A Message from our Founder
I remember my first night ever in Yokohama; I knew I wanted to move here and, not long thereafter, I did! I was surprised that in a city this big and diverse there was no international magazine (I come from a publishing background) and so I also made it my goal to launch one. The first issue in 2009 was only a few thousand copies and I distributed it on my bicycle with the help of a friend. Despite those humble beginnings, I had big dreams for it. And those big dreams continue… I always wanted this to be a community magazine–something that all residents of Yokohama, Japanese and international alike, could read to better appreciate this wonderful city. I think it has served that role, but it has much potential to grow further. Interestingly, in the beginning, I considered NPO status. Fourteen years later, I realized that this is the best way to move forward and generate even more community involvement. This is no longer ‘my’ magazine. It’s Yokohama’s magazine. Please support it however you can!
Ry Beville
A Message from our President
As I write the inaugural greeting here in the newly established NPO Yokohama Seasider Magazine, I would first like to thank our faithful readers, advertisers and the city of Yokohama for supporting our magazine since our founder Ry Beville established the magazine in 2009. One of our first initiatives as a NPO is moving from a monthly printed magazine to a bi-monthly printed magazine. This change is three-fold: first, we are continually pushing the envelope to provide better quality content for our readers. Our printed magazine will always be central to YSM, and we believe our readers may not have time to read every month. Instead we would like to give them more time to enjoy our content every two months. Secondly, we count on our advertisers and donors, and we believe that two months of support will help businesses and other YSM supporters. Finally, in this issue we have expanded to 20 pages and hope by 2024 to expand to 24 pages, allowing for richer content and greater depth than we could achieve as a monthly. As we approach the autumn season and cooler temperatures, we hope you enjoy the September/October issue of YSM, filled with wonderful and intriguing articles from our team.
Dr. Joseph Amato