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Phone number 2007/7/11 14:29
To call the Chapel of the Rising Sun from stateside 011-81-45-281-4183


If you go to the official website that Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka has on the internet for Negishi, you may be able to come up with a mailing address (instead of making an expensive telephone call) ;)
by Lori Wickett rate this post as useful

Hello Eric! 2007/7/12 01:16
I see where you FINALLY got a response from someone currently living in the old neighborhood and the news was probably bittersweet. At least your old homestead is a business and not a water closet in the walking park like mine --smile--.
Are you still planning a trip in the near future?
I noticed there is a YoHi reunion coming up in San Diego of mostly classes from the late 80's and early 90's. Ticket sales/registration has now closed. Have you sold the old homestead and relocated to your retirement Shangri-La?
by Bill N. rate this post as useful

Hey Bill... 2007/7/12 21:57
Yes, I'm still routing most of my business travel via Northwest Airlines to do a Japan trip in upgrade class seating. The idea of 12-14 hours in one of their regular seats is too painful to consider.
It was nice of Mike to provide an update of the old Sannotani neighborhood. It was interesting to hear that they had rationalized the numbering system for addresses. Our house at #91 Sannotani was next door to #108 Sannotani, which had a certain curious logic about it. I've seen recent pictures of the neighborhood showing all the old gravel streets are paved with traffic instructions in white paint on the asphalt. The blue and white streetcars are apparently gone; the last one parked in a museum.
E.
by Eric rate this post as useful

Re: Eric 2007/7/14 01:53
Yes, the streets are all paved now and the neighborhood is fully suburban. The streetcars must have disappeared long before I got here, but there's now a bus that I ride every day that runs the same route. Avenue "D" is now called Honmoku-dori but it doesn't have a number. Route 357 lies to the east and runs roughly where the coastline used to be (nowdays it's way inland, since the bay has been mostly filled in with wharves and such). Above route 357 is a big elevated expressway (highway "B", Bayshore Route) that hops the bay on a pair of impressive suspension bridges and heads north along the coastline toward Tokyo.

For Bill: in all fairness (public toilet and all) the park that used to be your old neighborhood is really one of the nicest urban parks I've seen. The view of Fuji-san from the top is quite a treat (on the rare day that the air is clear enough to see it). I hope I'm lucky enough to have such a fine park in my backyard when I go back to the States.

Anyone else with questions ????
by Mike_S rate this post as useful

To Mike S. 2007/7/14 03:30
Would you be willing to contact the Negishi Base Chapel to find out for me whether Ikuko Matsudaira-san is still involved with their music? I would sincerely appreciate it.

Domo-arigato-gozaimas!
by Lori Wickett rate this post as useful

Streetcars 2007/7/14 03:48
Somebody reported the street cars were gone by about 1970 or so. There were two sets of rails down the middle of Avenue D and there was a uniformed driver and a conductor on each car. Cars could go in either direction via a latticework of overhead electric wire. The cars were tied to the wire via a scraper connector that would throw off sparks occasionally.
A one way ticket was 13 Yen. Round trip was via a 25 Yen perforated tocket that could be torn in half for the return. They also sold monthly passes for unlimited travel.
Their was a cross track right by the Sannotani streetcar island. The car would change directions via this connecting track while the conductor would pull the scraper into position with a rope.
I rode the streetcar a hundred times to Motomachi and elsewhere as the only giajin aboard.
Its hard to believe there is almost no US footprint in Yokohama today,
Do you know when #91 Sannotani was taken down? Are there any pictures of the area available via the net?
Regards,
by Eric rate this post as useful

Question for Mike_S 2007/7/14 03:51
Mike,
Hopefully, you can see the map at http://www.city.yokohama.jp/me/naka/contents/english/map/midorie/pdf/06.pdf
On this map, find the walking park on the hill above our old neighborhood. Now find the printed words Honmoku Sancho Park. To the right of the name is a path that leads up the hill and branches to the left and to the right. Go left to where you see WC, which is where my old house use to be. Do you see the little white path that leads from the WC to the neighborhood below the hill? There use to be a small cemetery located there and I was wondering if it was still there. The aerial picture from google earth doesn't show it. I remember many a family coming to visit their ancestors at all times of the day and night. My bedroom looked down the hill. Thanks if you have the time.
by Bill N. rate this post as useful

