Yokohama Navy Exchange was where?

I remember several beautiful homes on the Bluff area of Yokohama. I think the Danish or Norwegian ambassador had a house there.
I haven't seen the film yet but will have a look.

Eric noted that your reply was dated 11/1. My date here
in New Hampshire is 10/31.
Are you in the far east? Really don't remember but think Japan is 14 hours ahead of Eastern Daylight savings time. Thats the reason why I didn't make very many phone calls home when I was there, also the cost which I don't remember either. Enjoy the vidio.

noted my reply was dated 11/1 also. So it is the system. perhaps the forum is hosted in japan, thus there time zone.

We lived in Negishi from 60-64 at 365-B. I was in 1st - 4th grades at Byrd Elementary. It was a wonderful time and place. I played Little League and made the all star team called Chisai (little ones). We spent countless hours at the pool, Bill Chikering theater (Rawhide, Wagon Train, Lassie, etc) and of course the hobby shops. We did all our shopping at the Exchange and Commissary at the complex on Avenue D. I remember very extravagant fireworks displays on the football field of Kinnick High on July 4th. One day while exploring around the western edge of Negishi Heights as kids, we found a super long set of stone steps that went down the bluff into the local village below. I have been unable to locate it on Google Earth but I know it was there. I still have some MPC which bring me great memories of 10 cent burgers and 5 cent fries. does anyone remember when they put the Friendship 7 space capsule on display near the Grandstand?

the steps I was refering to was not in the housing area but on motomachi near the canals [now covered over with a expressway].These famous steps lead up to the bluff area overlooking yokohama harbor. These as well cannot be seen on google earth. Motomachi still exists and can be seen on youtube. It was about a mile from the exchange area down ave D and to the right [east] just after the yamato tunnel.

I remember the canals and the houseboats tied up in the waterway. Large, extended families lived on these houseboats, below decks, and cleaned and dressed themselves and went to work and school everyday.
Seems like my folks and I stood out on these houseboats to watch fireworks on July 4th a couple of times.
I'm still researching the beginnings of the old YOHI/Nasugbu Beach school building. The first class was in 1948. What was this building's function before that year?
Anyone?

Eric I had much oppertunity to see the families that lived on the canal boats. One family lived on a boat directly accross from our first apartment. These boats were used as lighters to unload cargo from freighters moored in the harbor as dock space was scarce and expensive. This was in the days when cargo containers were comming into more use.Gangs of workers would take the barges out, unload the ships and bring them into the canals and unload on to trucks. Very labor intensive. Then came the container ships. The canal by motomachi I believe is now covered over by the expressway as I have said but would love confirmation of this [UNCO ?] If the barges and the families are displaced I wonder what became of them?
In May of 1945 Yokohama suffered a devistating incendery raid by the allied [US] forces. The scant information that I find indicates that 14.000 people lost there lives that one day and the city was very severely burned. Does anyone know of a comprehensive book on this event ? I can't find anythink about it. Have only seen one photograph there must be others. Side note: Paul Tibbets died todat at the age of 92. He of course was the pilot of the Enola Gay that dropped the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb
In my three years living in yokohama and with all of the people I met there was never a mention of this event or the war for that matter.

Yokohama+Attack+1945

1. John Toland, The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire 1936–1945, Random House, 1970, p. 671.

2. The B-29 Strategic Air Campaign against Japan, by Col. Henry C. Huglin, 9th BG. 9th Bomb Group. Retrieved on 15 Jun 2007.

3. Guillain, Tokyo Burning, quoted at ABC.

4. Richard B. Frank, Downfall, p. 17–18.

5. 'The Soul Of Battle' by Victor Davis Hanson

I hit my "Enter" key too quickly on my last post. I meant to explain first that I had entered "Yokohama+Attack+1945" in my internet search engine. There I found several websites and a couple that I looked at had pictures and info about the 1945 "incendery raid" you spoke of in your posting. Secondly, the list of publications was also in one of the websites. Whether any of them would be of help to you, I don't know. You would have to explore that on your own, I guess. Hope some of this helps!

Lori Thank you for your hard work in finding these refereces for me. I appreciate it very much.

