New to the City of Yokosuka, the YokoSuka Port Market opened its doors on March 13, 2013. It is a large-scale grocery store that sells local foods such as fresh fish, fruits & vegetables, and meats. Other markets, refreshment booths and restaurants are also conveniently available for you and your family's needs.
What’s exciting about this farmer’s market is its proximity to the US Naval Base. It’s a 7-minute walk from Mikasa Gate (Womble Gate). On a crisp afternoon like today, it’s a pleasant stroll as you make your way towards Mikasa Park and Memorial Flagship "Mikasa.” Parking at YokoSuka Port Market is accommodating at 180 standard-sized car spaces. Rates are free for the first 30-minutes (Additional 60-minute free parking with a purchase of more than ¥1,000).
After browsing around to first get an idea of what I wanted to bring back home, we decided to stay for dinner. Inside the market, there is a refreshment booth called VEGE CHEF. They offer pizza, soup, and salads using plenty of local vegetables. I kept it simple and ordered a cup of vegetable soup. It was a great choice! The temperature was perfect, broth lightly salted, complimentary pieces of focaccia were amazing, and vegetables were stewed to perfection. It was so good my son ate all of his vegetables! Next, we made our way outside to find World Kitchen. It’s a deli serving a wide range of cuisines including Japanese, Chinese and Western dishes. Featured as buffet style, but instead of paying a set price, the meal is based on weight at ¥250/100g. For two of us, we paid ¥1,500. Last but not least, Gelato! They offer a small cup containing two flavors at ¥350. Chocolate was our favorite, but the milk, and navy tea flavor combinations were pretty tasty, too.
Back in the heart of the market, I picked up a package of chocolate chip scones from Café de Crew. They offer excellent bread made from Yokosuka’s flour and local vegetables. In my shopper’s basket, I selected a “healthy cut” of tuna after I was won over on a small sample, a bucket of organic eggs, fresh strawberries and potatoes. I must come back soon to try their beef selection: Kanagawa, Hayama or Miura Black Beef. It’s worth a try!
In my opinion, Customer Service in Japan has been nothing but outstanding since we’ve lived here. It continues to show its commitment at YokoSuka Port Market. From the gentlemen directing both foot & vehicle traffic, the front entrance greeter, or the cashiers standing by at the finish line, the staff definitely made us feel welcomed to enjoy our shopping experience. The English translations on the fresh fruits and vegetables were really a nice touch for all neighbors and visitors from afar. My initial impression was “Awesome!” My son’s lasting impression, “Let’s go back this Sunday!” I guess we will see you then.