Hi, Mike_S 2007/7/16 21:51
Did you survive the recent typhoon and earthquake? I remember a few of those kinds of events. Usually, the wind and rain from the typhoon were so fierce, the water would start seeping through the stucco walls of the house. We had to put towels around the doors and windows to keep the water out. The rain hit the house really hard. The next day or so after the storm had past, the earthquake hit. You know the kind, where the earth moves sideways and up and down. I always worried about the wall holding up the terrace above us would collapse, but it held strong.
by Bill N. rate this post as useful

ave D ect 1969 2007/7/21 01:14
Ave D uas Honmoku Dori but did you know that the term Hunky Dori is derived from the fact the in the 50's the servicemen there gave it that title because the area was a good place to have a good time. I lived in Yokohama from 67-69 off of Honmuku on a hill called Medori Gaoka [Green Mountain]
and also for a short time at Bayside Courts. I have about a thousand pictures of my time there and would love to get them out. I was a Food Inspector for the Veterinary Detachment and worked at both Center Pier and The Meadow Gold Milk Plant. (Which buy the way was hit by a bomb in WW2 but was a dud. The Milk plant was hit on 29 May 1945 during the "Great Yokohama Air Raid" which killed about 6000
Japanese. Ready, that was the day I was born. Made many good friends both Japanese and americans.Miss them all. Hung out on Isezaki cho at a bar called Peanuts and made good friends with a band there called TheVoltage. Is Peanuts still there? Traveled extensively while in Japan Sado Island included and climbed Mt. Fuji on July 20 1969 was on the summit when we heard the news of the Moon landing. My Wife at the time taught in the kindergarden at lighthouse school I think Her name was Mary Ann Saunders. Anyone remember A German restaurant in chinatown called Bettys Kitchen? She was a real survivor and a wonderful lady, Arrived in yokohama in 1923 on the day of the great kanagaua earthquake and could swear in japanese to make the toughest cab driver blush. Looking for an old friend. John N. Boyle the 3rd cant find him anywhere.
originally from Massachusetts. Had an apartment also accross the canal from motomachi in a converted chinese doctors office. Moved to medori Gaoka cuz it was too expensive. Primary apartment was called Manzaka Mansion, just next to Medori Gaoka elementary school and short walking distance from Negishi Heights I believe. I love this site and the memories it invokes.I see on Google that the base is gone on area 1 and baysede courts is an apartment complex. the canal next to motomachi is covered over by a bridge leading to the big bridge over the bay.I truly treasure my time there even with the smog and yokohama asthma. couls dee mt fuji from the top of my apt bldg on a clear day and the ships in the bay. what a fine and wild time. I hosted many R&R guys that came to town and It worked out nicely. I could get them around as I spoke pretty good Japanese and they had money. Zebra club downtown went back to the late 40's at least but was located accross from yamashita park and around the corner from the silk center hotel. pretty wild. As I was attached to a medical detachment albeit veterinary had occasion to to to a hospital on the other side of town forgot the name,anyone? Very sad as there were many Vietnam casualties there without limbs. Back at area 1 the doctors put on a drug lecture at the teen center. A Dr Coley who was the best doctor there presented the drug lecture. Very nice man but NO idea about marijuana.He faked it beautifully and we didn't call him on it but I think he knew that we knew. Bill chickering. 25 cents but you had to stand for the national anthem which was fine. Was an army pfc when i came and left a spc 5 Thoughts anyone? thanks for having me aboard.
by peter saunders rate this post as useful

Re: Ave D 1969 2007/7/21 03:53
Peter,

I enjoyed reading your post, although you were in Yokohama 15 years after my departure. Of course, I was only 10 years old when I left in 1954. You guys who were there as adults have more memories of really good times. I was able to find the old neighborhood on maps.google.com . It was interesting to see some things that are still there while most are gone. Have you looked at the old pictures on the yohi web site at http://www.yohidevils.net ?
by Bill N. rate this post as useful

bill n 2007/7/21 04:26
bill yes i have found yo-hi devils and enjoyed the photos. what unit were you in and did you stay at bayside courts. Whilw I was there I was married which turns out to have been a good thing as the guys at the base who were single didn't have the buffer that I did in getting into trouble. So she and I kept the tempting influences from ourselves. While there and traveling she wote a hat usually, of some kind or another, WE didn"t knowit then but we later figured out that Japanese women wear hats only on there honeymoon,which in a way we were. As a result we got really special treatment whereever we went. We just thought it was normal hospitality. They gushed over my wife and we just ate it up. Ever go to the peanuts bar? Would love to know what happened to the place before and after. Anyone?
by peter saunders rate this post as useful

