Day Trip Yokosuka Mikasa from Tokyo

We will take a train to Yokosuka station.

The warship Mikasa is a historic battleship that was originally built for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It was launched in 1900 and is best known for its role in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, where it played a significant part in the Battle of Tsushima. This battle was a decisive naval engagement that established Japan as a major naval power. The Mikasa is a pre-dreadnought battleship, meaning it was built before the advent of the more modern dreadnought battleships that revolutionized naval warfare in the early 20th century. Despite being somewhat outdated by the time of World War I, it remained an important symbol of Japanese naval strength. After its military service, Mikasa was preserved as a museum ship and is now located in Yokosuka, Japan. It serves as a monument to Japanese naval history and is open to the public for tours. Its preservation is a testament to its historical significance and the role it played in shaping naval history.

Yokosuka Port Market is a local market located in Yokosuka, Japan, offering a variety of fresh seafood, produce, and local specialties. Positioned near the Yokosuka Naval Base, it draws both locals and tourists who want to enjoy regional flavors. The market often features locally caught fish and shellfish, as well as seasonal vegetables, making it a popular spot for those looking to experience fresh, authentic Japanese cuisine.

Since the Meiji era (1868-1912), it has flourished as a military port town for the Imperial Navy, and after World War II, it became a familiar shopping district for the U.S. military stationed in Yokosuka. Today, with the changing times, it has become nationally known as a shopping district that attracts many Japanese customers from within the city, the prefecture, and beyond. It is a unique shopping street with a wide variety of businesses, including old-fashioned portrait stores, military stores, souvenir stores, gaijin bars and restaurants, and a fusion of Japanese and American atmospheres that is unique in Japan.

The park is known for its view of the site of the Yokosuka Steel Works, which the French engineer Verny contributed to the construction of, on the other side of the river, and for its French garden style. In the park, there are busts of Verney and Tadamasa Oguri Kozunosuke, an accountant at the time, French-style flowerbeds and Western-style bower around the square, and approximately 130 varieties of roses, mainly French varieties, with approximately 1,300 plants, add color. There is a boardwalk along the sea, where visitors can enjoy a walk in the sea breeze. The park overlooks the main port of Yokosuka, where you can see moored ships. Looking from the park, the U.S. Navy base can be seen on the right and the Maritime Self-Defense Force Regional Directorate on the left.

We will return to Tokyo station.