The buzz about the city during the Rugby World Cup™ surely exceeded the expectations of most. We are proud to say that Yokohama shined in its role as host city. A plethora of satisfied guests returned to their home countries chattering about the charms of the city. Don’t expect much of a lull between now and the 2020 Olympics. Yokohama is poised to keep the exciting times rolling. The year nears its close with the annual Hot Rod Custom Show, massive illumination displays, and a building momentum for the Christmas season. Fall foliage reaches its peak highlighted by the gingko…
Author: Seasider
Saint Maur is one of Japan’s best international schools. While teachers and administrators alike (not to mention students!) have been a driving force of its success, perhaps nobody has played a more central role than Jeanette Thomas. She has worked 53 years in education and is currently the Chairperson of the Board of Directors & Director of Human Resources. Between 1991 and 2013, she was the school head, and prior to that, worked many years as a teacher. What follows is a condensed interview with her from October. How has youth education changed over the last few decades? Rather than…
We have had the privilege of featuring some great local business-owners–passionate people who contribute to their communities in order to collectively bring growth to the city. And behind the success of many small businesses is a great family–like the Irimuras, owners of Yotsuba Bakery in Ishikawacho. They offer an array of original, creative pastries and a good number of them incorporate wafu (Japanese-style) qualities. The first thing you notice when stepping inside the bakeshop is the warmth of the atmosphere. Sure, it’s stocked wall-to-wall with freshly-baked pastries, but you’ll realize that the warmth isn’t just from the ovens or baked…
Someone in the same profession and in competition for the same business as you cannot truly be called a rival if you are envious of them, have disdain toward them, or if your profits are inversely tied to theirs. True rivals raise each other to new levels through competition. Having said that, in my admittedly narrow-minded view, I don’t feel that I have anyone in my profession that I can honestly refer to as an industry rival. Instead, I find my motivation to excel elsewhere. There is one place where I find myself thinking, “I, too, must do the best…
*Menu is currently being modified. Items and prices may change in the coming months. Anchor Ground is housed within a red-brick building located in Kaigandori. Its nautical theme, cozy, stylish interior and overall aesthetic are factors which make it quintessentially “Yokohama”. It’s one of those places that makes you want to sit and linger for a while as you watch the world go by outside the window. The counter bar is perfect for customers who come alone, while the table seating is just right for families and larger groups. The lunch menu is reasonably priced considering its excellent quality. Known…
As September comes to a close, you begin to see Halloween merchandise popping up at shops and decorations adorning storefronts. Many neighborhoods in the city hold events designed for Halloween fun for both children and adults alike. The Motomachi and Noge neighborhoods have celebrated the holiday for years. Speaking of holidays, this year on the 22nd of October we have the good fortune of getting a rare, bonus holiday for the Enthronement Ceremony of Emperor Naruhito. It’s up to you whether you choose to follow the procedures on TV or simply take the day to relax. Lastly, in this issue…
Bakeroom’s desserts have a familiarity to them that brings back childhood memories of baking at home. The warmth of the kitchen while confections bake in the oven and the delicious smell wafting through the house…Bakeroom exudes these cozy, homely vibes and rustic charm with its bright atmosphere, dainty aesthetics and sweet fragrance of fresh pastries that fills the air. You feel at ease the moment you step inside the little bakery where a glass case is stocked with mouth-watering treats, all of which were baked by owner Midori Nishikiori. She grew up in Yokohama with a passion for baking, and…
In the craft beer world there are many stories of brewers leaving behind various careers to turn homebrewing hobbies into their new livelihood. Tomas Rehak, brewer and co-owner of Ebina Beer, has a rather interesting past. For 20 years he was an accomplished tuba player performing in the Prague Symphony Orchestra and Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Not only did he make a move to a completely different career, for an added degree of difficulty he simultaneously relocated from the Czech Republic to Japan to open his brewery. Rehak says he developed a fondness for Japan when he first toured the country…
As the name implies, MacKenDy Craft Beer & Pizza specializes in two pub classics: pizza and beer. Both are made on premises in this chill, open-kitchen brewpub in Chigasaki. The atmosphere is the norm for Shonan–casual with friendly regulars likely to chat you up. The foreign sounding name actually derives from a mix of the names of three friends that started the brewpub: Macoto Tsuchiya, Kennosuke Nohara and Eddie Murakami (‘Dy’ taking the place of ‘die’). For your main dish choose from about eight different styles of mouth-watering pizza prepared and baked in a wood-fired oven in front of your…
The weather is getting cooler and autumn is just around the corner… Which means, if you like beer, your thirst for the beverage is bound to continue! (Is it ever over?) For the last 7 or 8 years, September has been our “Beer Month” issue. BeerFes Yokohama kicks off this month at Osanbashi, followed by Akarenga’s massive Oktoberfest at the beginning of next month. To keep with this theme, we feature two relatively new craft beer spots this issue. The Yokohama area was already beer-centric, but it just keeps getting more so. If you don’t drink, that’s fine. We could…