oooppps bill n 2007/7/21 05:05
sorry bill my questions were not thought out as you were 10 years old you wouldn't have stayed at bayside as that was enlisted and officers quarters, also as a 10 year old you wouldnt know about bars and such. This is my first posting ever so I am a little green also excuse the typos and puncunation, am learning. I am wondering how to post some of the photos and where they could go. I have a bunch of them Even two rare ones of Ave D in a snowstorm. With trolly cars and all we lived on those trollys. once I stayed on one until the end and back just to see where it went, I still rembember the sound of the conductor calling out the stops. One conductor was eating kimshee and it was almost overpowering. Another memory.. the japanese police were never really seen, but a childhood frient then in the navy took a taxi from yokouska to stay with me in my apartmeny. the taxi driver stopped at a police box and asked where I lived without looking it up, the police directed him to exactly where we lived. I guess there were keeping there eyes on things. quiet like.
by peter saunders rate this post as useful

to Negishi now 2007/7/22 01:43
Have been reading all of the posts. This is really fun.OK Negishi Now I am going to take you up on your offer to do a little legwork. I would like to see if my old apartment builing is still there and what it looks like Google earth indicates that it is there but cant see it. It is called Manzaka Mansion and it was /is at 187 something. It is located right next to the Medori Gaoka high school on Medori Gaoka hill. I know the high school is still there as they have a web site. The apartment sits on the eastern side of the school. It is a square box looking thing not very pretty and has six apartments in it two each on three levels with a center stairway to the roof. The outside is white stucco. Mine was the bottom [ground level] one on the right. A photo would be so wonderful.
also I am looking to find out if there is a bar on Isezaki-cho called Peanuts and of a rock group called The Voltage. This is all very silly sounding I'm sure but with the way things have been going this would be so great to have these reflections. While I took a lot of pictures of my time there I really didn't get shots of the day to day things that i now treasure ,so Negishi Now i would encourage you to get your camera and take a bunch of shots of your house, work neighborhood day in the life ect and keep them, These are the things that are going to mean the most to you in 20 years I was there 37 years ago and have wonderful memories. Thank you all in this group for keeping it up ERIC et al. I was there in 67-69 as I have stated i would be happy to shed any light i can on questions that you may have of me on that time frame in Yokohamas history. This was the height of the Vietnam was and I remember some pretty crazy stuff that went on then. Like the time the Pueblo was captured off of the coast of Korea the commander of the ship and the perhapssome of the crew lived in Negishi area and it was an unsettleing event , Yet the navy familys came together to support the crews familys and was very touching.
by peter saunders rate this post as useful

To Peter S. 2007/7/22 10:53
Peter,
It's okay not realizing I only 9 and 10 yrs old when in Yokohama. We lived at #351 Area 2, later this was called Bayview. My father was Army Logistics Officer for the Port of Yokohama.

About posting pictures on the Yohidevils web site, you should send an email to the website curator. You will find his link at the bottom of the Yohidevils.net web site. Good luck.
by Bill N rate this post as useful

to bill and negishi now 2007/7/23 01:15
thanks bill i'll do that. also regarding army logistics that your dad was involved in. I worked at center pier about a half mile from yamashita park and the silk center. Can see it today on google earth . Your dad was no doubt involved with the huge shipments of vegetables that we were buying from the japanese to ship to vietnam and korea. One day [ I do not recall the year but I think it was 1968 spring?] we were doing our inspections as usual and our commanding officer showed up which was not often. His name was major chapman. He had a brief hush hush meeting with the head nco and our captain and when
were done with our inspection they fell us into formation which never happened. They told us that there was a special shipment coming through and that we were to stay off the pier and do not interact with anyone and stay close to our own building but do not go near the trucks. OK no big deal. About a half hour later a marine and MP unit showed up about 20 of them,several staff cars with some heavy brass and aids and two large 2 1/2 ton trucks. The mp's and marines were armed with rifles and other arms not sure but one may have had a tommy gun and had helmets and battle gear on. Which was really odd back then. They formed a perimeter around the trucks and the fork lift took off two? large crates and they immediately hoisted them on to the ship.
Didn't see the name to the ship.Several officers and marines got onto the ship and it pulled out immediately. In a big hurry. The Japanese workers faded away during all of this and the atmosphere was very tense. We all asked ourselves what this was all about and was told in no uncertain terms that we were not to talk about it and to "clam up". which we did. During that time period there was some grumbling in the media about how unhappy the japanese were about the hint that the us forces may have had atomic
weaponds on japanese soil. they were livid when a nuclear powered ship came into one of the southern ports. I do not know if this
incident is related to that or not but it was pretty strange. I wonder if they were sending out a couple of nukes. It was definately not tomatoes! question, if it was so hush hush why do it in the middle of the day on a busy pier.. army logic.

