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After moving to the Yokosuka area, one of the places you are likely to hear about is "The Honch," which is an area right outside the main gate of the Navy Base (CFAY) which hosts a large number of shops, pubs, and eateries catering to Americans. Originally, when the Japan Imperial Navy's Yokosuka Naval Arsenal was established in the late 19th Century, the nearby "Hon-Cho" residential & commercial district, was where shops and restaurants were set-up to cater to the Japanese sailors and shipyard employees, etc. After the end of World War II, the Hon-Cho shopping & entertainment street continued its business, except that its customer base shifted to include many U.S. military personnel -- and, at some point, with all the U.S, Navy ships' liberty parties and other sailors going there for "rest & recreation," the Hon-Cho area came to be known as "The Honch." Local Japanese people refer to the area as "Dobu-ita Dori," and it has become a major Yokosuka tourist attraction, selling army/navy goods, hip-hop fashion, hamburgers, pizza, tacos, and other American food. " Of interest, "どぶ板通り" (Dobu-Ita Dori,) literally means "Covered Creek Street." As mentioned above, from the 1860s through the 1940s, the Hon-Cho shopping street catered to customers from the nearby Yokosuka Naval Arsenal, and originally, there was a small stream or creek (called: どぶ "dobu") which ran along the street. But, as things got busier over time, it became a nuisance and a traffic hazard. So, the Naval Arsenal manufactured a bunch of thick steel plates (板 "ita") which were then laid-down to cover the creek, thereby making the street safer and more convenient for pedestrians and wheeled traffic. The Honch has no parking areas, so it is best to visit on foot. It is a colorful and interesting part of Yokosuka, with good souvenir shopping and places to eat and drink -- we hope you will be able to visit there while you live in Japan.

written by Goodfield