Situated on the Miura Peninsula overlooking Tokyo Bay, Yokosuka has long played an important role in Japan's naval history. The country’s first lighthouse was established here and the Battleship Mikasa is now moored offshore, while the nearby island of Sarushima is scattered with Edo-period fortifications.
Things to do in Yokosuka
Take in the sweeping views of Tokyo Bay from Kannonzaki Lighthouse, which was originally established by the Tokugawa Shogunate to protect against Western ships and rebuilt in 1925. It stands at the eastern tip of the Miura Peninsula and has binoculars for visitors to view the modern ships coming and going.
Adjacent to Kannonzaki Lighthouse is the Yokosuka Museum of Art, which boasts an impressive collection of around 5,000 works. Admire the Romantic and Impressionist pieces by Fujishima Takeji and learn about the Western-inspired Yōga style of painting in the works of Nakamura Tsune.
Step aboard the Battleship Mikasa, the flagship of Admiral Togo that played an influential role in the Battle of Tsushima. It’s been transformed into a ship museum, with costumed staff dressed like the original crew offering behind-the-scenes insight into the early-20th-century Russo-Japanese war.
Make a day trip to Sarushima, or “Monkey Island”, which is the only natural island in Tokyo Bay and served as a former barracks of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Wander around the historic stone wall, redbrick barracks and powder magazine to learn about the island’s history, then take a dip or go fishing at one of its numerous beaches.
Getting around Yokosuka
Yokosuka is around 1.5 hours by train from Tokyo and just over two hours from Narita International Airport. Buses and taxis are the best ways to get around Yokosuka.