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Yokosuka

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Yokosuka is a busy city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.

Yokosuka Japan and Mt. Fuji (横須賀と富士山の景)
Yokosuka Japan and Mt. Fuji (横須賀と富士山の景)

It sits on most of the Miura Peninsula. To the east, the city meets the mouth of Tokyo Bay. On the west side, it sits by Sagami Bay on the Pacific Ocean. The city has a population of 373,797 people. It is the 11th largest city in the Greater Tokyo Area. It is also the 12th largest in the Kantō region.

People have lived in this area for thousands of years. Archaeologists found stone tools and clay shards from very old times. In 1063, a warlord named Muraoka Tamemichi built Kinugasa Castle. Later, the Miura clan ruled this land for many years. In 1600, an English sailor named William Adams arrived at Uraga. He became a samurai and was given land in Hemi.

YokosukaConstruction
YokosukaConstruction

A monument stands today to remember him.

In the 1800s, Yokosuka changed into a modern center for ships. The government hired a French engineer named Léonce Verny in 1865. He helped build the Yokosuka Iron Foundry. This became the first modern arsenal in Japan. It helped the country build new industries. The area grew to include many brick factories and schools.

YokosukaConstruction
YokosukaConstruction

The Yokosuka Line railway opened in 1889 to connect the city to Tokyo.

Today, the city is home to United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka.

YokosukaBase
YokosukaBase

This naval base has been used by the U.S. Navy since 1945. Many people from the United States and the Philippines live in the city. Yokosuka is also a place where many things are made. Large Nissan factories build cars like the Leaf and the Juke. There is even a research park for mobile phone technology. Every May, 50,000 people visit for a festival about Japanese curry.

There are many interesting things to see and do here. You can take a ferry to visit Sarushima, which is an empty island. You can also see the Mikasa, a famous ship preserved on land.

Yokosuka Museum of Art 2009
Yokosuka Museum of Art 2009

For art lovers, the Yokosuka Museum of Art is a beautiful place to visit. The city also has a lively area called "The Honch" for shopping. This area is popular with both locals and sailors. It shows how many different cultures meet in this coastal city.

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🖼️ Images & Media (4)
File:Yokosuka Japan and Mt. Fuji (横須賀と富士山の景).jpg
Yokosuka Japan and Mt. Fuji (横須賀と富士山の景).jpg
File:YokosukaConstruction.jpg
YokosukaConstruction.jpg
File:YokosukaBase.JPG
YokosukaBase.JPG
File:Yokosuka Museum of Art 2009.jpg
Yokosuka Museum of Art 2009.jpg
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