Yokohama Navy Exchange was where?

Anyone attend Negishi Heights elementary school 1957-59? Sullivan School, Yokosuka, 1960-61. I lived at 243-1B Yamate-cho in a small compound of 4 houses. They were all connected with two-single story houses at each end and two-two story houses in the middle. Can't find it on any maps or Google Earth. Has anyone else lived there or nearby? Sharon/Buddy or Ronnie are you out there somewhere? get in touch ctdave4@aol.com

Dave C:

I was at Nasugbu Beach in those years. I probably road my bike by your house in Negishi...

Just an observation -the name of your restaurant, Erculiani's, is probably based on the Roman mythological god, Hercules. Just a guess, based on the pronunciation.

My son Jeff is in Tokyo as of last night, after taking a 13-hour direct flight from Newark. The time difference is also 13 hours, with Japan being 13 hours ahead of us here on the east coast. I guess 13 is the magic number here. No impressions yet. He's settled in, and is connected via internet.

David C., I have access to two Army Engineer maps (1953 and 1956) and can't find any house numbers that resemble yours. Can you recall the part of Bluff Road/Yamate-cho where you lived? Any significant landmarks that might still be there? I lived at 8-506 not too far from the Catholic Church, Dave-san lived in 8-599 across the road from me. And Steffi lived closer to St. Joseph's School. Good luck with your search!

Learning about the Marathon and Sokushinbutsu Monks (thank you, Peter) made me think of the Ainu people who are equally interesting for different reasons. They were the original people who lived in Japan ages before Japan was invaded by the people now known as the Japanese. The Ainu now live mostly in the northernmost areas of Japan where they were driven by the invaders, much as the Celtic people retreated to Ireland when invaded by the Anglo-Saxons. The Ainu DNA is different from the Japanese DNA, interestingly linked to the Indian subcontinent. Anyone wanting to know more can google the Ainu on the internet, where even a short Ainu video tape can be found.

True or not, Steffi, your theory linking the Erculiani family name with the Roman mythological god, Hercules, sounds plausible. How clever and imaginative you are -- I'm sure your suggestion would make members of this modest but successful Italian-American family smile. Yes, it's sadly true that the restaurant is no longer in business, but I read somewhere on the internet that one of the family members is hoping to bring it back.

Dave-san, thank you for the additional information about Janet Blair. There are probably very few people who know who she is these days. Actually, I didn't know about her role in the play South Pacific, but what a coincidence that I should mention her just as you were listening to the South Pacific CD. Speaking of music, whether the noodle man used a whistle or sang, I'm no longer certain, though on a multiple choice test I would have filled in the bubble next to high-pitched voice, and might have failed the test. More importantly, I'm glad to have you affirm that the noodle man and his sound really existed. With my faulty memory, sometimes I think I'm dreaming or making up these things!

Another sound I recall is that of the high-pitched musical instruments in Japan, so alien to my American ears -- lutes, flutes, zithers? I associate these strange sounding instruments with geisha entertainments, Kabuki theater, puppet theater, and street music. Someone out there knows more about this than I do, but I would recognize those sounds if I heard them. My grandson learned to play a shanisen (it looks like a banjo) while he lived in Kyoto last semester.

More sounds -- living on the Bluff, I was always aware of water dripping, splashing, or gurgling down the sides of the hills. And at night and in the early morning, there were the low moans of the fog horn and ships' horns out in the Bay -- great sounds to fall asleep to or to wake up by.

The tofu salesman's horn; this fellow came into our Sannotani neighborhood twice a week and announced his arrival with a single note horn. He carried two wicker baskets on a pole over one shoulder. Sliding doors would open with a "shuss" as Oka-sans stepped out to meet him, paying with coins for a couple of white tofu bars that would become the family's daily fare.

In the evenings, our neighborhood would revert to primal Japanese; kimono, wooden geta, and the family arriving or leaving the local bath house. Getas clicked and clacked on the sidewalk, the family radiated steam from the hot bath as they passed our house.

The last few streetcars clanged by the Sanotani station, let off their passengers and reversed course for the trip back for the night.

And just when quiet claimed the evening, a firetruck would come racing by, Japanese firemen, uniforms flapping while hanging on the big Izu diesel with open exhaust and screaming siren.

50 years later, I can still hear it.

Barbara,
I did a quick search for info and came up with the following: it gives info that may provide an answer about what instruments you heard....... hope it helps.


http://www.japan-zone.com/culture/instrument.shtml

Thank you, Lori. Your site is lovely - it talks about not just instruments, but many other aspects of Japanese culture, arts, and crafts.

Japanese music - for those piano players out there - I think that, as opposed to our 8-note scale, traditional Japanese music uses a 5-note scale, which correspond to the black keys on the piano. Eastern music also gets its distinctive sound because of the smaller intervals between notes that are played by winds and strings - we can just hear whole or half tones, they can hear probably 1/8th tone or even smaller differences.

