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In Yokosuka City, along the Tokyo Bay waterfront, there is a nice French-themed park, with a seaside boardwalk, rose gardens, a museum, and historical objects, located a short walking distance from the U.S. Navy Base. It is also very near the Coaska Shopping Mall (see link at bottom) and Shioiri Train Station on the Keihin Kyuko rail line. It is called: Verny Park, and is named after a French naval engineer, Francois Verny, who planned and directed the development of the Japanese naval base facilities in Yokosuka during the 1860s. Briefly, during the mid-19th century, Japan's national government (called the Shogunate) became alarmed & convinced of the need to modernize and build-up a strong navy. A group of Japanese officials then travelled to the U.S. and Europe to gather information on technology and manufacturing, etc. By the early-1860s, the Shogunate had decided to hire American engineers to help create shipbuilding and steelmaking facilities at Yokosuka. However, the U.S. became embroiled in a Civil War, so, Japan asked France to take on the project instead. Thereafter, Mr. Verny, along with a team of 92 French engineers and technologists managed the construction of factories, piers, drydocks, water works, iron foundry, lighthouse, and other facilities, which all became part of "Yokosuka Naval Arsenal." Additionally, Verny's team introduced methods of accounting and bookkeeping, and the metric system, to the Japanese. Their work lasted from 1866 to 1876. Of interest, Mr. Verny had worked as a naval engineer in the French port city of Brest, and in 1970, Yokosuka and Brest decided to become sister cities. Verny Park is famous for its rose gardens and has many benches and promenades for walking -- it's a great place to go and relax, and many U.S. Navy and JMSDF ships can be viewed in the adjacent harbor area. We hope you will get a chance to enjoy this special place in Yokosuka.

written by Goodfield

LINK : https://us.iino.cc/blog/blog.html?eid=00050