There are several things that Yokosuka is famous for among people in Kanagawa: the American Navy Base, the Yokosuka Navy Burger, and Yokosuka Curry. While there are several festivals in the city, the Yokosuka YY Festival (ＹＹのりものフェスタ) is a great chance to get up close with those two famous imported foods.
This festival is a mix of various different elements of Yokosuka all located in the popular Verny Park along the waterfront just outside of the Japanese Navy Self Defense Force base in Yokosuka. The festival brings together different forms of transportation and offers different areas within the park and the neighboring JSDF base and JR Yokosuka Station as well.
JR Yokosuka Station Area:
This area predictably focuses on train transportation with a different train parked in the station each day available for wandering inside. Last year on the day I visited, there was a Black Ship train to view. Just across the tracks was an educational area that allowed visitors to learn about train signals and more about trains and even view a maintenance train.
JSDF Base
Perhaps the star attraction of this festival is the base that is open for visitors to enter and, better still, the opportunity to step aboard not one but two JSDF ships anchored at the base. In addition, visitors also have an opportunity to actually step inside a real working Navy helicopter that is parked on the dock. There are souvenirs to be bought featuring the Japanese Navy and for the kids a chance to dress up in Navy costumes and have your picture taken in front of the ships docked nearby.
Verny Park
Here things become like a typical Japanese festival with numerous food stands selling every imaginable Japanese festival grub. The real reasons to eat here though are the aforementioned Navy Burger and Curry. Apparently, the Navy Burger is a burger made from a recipe given to the city by the American Navy and now served at select restaurants in town. While the ￥800 price was a bit steep for just a burger, it was a good burger. Yokosuka Curry is also served at another tent for a more reasonable price. Also located in this long narrow park were a kids area featuring a bouncy castle and an area featuring various emergency vehicles from the city of Yokosuka. Boat tours of the port area are also available as well. There was even a display featuring the bus transportation of Yokosuka.
The area of the festival was not big and the park is quite narrow for the throngs of people visiting. However, it was worth a trip just to get onboard a working Naval ship and get a chance to eat a real Navy Burger.
