  

    They continue their trip along the coast heading towards Kamoi, where they start an energetic road race with the members of Sound-C, the Minami Kamakura FM station’s team. 

    The girls cycling club and the members of Sound-C part ways at Kurihama Port, where they take the Tokyo-Wan Ferry to Kanaya Port in Chiba. 

    While the others are headed towards Chiba, Hiromi and the girls make their way to the Kurihama commercial district, stopping by at Keikyu-Kurihama Station. Trying to retrace their correct path here was been a bit tricky, but they should’ve cycled around 21km (13 miles) at this point.

    Kurofune Nakadori shotengai. 

    With the exception of another two quick stops, the girls cycle 13km (8 miles) to the Tsurugisaki Lighthouse, located on Cape Tsurugi. The 17m (55 ft) high lighthouse was designed and constructed by the British engineer Richard Henry Brunton, and was completed in 1871. 

    Next stop: the Miyagawa Park at the tip of the Miura Peninsula. The wind farm consists of two wind turbines. From there, it’s only a small jump to their final destination. 

    Jogashima Ohashi Bridge Toll Booth.

    Jogashima Ohashi Bridge, connecting Misaki to Jogashima Island.

    After a long and exhausting day of cycling, the Minami Kamakura High School Girls Cycling Club finally arrives at Jogashima Park on Jogashima Island, the southernmost point of the Miura Peninsula. Good job – now they only need to cycle the whole way back. 

  Total distance traveled: 48km (30 miles). Check out the Google Map I made here.

  Don’t forget to catch the series finale next week! What’s the furthest you’ve ever traveled on your bike? Let us know in the comments! 

---

You can follow Wilhelm on Twitter @Surwill.

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[pix4japan]

Mossy Shoreline Kannonzaki Park offers a small beach and rocky coastline with unusual rock formations jutting out of the ocean. Portfolio: pix4japan.myportfolio.com Pentax KP 28 mm ISO 100 for 1.3 sec. at ƒ/14

[nozkphotography]

Kannonzaki park, Yokosuka city, Kanagawa pref.

February, 11th, 2022

[spst-haru]

［ 果てのない ］ . . . 12月 観音崎公園にて。 . . . 広大な太平洋では、冬の強い風が白波を幾つもつくり、それは何度も岩場に押し寄せてきます。 . . . 海面の幾つもの波はざわざわとして、 何かの兆候を感じる時のような、不思議な感覚を得ます。 . . . ==================== 📸 2019.12 Kannonzaki Park, Yokosuka, Kanagawa . Nikon D5300 🌊⛴🌊⛴🌊⛴🌊⛴🌊 ==================== . . . #japan #kanagawa #yokosuka #kannonzakipark #kannonzakiparkbeach #kannonzakiparkcoast #beach #coast #kannonzakiparksea #sea #kannonzakiparkwave #wave #seawave #kannonzakiparkrockyarea #rockyarea #神奈川 #横須賀 #観音崎公園 #観音崎公園海岸 #海岸　 #観音崎公園海 #海 #観音崎公園波 #波 #観音崎公園岩場　 #adobephotoshoplightroom #nikond5300 #instagram #photo #photography 　 (神奈川県立 観音崎公園) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-RNaUmJ6n3/?igshid=19m34utg1duks

[spst-haru]

［ 騒めく海 ］ . . . 12月 観音崎公園にて。 . . . 風の強い冬の海は、 強い波が岸に押し寄せ、飛沫をあげていました。 . . . 海面は波を何重にもつくり出し、ざわざわと落ち着かない様子。 水平線では、船がゆっくりと渡っているのが見え、対照的な光景です。 . . . ==================== 📸 2019.12 Kannonzaki Park, Yokosuka, Kanagawa . Nikon D5300 🌊⛴🌊⛴🌊⛴🌊⛴🌊 ==================== . . . #japan #kanagawa #yokosuka #kannonzakipark #kannonzakiparkbeach #kannonzakiparkcoast #beach #coast #kannonzakiparksea #sea #kannonzakiparkwave #wave #seawave #kannonzakiparkrockyarea #rockyarea #神奈川 #横須賀 #観音崎公園 #観音崎公園海岸 #海岸　 #観音崎公園海 #海 #観音崎公園波 #波 #観音崎公園岩場 #adobephotoshoplightroom #nikond5300 #instagram #photo #photography 　　 (神奈川県立 観音崎公園) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9OoZ6LJrEM/?igshid=1l13d77deuqsw

[spst-haru]

［ 飛沫の舞 ］ . . . 12月 観音崎公園の海岸にて。 . . . 冬の冷たい風が強い波を連れてきて、 何度も岩場に波が打ち付け、 水飛沫が舞い上がっていました。 . . . 水飛沫の繰り出す舞は、 恐怖をも感じさせる 迫力があります。 . . . ==================== 📸 2019.12 Kannonzaki Park, Yokosuka, Kanagawa . Nikon D5300 🌊⛴🌊⛴🌊⛴🌊⛴🌊 ==================== . . . #japan #kanagawa #yokosuka #kannonzakipark #kannonzakiparkbeach #kannonzakiparkcoast #beach #coast #kannonzakiparksea #sea #kannonzakiparkwave #wave #seawave #kannonzakiparkrockyarea #rockyarea #神奈川 #横須賀 #観音崎公園　 #観音崎公園海岸 #海岸　 #観音崎公園海 #海 #観音崎公園波 #波 #観音崎公園岩場 #adobephotoshoplightroom #nikond5300 #instagram #photo #photography 　　 (神奈川県立 観音崎公園) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8Ef9Q5pn68/?igshid=1bkvkvnqmj2hm

[ponthebear]

クマ散歩：観音崎公園に品行方正なクマ出没 The Bear took a walk around Kannonzaki Park！♪☆(^O^)／

#おでかけ #思い出

[ponthebear]

クマ散歩：観音崎公園に品行方正なクマ出没 The Bear took a walk around Kannonzaki Park！♪☆(^O^)／

#おでかけ #思い出