Eric mentions wooden getas - did anyone else wear them as normal footwear, at least in summer? I remember hop-scotching in these, and constantly having scraped knees as a result, which more often than not became infected.

Something else comes to mind. The fact that we who spent early childhoods in Japan grew up with the same games that are played here in the US and apparently all over the world. Japanese kids during my childhood era played hide and seek, hop scotch, jump rope, various rope games, like doing the high jump, hide and seek, clapping games, etc etc. How do these games circulate throughout the world? Or maybe they don't - maybe they're invented by kids individually in various countries. I don't think this was due to the international schools in Japan importing the games. Anyone?

I still have my geta. I remember a geta shop on Hunmuku dori that sole them and I had a pair custom fit. I'm only a size 10 but i guess that was large for Japanese. Actually I got used to them after a while and even "climbed" a " mountain called showa Shinzan in them.. bad idea.. cut my feet. I believe that geta were designed to keep feet out of the muddy streets. Not sure what kind of wood they were made if but are very light, and remarkably and sturdy.
As for sounds, there are a million of them. We rode the trollys a lot as they were cheap and a good way to get areond. The conductor would call out the stops.. I remember Kominito, was our stop so he would call out .. Kominito gozimasu..
In the morning I would walk from our little apartment on the hill called Medori Gaoka down to Bayside Courts to catch the car to work. I found a little path that snaked in Back of the houses and down to Honmuku. There was a very small little temple, and a monk would entone his chant, One day I was a little early and I stopped to listen. The gong would rythmaticly ring out to the chant of his intonation. Behind me, the House had a raido on, in English, and the announcer was reporting on the shooting of Bobby Kennedy Layers of sound. Against the freighters in the bay. What a strange world. And me in my army fatigues.

Thanks for the responses for those who read my Yamate-cho inquiry. Here's more information. Our house was located within walking distance of St. Joseph's College (my older brother went to school there). Our house was on the same side of the street. Across the street from us were Army houses whose back yards overlooked the harbor. The drop off to houses below was huge (to my 8 year old eyes). There was a mesh fence that we used to jump on, the only thing stopping us from plummeting to our sure death. I have a picture of the front of the driveway of our house and the picture shows 243 as the number. I rode a bus to Negishi Heights Elementary. We lived there from 1957-1959 then moved to Yokosuka base. Appreciate all your help.. ctdave4@aol.com

Hello!
Anyone know what the name of the street Bayside Courts was on?
Thanky you

Sorry for the typos above. S/B
Bayside, not Batside (lol)

Ave A ?
Is this Joe G ?
If it is welcome home. look what you started !
And typos are ok illitacracy
loves company. ooops.. JP guide loves us.. user generated content.. and all that.
Fond memories of Bayside courts.. No courts and no bay that you could see. Remember the coffee shop ?
And that little place in building three. ??

Ah, bldg 3. lol
I as trying to find where Bayside Cts. was on EarthGoogle and thought the street name would help. I'll find it eventually. I'll look for Ave A. Thanks.
Stay well!

Thanks, Lori, for the link to the interesting and informative website -- it was quite helpful in organizing some of the stray bits and pieces of information floating around in my brain. You may have noticed that the website also includes a forum similar to this one. Thanks also for your earlier links, the ones that Dave-san supplemented with links he found to 200 pictures of vintage Yokohama.

Joe Ave A was the name the Americans gave it, I doubt that you will find it on google with that name.
try this.. go to Yamashita park and follow the shore to the south. Look for the tunnel tha ran under the hill.. there are 2 tunnels now. The apartment complex is now where Bayside courts once was. All changed good Luck.
While you are at it sry and find the great Buddah at Kamakura.. is a lot of fun to try.

Ah, the Great Buddha of Kamakura, the Daibutsu. Did you know that you can go up inside of it. I don't know how I know that, but I think I went up in side of it, but can't remember for sure.

Koto;
A 13 string zither that would raise the hair on the back of your neck. I think it was used in formal palace presentations.
Odaiko;
The big drum that one or two guys would hammer on with sticks during Matsuri (festival) days. Smaller drums, resembling an hourglass were also used.
Samusen or Shamisen;
A three string instrument played like a guitar with a five note range.
Blocks of wood (can't think of the Japanese name);
for making the clacking sound so important in Kabuki narratives. Starting slowly, then building speed to cue the sword fight...

More sounds:
http://www.cc.kyoto-su.ac.jp/information/sounds/list.ht...
#18 is the noodle man that I remember
Jan Ken Po!
Scissors Rock Paper
The method all Japanese boys used to settle arguments.
Dave-san

Welcome back Wally - hope you are well!

Jeff's presently in Nikko, living for a few days in a Japanese hotel within walking distance of the famous gates and temples. He loves it there! Says he keeps his phrase book in his back pocket - it comes in handy!