The July heat has arrived. You might consider spending time outside of the city in cooler temperatures on an enjoyable hike in Miura, as featured in this month’s issue. We also highlight two new university campuses in Naka-ku that make Yokohama an even livelier and more attractive international destination for higher education. July is the perfect time of year to enjoy a day by the ocean, a barbeque party, and of course your get-away summer vacation. As the great British author of children’s literature and short stories Roald Dahl once said, “If I had my way, I’d remove January from…
Author: Seasider
June is but a passageway to hotter days as we look forward to a return of outdoor summer fun without masks. One event that gloriously returned in full was the Tōkyō Rainbow Pride, which we are very happy to feature in this month’s edition. Remember June is Pride Month–a celebration of diversity throughout the world. We also feature wood artisan and craftsman Daniel Mansson, whose works combine Japanese traditional aesthetics in a modern form. Read more about Daniel’s beautiful designs inside. As the French philosopher Sartre wrote, “To read a poem in January is as lovely as to go for…
May is a fun month in Yokohama as the weather warms and beckons outdoor adventures throughout the city. Most of all, it features one of the sweetest and most important holidays of all, Mother’s Day. Of course, enjoy German bratwursts and German beer at the Yokohama Frühlingsfest (Spring Festival) held at the Red Brick Warehouse through May 7. In this month’s issue, we highlight Swiss architect Max Hinder who lived in Yokohama in the early Showa Era (1926-1989) and left an indelible legacy of Western-style buildings throughout Japan. On one of your outdoor excursions we recommend visiting the French Hill…
As we bid a sad farewell to the sakura season, we look upon April with a warmer smile as the outdoors become a place to visit and enjoy. If you’re looking for some local entertainment, try Noge Daidougei (Noge street festival) this April 22nd and 23rd. Engaging all your senses, the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse is home to the “2023 Flower Garden Festival” with over 25,000 flowers arranged in pastel colors spread all across the area held until April 23. As the old proverb goes “April showers bring forth May flowers”–instead, let’s all wish for glorious sunny weekends to get…
Sabatora Shuhan is a unique establishment in the Yoshidamachi neighborhood, tucked away on the second floor of a building on a narrow backstreet. The single-room standing bar operates as both a bottle shop and a tasting room for natural wines and craft beer. The shop opened about five years ago as a sister store of Sabatora Kajitsu-shu Shoten (currently closed), a bar in Ishikawa-cho. The concept for the new location was to provide a place where customers could casually try new natural wines at a reasonable price and then purchase bottles of those they fancied, as opposed to buying an…
Saint Maur International School will host its annual Food Fair on Saturday, April 29, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The Food Fair has been a Golden Week tradition since 1988, but the pandemic forced its cancellation for the last three years. This year, as the school celebrates the 150th anniversary of its founding, it will be bigger and better than ever. As always, it is open to everyone! Food from around the world will be on sale, representing the cuisines of Australia, Britain, China, France, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Philippines, and Spain. You won’t go thirsty, with beer,…
Need to escape the city? How about a refreshing day-walk in Hakone? Set out after breakfast, be back in time for dinner. Sneakers or hiking boots fine. Take a picnic. All for under ¥4000! Begin on the wonderful Hakone Tozan railway. The bus is faster, but the railway is more relaxing. After the jangle of the urban railways, relish the view from three scenic switchbacks, while driver and conductor stroll an external catwalk to change ends. Leave the train at Kowakudani Station, cross the main road and ascend the steep concrete road with the rustic sign pointing to Chisuji Waterfall…
The month of March heralds the end of winter and the beginning of spring with cherry blossom viewing throughout the city. Many places to discover including Negishi Forest Park, Mitsuike Park, Ookagawa River and of course, Sankeien Garden. In this issue, we feature our “Pioneers of Yokohama” series with insight on architect Antonin Raymond and a look at another wonderful hiking trail through the prefecture. We also feature an article supporting community charity work as part of our Community Arts and Action mission. As the famous composer Gustav Mahler once said “Spring won’t let me stay in this house any…
Chūya Nakahara (1907-1937) was one of 20th century Japan’s greatest poets. He’s admired by both casual readers and scholars alike. The former are drawn to his intimate voice and his universal themes (love, heartbreak, personal doubt, wonder, happiness). Scholars discuss his rich rhythms and expert use of techniques adapted from European poetry, especially French Symbolists. He’s most closely associated with Yamaguchi prefecture, where he was from, but he spent formative teen years as a student in Kyoto before moving to the Tokyo area, where he lived out most of the rest of his life. He died young in Kamakura of…
Reading childhood picture books aloud is key to nurturing the minds of children. Through illustrations, one’s reading style, warmth of voice, and the atmosphere, children engage their senses more than adults imagine, absorbing the material and grasping meaning. Four minutes on foot from Hiyoshi-honcho station is Kodomo no Hon no Mise, Tomodachi (Children’s Bookstore, Friends), where you can pick up pointers on parenting and where rows of carefully selected books for reading aloud line the shelves. Its roots go back to 1964 in Hiyoshi when the couple Akira and Tokiko Tokumura founded the bookstore Nisshindou Shoten. There were few spaces…