BLOG

Yokosuka City straddles the Miura Peninsula, with its east coast facing busy Tokyo Bay, and its west coast facing Sagami Bay. Eastern Yokosuka is more urbanized and there is a lot of shipping activity in the naval and civilian harbor areas. Also, rail lines and highways are concentrated in eastern Yokosuka. On the other hand, western Yokosuka (Akiya District) is much less crowded and more laid back, with spectacular views of Mount Fuji when the weather is clear. The narrow coastal two-lane road runs through scenic fishing villages and small clusters of homes, restaurants, and stores. There are also some iconic spots along the coast where the views are spectacular, and one of those is the 立石 (Ta-te Ishi, "Standing Rock") park, where a large rock formation with pine trees overlooks Sagami Bay and out across the waves to distant Mount Fuji. The Ta-te Ishi rock formation has been a famous scenery spot for hundreds of years -- from back when Japanese traveled along the coastal roads on foot. Adding to the special ambience of west coast Yokosuka is the location of toney Hayama Town just to the north, where the Japanese Emperor's summer palace and private beach is located. The local hills and ridges are dotted with ocean-view luxury homes and summer mansions. During weekends and holidays, day drivers from Tokyo and Yokohama crowd the narrow roads, so it is on the other days when it is best to go explore the area (via car, bus, or bike). In future articles we will introduce some good restaurants and other attractions located along the west coast of Yokosuka.

written by Goodfield