I’ve always dreamed of visiting a military base not for war, of course, but just to explore it! :)This past Saturday, my friend Pranay and I went to an acupressure clinic. The staff member escorting us was very friendly, and as usual, I struck up a conversation. During our chat, she mentioned that the acupressure expert was from Yokosuka, home to the US Naval Base in Japan, which was established after World War II.I immediately got excited and started asking a million questions. I learned that the base is actually open to visitors! She even mentioned that the upcoming Sunday was a special open day and later sent me the map and details. I was incredibly grateful for the tip.I decided to make the trip myself, taking the Keikyu line from Kawasaki to Yokosuka-Chuo. I made sure to arrive at the base by 14:00, knowing that was the cutoff time for entry. At the gate, I spoke with a Japanese security officer. Due to a language barrier, I was transferred to an American officer, and that's when I hit a roadblock. He explained that entry was strictly limited to visitors who had a sponsor (a friend or relative) inside the base to escort them.I tried every trick in the book—even offered to hand over all my ID credentials—but he was bound by the rules. The Japanese officer tried to help too, but there was nothing we could do. I had no choice but to admire the base from the outside.I headed to a nearby shopping mall that offered a great vantage point. From there, I could see the Navy ships and submarines, leaving me to imagine how amazing it would be inside. I stared at them for as long as I could, even using a pair of binoculars available at the mall for just 100 yen. There was supposed to be a cruise ship that sails around the harbor, but it was closed for the day—I didn't realize it at first and spent an hour waiting. After that, I caught a kids' show inside the mall for about 15 minutes.While walking around, I stumbled upon a replica of the Statue of Liberty standing tall outside an Irish pub, which looked quite surreal. The weather was beautifully cloudy, making the atmosphere so pleasant that I didn't want to leave. After spending over two hours exploring the area, I finally headed back home. Despite not getting inside, it was a truly good day.
Click here to find some of the exciting pics of the visit.