I am looking for any photos of Bayside Courts. I did find one buried deep within the YoHI Devils site but canot find it again. That one photo, taken from the air by the military was done I believe in the 50's and was inside an interesting pamphlet for new arrivals showing them the local facilities and regulations ect. There was mention in this pamphlet of the swimming pool that was converted to a fishing pond in the winter. This came up previously on this thread. It is wonderful that this pamphlet survived all of these years. Some other trivia. On a map of 1949 [?] It shows that Yamashita Park was a dependant housing area. I would have never thought that. Also that the Isezaki-Cho street after having been leveled in 1945 was at least in part a small airstrip. Thanks to Lori I have seen photos of the devistation to our beloved city at the end of WW2. Most amazing to me was the almost complete distruction in the area shown as Motomachi. I would venture that all of us who follow this forum have been to Motomachi. The rebuilding and renovations yet again is truly impressive. I am still trying to envision the replacement of the trolly system with a subway. I loved those trollys, and if I am able to make a trip next year, I would hope to visit the trolly museum. The dirt from the excavation of the subway tunnels I suppose went into providing fill for the harbour reclamed land, or whatever they call it.

I remember those blue and white trolley cars or street cars that ran down the middle of Avenue D and out to Motomachi and elsewhere. A round trip, perforated ticket was 25 Yen. A one way was 13 Yen. I travelled all over Yokohama, many times the only foreigner on board, without a problem. If you didn't mind stopping every three or four minutes, it was the idea (and cheap) way to get around.

I do not recall the color of the trolley cars but do not think they were blue and white. We loved the trolleys as a way to help us learn the language, not that we could understand much but it would help us get our "ear" around it ie to get used to the sound and meter of the language. Often the Japanese people would speak softly when we were aboard [maybe they did that anyway] so sometimes it was hard to hear the conversation. Hey a reminder. you tube go to Japanese english conversation click on the schoolgirls very funny and sweet, also if you want to hear an american speak exceptional Japanese. Eric hope your gout is better. ouch.

Pete:
Now you've got me wondering...
The streetcars were either blue and white or maroon and white. Anyone have a color pix of these old toot-toot's from the 50s and 60s ?
The gout had gotten into my elbows, left instep and right index finger. Three weeks now since the attack and much improved. Lesson for Eric-san; take your meds.

Eric: Reading your post, I used an Internet Search Engine and found the following:

http://www.kyouryokukai.or.jp/ciden/index.htm

You could check it out; I moved my mouse over the website and clicked when it indicated a link (the cursor went from an arrow to a pointing finger. At the bottom of this website or one of the links is a link to the Yokohama Tourism website, which has a link to display it in English. Have fun!

Lori;

Can't find the English link on the page...

Eric;


It might be this site.



http://www.city.yokohama.jp/me/koutuu/english/info/goannai_0...

I looked back through my old photos taken in March 1969 showing Ave D in a snowstorm.Trolley Number 1169 on Route 4 was light pumpkin color or dark cream depending on how you might see it. There was a blue stripe about 10 inches wide that ran around the middle. Funny I dont recall all of the overhead wires but there are a bunch of them what a mess. No wonder that they decided to discontinue them, but a shame antway from a nostalgia point of view. I compaired these photos with new shots on the web of Honmuku and the difference is striking. Much modern improvements. Thanks again Lori you are good at this! Any news on Ms. Matsudara? Now I'm hooked.

As I have some time tonight. Do anyone recall the wonderful japanese knives used for cooking and in restaurents ? I fel in love with them and have managed to keep all of them through these years. They were made of the best steel I have ever seen and would rust overnight if not properly cared for. the most interesting feature about these knives is that they were beveled on only one edge unlike western knives that are sharpened as a V on the edge. There was a store on Isezakicho thatsold these knives and had a novelty display from 6' long ones down to miniture size. The most common ones being 6 to 10 inches in length. I have now about 8 in my collection and use them every day. very sharp and have a wooden handle that is made of boxwood or other soft wood. Also, came back with about 16 ukatas or summer cotton kimonos. All worn out now would love to get a couple. Saw one in a fancy catalog at $ 125. We used to get them for almost nothing, if not free at places we stayed.

On the website http://www.kyouryokukai.or.jp/ciden/index.htm at the bottom of the page in the left-hand corner is a link entitled Yokohama Convention & Visitor's Bureau (a blue rectangular box with black print/letters). Click on it; then when that page is loaded, find the white rectangular box that says English. Lots of cool stuff to explore. Even though I didn't find much in the way of color pictures of the trolleys, there is a little about the streetcar museum.
Or you could use your internet search engine and enter Yokohama trolleys or Yokohama streetcars. Have fun!