Yokohama Navy Exchange was where?

I look forward to hearing whether there was a response to your e-mail with info about Mrs. Matsudaira. Thanks again for your willingness to help me in this enquiry.

I have found a viedo of the Negishi housing area as it is today. It can be found at: Negishi Community Bulletin Board under Housing Video. This 14 minute piece was made to aquaint prospective residence with the services in the area and to give some insight as to the grounds, schools,ect. It is intended to encourage familys to consider moving there. It was nice to see the old neighborhood .
Just an updated request.If anyone who lives in Negishi now would like to endulge an old resident in the area. I would sure love to see my old apartment building. It is next to Medori Gaoka school about one mile east of negishi. It is called Manzaka mansion and is ay 187 Manzaka Honumku it is a three story stucco bldg with six apartments just to the east of the school. Thanks. I know its there but cant see it very well on google earth.

So far I have not heard anything, when I get home I need to stop by and check into this for you. I will keep checking this thread as well.

Thanks for the update. I sure appreciate your dedication! Fair winds and calm seas.

The Navy PX was on D Avenue, not far from the bluff area. All condos now.

I worked there a year or two in the gas station and garage- mostly writing "bureki chosei" or "ingin chosei" on work orders from the Navy wives to the Japanese mechanics.

not familiar with those terms. Didn't have a car while I was there in 67-69.What do they mean?

I have not forgotten about this. I am still away and will be for about a month. I need to go by the Chapel when I get home. I save the information you posted earlier so I won't forget.

I lived in area 1 from 76 to 78. My mom used to work at the pool during the winter collecting money for the trout that was caught, I spent alot of time at that pool. By the way, if you look at the lower right corner of area 1 on the map... if would be right there, if it were installed in the 40's

I lived in Yokohama in the 50s, through 1961, and spent almost every summer taking Red Cross swimming lessons at the big pool in Area 1. Our house was about a mile south of the pool, on the same side of Avenue D. I could walk to the pool or ride my giant 28" Japanese bike...

Eric sounds like your house was not far from sanki-en gardens. spent many quiet afternoons there. About the only place I could find to have a little solitude. I have a picture taken there. A japanese photography club was doing a photo shoot using a pretty japanese child. I photographed them photographing her. One of the men caught me doing this and gave me a stern glare and was angry. I gave him a sheepish grin. neet shot showing japanese at leasure.
Went to the pool several times but it was a hike back to our apartment building. Once it was very hot and we cooled off at the pool only to get hot again walking home. I remember some palm trees in area one near an overhead pipe assembly.probably near the seaside club.

Yeah, I used to live right around the corner from the pool, Bldg 30-c. In fact, that area is where I learned to ride a bike, (I was 6 years old). The best place I've lived in my life so far!!!!

Eric didn't you use to poke sticks at the gold fish in sanki-en gardens ponds? R U still planning a trip to Japan?

Hey Bill:
Yeah I'd like to pay a return visit and this could happen in 08. It would mark 47 years since we left.
Several big projects I was pushing have been completed this fall, much earlier than I thought would happen. A new road into our property and a related lawsuit are done (thank the Good Lord.) I have some arthritis flare up a few weeks ago; let my uric acid get out of control but feeling better now...
Back in the 50s-1961, I could walk to Sankaien Gardens which was directly behind our house, in about a half hour. The gate keeper was not always on duty but I left 100 Yen anyway. The park featured a neat five story pagoda building which the developer had moved there 50 years earlier. The back of Sankien was a sheer cliff, looking down at the seashore/bay. I could rent a fishing boat and go crab hunting with a bamboo pole when the tide was low. These critters were cooked up on an open fire with the Japanese kids participating. They spoke no English and I spoke very limited Japanese but we both knew what we liked.
This bay and related fishery is now landfilled and features an oil refinery and some other industries. Pity.

Bill and Eric. There are several videos of sankei en on you tube. One shows the coy fish gulping for treats. There have been several additions "lately" that involve houses and paths. I too walked to the water but never swam there. I did meet an eldery Japanese gentleman who showed me his crab catching method. He had a hollowed out bamboo pole and at one end he fashoned some old fishing line in the form of many loops, connected to a single line that fed to the other end. He would take some bait and put it inside the loops and then place it in the water beside a boulder. in a fue minutes a crab would come out and reach inside the loops to get the bait and he would then pull on the single line at his end which owuld gather all of the loops together on the crab end and snare the crab. Very clever and no cost except time and patience. Sad to hear about the oil refineries but not unexpected. I too have been thinking abour a return visit. found a company, Samurai Tours that have some nice packages. none that go to Yokohama but there is time in the tour to make a day trip from Tokyo. A friend of mine who is Japanese here says that her father who lives south of Yokohama does not recommend it. Seems that there have so many changes that he would be concerned that I would be disappointed. Thats a consideration . This tour goes to Nikko, Kamakura, Hokkine,Kyoto , Nara and other places that I have already seen but would be nice to see again. Also the tour is small 16 people and features only japanese rooms ect and a stay at a buddhist monistary.[one night]A one act Kabuki play, meet a geisha and other tourist type stuff . price is a little steep and does not include air fare.Cant take it with you right? Wondering how well I might be able to still get around if I wanted to go it alone? When there in 67-69 We traveled without a care and did fine. athat was then. Convinced a tour is best,no hassles. If this is to happen would be in the fall of 08. Have gotten into brushing up on my Japanese which is very rusty. Found a very wonderful vidio again on youtube, Guys you MUST watch this, it is wonderful!
Go to Youtube and type in Japanese english conversation. You will find one that looks like school girls at desks and says some thing like kemini kai [girls name]. The teacher is an american called Thane Camus and his Japanese is unbelievely good. They give the girls a phrase to make into a story and then try and say it in english. This is a lot of fun.

The video I mentioned on youtube is Kemei Eri. She and the other girls are a part of a popular Japanese TV show called Morning Musume. They are full of laughts and have mamny other videos if you are inclined.They are a joy to watch.

I don't think I'd be too worried about touring Japan without a tour group. Maybe you could find a tour that took in Kamakura and some of the other neat old cities while leaving time for an "on your own" visit to Yokohama. Maybe you can hook up with one of the many schools in the city and have them plot a three day haunt of your old places. Perhaps one of the newspapers would be interested in your perspective, 30-40 years later.
One newspaper friend at the Washington Post did a retrospective on his old home town of the 1950s. His name is Kunio Francis Tanabe, a book and art reviewer for the Washington Post. If you type in his name on a Google search, I'm sure his writings will come up. His recollections are as close to mine as anyone I've read to date.
Regards,

Eric wonderful suggestions many thanks. ayour confidence in my abilities is greater than mine. later

I read Mr. Tanabe's short account of his life at the School. What a wonderful experience for him. I wonder what years he was there? Funny, My first apartment building was in a converted doctors office on the canal accross from motomachi and on the edge of chinatown. But I never went up the bluff to see what was there. Once was at motomachi and saw the 100? steps, seemed interesting but didn't persue it.

Peter;

Also on the Bluff was the Yokohama International School. It was run by Swiss, using UK textbooks when I was there. We played St. Joseph in an annual soccer game and usually came away with many black and blue marks and a loss. The St. Joe kids were bigger and meaner than we were, I guess.
The school held classes through the 6th grade in 59. I think I read where its a full elem/high school now.

Wish i had gone up to the Bluff, some very nice houses there. Believe I saw a picture of the international school in yohi devils site. Eric have you seen that video I mentioned. I think you will enjoy it