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There is an interesting and historic Navy-related building in Yokosuka City known as: "Tadodai Residence".  It is currently managed by Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) and access is only by invitation -- However, there will be a rare chance to visit there during the first weekend of December when it will be opened to the public.  As its name suggests, Tadodai Residence was originally built as a place for senior officers of the Imperial Navy to live.  Back in the early-20th Century, Yokosuka was host to a huge, and growing, Naval Base, which was controlled by a Vice-Admiral District Commander (see link below for more details).  A site for the Naval District Commander's living quarters was selected on top of a bluff with a great view overlooking the harbor area and Tokyo Bay.  The building was constructed in 1913, based on a design by Kotaro Sakurai, who was a graduate of the Department of Construction of the University of London, and the first Japanese to receive the title of British certified architect.  Tadodai Residence has a unique appearance with one half of the building being Western style, and the other half traditional Japanese style.   After it was constructed, it was home to 31 successive Japanese Navy admirals until the end of World War II.  Thereafter, it served as living quarters for nine senior U.S. Navy officers until 1964.  In 1969 Tadodai Residence was returned to the Japanese government and JMSDF -- In 2016 it was officially designated as an Important Cultural Property.  The unique-looking old building, is also surrounded by a large traditional-style garden with walkways and cherry blossom trees, etc.  Of note, inside the main banquet room there is an original 1925 Steinway piano, with an interesting history.  Tadodai Residence will be opened to the public on 06~07 December, from 10:00~15:00 each day (free admission, cancelled in case of bad weather).  It is located about a 10-minute-walk up a hill from Keikyu Kenritsu Daigaku Station -- It is shown on Google Maps as: "JMSDF Tadodai Office".  We hope you will be able to visit this interesting historical building in Yokosuka City. Written by Goodfield

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LINKS:

Yokosuka History

https://us.iino.cc/blog/blog.html?eid=00051

Tadodai Opening to Public (Japanese website)

https://www.cocoyoko.net/event/tadodai.html