is a public park in Naka Ward, Yokohama,

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

, famous for its waterfront views of the Port of Yokohama.

History

Much of Yokohama was destroyed on September 1, 1923, by the

Great Kantō earthquake Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements * Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size * Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent People * List of people known as "the Great" *Artel Great (born ...

. A Scotsman, Marshall Martin, advisor to Mayor Ariyoshi Chuichi, is credited with persuading the city government to use rubble from the

Kannai is a district in Naka Ward, Yokohama, Japan, bounded by the Ōoka River, JR Negishi Line, Nakamura River, and Yokohama waterfront. "Kannai" is not an official name of the area, but the common term of reference has been in use for over a centur ...

commercial district to reclaim the former waterfront as a park. Yamashita Park was formally opened on March 15, 1930. The park was requisitioned in 1945 during the

Occupation of Japan Japan was occupied and administered by the victorious Allies of World War II from the 1945 surrender of the Empire of Japan at the end of the war until the Treaty of San Francisco took effect in 1952. The occupation, led by the United States wi ...

for military housing, reverting to Japanese control in 1960. Across the street from the park is the Hotel New Grand where General

Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was C ...

spent his first night on his arrival in Japan on August 30, 1945.

Park attractions

As well as public green space with trees, flower beds, fountains and memorials, Yamashita Park is also noted as the location of: * The ''

Ōsanbashi Pier is the main international passenger pier at the Port of Yokohama, located in Naka Ward, Yokohama, Japan. Ōsanbashi is the oldest pier in Yokohama, originally constructed between 1889 and 1896. Major cruise ships such as the Queen Elizabeth 2 ...

'', a pier on which is built the Yokohama passenger ship terminal, which has been in continuous operation since 1896, with major renovations in 1964 and 2002. * The ''

Hikawa Maru is a Japanese ocean liner that Yokohama Dock Company built for '' Nippon Yūsen Kabushiki Kaisha'' ("NYK Line"). She was launched on 30 September 1929 and made her maiden voyage from Kobe to Seattle on 13 May 1930. She is permanently berthed as ...

'', a

ese

ocean liner An ocean liner is a passenger ship primarily used as a form of transportation across seas or oceans. Ocean liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes (such as for pleasure cruises or as hospital ships). Ca ...

built in 1929 for '' Nippon Yūsen Kabushiki Kaisha'' ("NYK Line") now a museum ship. *

The Port Service is a passenger ship operating company in Yokohama. Founded in 1953, the company operates seabuses, an excursion cruise ship, and a restaurant ship, all within the Port of Yokohama. The services include public lines listed below, as well as char ...

, an operator of seabuses, excursion and restaurant ships, operating from the park pier. Ship services include scheduled public lines as far as

Yokohama Station is a major interchange railway station in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan. It is the busiest station in Kanagawa Prefecture and the fifth-busiest in the world as of 2013, serving 760 million passengers a year. Lines Yokohama Station is served by the ...

as well as larger charter ships. * ''The Guardian of Water'', a

Donal Hord Donal Hord (February 26, 1902 – June 29, 1966), an American sculptor, was born Donald Horr in Prentice, Wisconsin. Early life In 1914, Hord and his mother moved west, to Seattle, Washington. Shortly thereafter he contracted rheumatic fever, a ...

sculpture gifted by Yokohama's sister city

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...

in 1960. A replica of the sculpture located in front of the

San Diego County Administration Center The San Diego County Administration Center is a historic Beaux-Arts/Spanish Revival-style building in San Diego, California. It houses the offices of the Government of San Diego County. It was completed in 1938 and was primarily funded by the Wo ...

. * Yokohama Indian Water Fountain. Donated by the local Indian community to show its gratitude to the Japanese for aiding the Indian survivors after the

1923 Great Kantō earthquake The struck the Kantō Plain on the main Japanese island of Honshū at 11:58:44 JST (02:58:44 UTC) on Saturday, September 1, 1923. Varied accounts indicate the duration of the earthquake was between four and ten minutes. Extensive firestorms an ...

, as well as to remember those who perished in the disaster. * Girl Scout Statue - Dedicated March 18, 1962 on the Fiftieth Anniversary of the founding of the Girl Scouts. (two of the three models for the statue are Libby Watson and Hiroko Tanaka) * Statue of the Girl with Red Shoes (

Akai Kutsu is 1of 2 essays from a Japanese nursery rhyme written in 1922 by Japanese poet Ujō Noguchi, and composed by Nagayo Motoori. Lyrics There is evidence that in the original manuscript the line read "Every time I see red shoes, I remember her ...

) * Monument of the Children's Song "Seagull Sailor Man" * Monument of General Artemio Ricarte - Philippine General, erected in 1972 Indian drinking fountain 01.jpg, The Indian Water Fountain remembers those who perished in the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, including more than 90 Indians. Hikawamaru from Osanbashi Pier.JPG, Yamashita Park,

and

Yokohama Marine Tower is a high lattice tower with an observation deck at a height of 100 metres in Naka Ward, Yokohama, Japan. The light characteristic is marked by a flash every twenty seconds, whereby the light's colour is alternating red and green. Originally, ...

. Night view as seen from Osanbashi Pier.

References

{{Authority control Naka-ku, Yokohama Parks and gardens in Yokohama Tourist attractions in Yokohama