To NEGISHI NOW
here is the full address of my old apt building. I actually have the old rental agreement, in both japanese and english. It is 187 Manzaka Honmoku, Medorigaoka
naka-ku yokohama. Good luck.
As for the numbering of street addresses. you all may know this but it is my belief that houses on streets were numbered in the order that they were built not by progression down the street. So that number 5 for instance might be next to number 67 or whatever. This would make it very hard to find places. One trick that we used in out travels was to get a box of matches from the place we were staying [ every hotel bar ect had them] and we would sight- see or whatever without care and get lost with no worry knowing that at the end of the day or night we would just give the pack of matches to a cab driver and say koko dozo [here please] and zoom we were home. learned that trick early.
by peter saunders rate this post as useful

koko dozo 2007/7/23 03:44
Pete:
Our maid, Masako, made out a short message on a 3 X 5 card for me when I was traveling by train or streetcar by myself. I would approach the conductor and ask, koko, dozo, kudasai...
E
by Eric rate this post as useful

eric dozo 2007/7/23 06:26
hi eric hajimemasthe [first time meeting] good trick too. gee I wish we had a maid.. our apartment then is about half the size of my garage now It was about 200 sq ft but laid out beautifully and no bathtub in the same room with the toilet. We still have much to learn from the japanese. Ah taxis ! We never had a car. I thought Boston drivers were crazy..And i lerned a little fact in Japanese law. In an accident the fault or part of it rests with the driver depending on weather he is on business or pleasure. The deference given to the business person. Also if you were to kill the head of the household you were obliged to provide support for his family. To what extent and for how long I never learned. Well that was enough to keep me from driving, plus taxi rides were anout 100 yen 28 cents then. Why bother with a car and on the left hand side too . Anyway we would also say to the driver anigasimasu which means lets go.. or..do your hing. One evening on the way back from our favorite bar Peanuts I put on some psychadillic glasses which messed up your vision anyway the taxi driver seemed to know where i was going but after a while he stopped and I took of the glasses onlt to find that both he and I had no Idea where we were finally got out and walked home took half the night.
by peter s rate this post as useful

Cemetery, etc 2007/7/23 10:58
Hi Bill N.,

Yes, the cemetery is still there, and it looks well tended so I suppose people are still visiting there regularly.

The park building nearby which is marked as "WC" on the map is actually the main building for the park. It also has some sort of community center where kids can drop in and do art projects on the weekends. There's also an observation deck on the top that has a view over the harbor and the 2 big suspension bridges. Looking down from there the cemetery is directly below on the hillside. I've been within 100ft of that cemetery dozens of times and never knew it was there.

Anyway I guess the park building is pretty much exactly where your house would have been. I must say you had a pretty excellent location.

No problem here from the quake & typhoon - the storm had weakened quite a bit before it came over Kanto, although it did hit Okinawa and Kyushu quite hard. The quake was in Niigata, over on the opposite side of the island. The quake could be felt very clearly in Yokohama - when I heard it was centered in Niigata I knew it must have been a big one.
by Mike_S rate this post as useful

Sannotani 91 2007/7/23 11:08
Hi Eric -

Unfortunately I have no way of knowing when your old house was taken down. The Navy housing areas were turned over to Japan in 1982 or 1983, so that defines the new construction pretty easily. Your old place, being outside of the Navy areas, could have been replaced any time. The apartment buildings that face the street seem to be from the 1980's or 1990's.

I came across a few photos of the area at http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/280695.html.
#3 is a view of Honmoku-dori away from downtown with the Sannotani bus stop about in the middle of the picture. Your house was just about across the street from the "Jolly Pasta" restaraunt at the bottom of the photo.
#4 is taken from about the middle of Area 2 (past the bus stop).
#6 is one of the streets laeding off Honmoku-dori in the general direction of Sankeien.
by Mike_S rate this post as useful

WOW to Mike_S 2007/7/23 22:48
Mike,
Thanks so much for the excellent feedback about Yokohama. It is much appreciated. I feel better knowing the old homestead is not just another water closet. --smile--
We were there March 1953 thru May 1954. Dad was logistics officer for Port of Yokohama, but was primarily focused on military dependent household goods and stuff with all the military dependents coming and going back in that era.
Glad to hear you survived the typhoon and earthquake. Our house was at a good site, except during typhoons and earthqakes, but we survived those "scary" times too.
by Bill N. rate this post as useful

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