Area II, Yokohama (Pt. 1)

I lived in this area in 1977 and 1978. Remember Fire Engine Hill? Admiral Byrd Elementary? Remember seeing and hearing all those cool looking insects? Pink Lady? Cutie Honey? Robokon?

Growing up here was one of the best experiences for me and I always wanted to move back or at least visit. Unfortunately, it was torn down in 1982; these pictures were taken in 1981. My parents didn't take many pictures of the place and it took years before I finally found a good set of pictures. Luckily, that set captured most of Area II. Here is the source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8595475@N03/

I encourage you to visit the site if you want to see more pictures (possibly even your own home), and, of course, in higher quality. If you have photos and don't mind sharing, I'd like to see them if possible.

This was made with Google Earth, ns3vya's photos, and a few songs I remember from that time. It took about 2 weeks to match the photos up with the photographer's approximate POV so I hope you folks like it. Though this video doesn't contain my whole work, I think it gives a general idea of what this part of Honmoku used to look like.

If you enjoyed this, be sure not to miss part two, where you get to see pictures of the water tank, water tower, and a school bus!

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Area
• II
• Yokohama
• Japan
• Navy
• Housing
• House
• Base
• Honmoku
• 本牧
• Fire
• Engine
• Hill
• Truxtun
• Decatur
• Dewey

[franknsense22]

I too used to live in area2 and went to Bird Elementry 1968-70. I used to check out a lawn mower from the fire station and cut grass. Earn a couple of dollars, then cross ave. "D" and buy some snacks. We used to slide down the ice plants next to fire engine hill on cardboard. Good memories. Thanks for posting!!

[d5ive]

@franknsense22 Hey, maybe you guys started the trend; we used to slide down that hill on cardboard too! We'd do it when the tall weeds were dried out though to have that extra slickness.

[1369billy]

i lived in area 1 in 75-77, one of the memories i have is the school bus ride up that loooong steep road into negishi heights where richard byrd school was, number 1 rule was all the kids had to be quiet during the ride to the top.....oh and the japanese kids would sneak into area 1 during halloween to trick or treat. a lot of great memories.

[d5ive]

@1369billy Yeah, that was Fire Engine Hill. It's still there, with a new name- Amerikazaka. I took the same trip up the hill on the way to Byrd and it's a TRIP that you reminded me about that quiet rule. hahahaha. Do you remember them telling you not to stick your head out the window because a boy had his head chopped off a few years before? Such a generic reason, but man was it effective.

[emikalima]

Wow. A blast to the past! We were one of a handful of families left before closing Areas 1 & 2. We were relocated to Negishi in '82. Cardboard was considered 'gold' in the summer months. Sliding down the steep hill was so much fun! Hiking up and thru the bamboo trails was fun. Avoiding having to walk into the banana spider webs wasn't fun. I was always fascinated with the caves up high along the cliffs. I often wondered who created them and why. Remember the high dive at the pool? Great times!!

[d5ive]

@Mikeic01 That's about the same time I lived there. Who was your teacher at Byrd and what was your house number? We may have known each other. My teacher was Mrs. Jackson. I lived a couple houses away from that hill and I never did find out why we had to be quiet while riding on it. I caught fish at the pool and remember the water being so dark.

[Nivicoman]

@halloyellow I hung out with Matt and Bruce in 1977. I lived at the bottom of Fire Engine Hill actually across the street where the bus stop was and went to KMS (6th grade). Also knew Norman Lewellyn, Sammy Gentile, Kenny Chestnut, Carla Blech, Yuko Snider and some others I can't recall right now. My dad and me went back to the states after my mom passed away and I stayed with relatives for a year while dad did his tour on the Midway. Haven't been back overseas since.

John Ferguson

[MrEddie12100]

@d5ive went to Byrd Elementry we lived right below the Hill faceing the fire station from 1966-1969

[MrEddie12100]

@d5ive The seaside club was the place to be if you where a kid growing up, I lived there from 1966-1969 had all kinds of fun played baseball for the cubes then had dinner and a movie.

[d5ive]

@yukomattingly - Sometimes, I wish I were old enough to have known about the Seaside Club. Lots of people have fond memories of that place. But if I were that old, I really would have missed out on childhood experiences there. I know my fascination with bugs and anime would be lost if I were older.

Have you been back lately? I plan on going one of these days just so I can take pictures of the school that now sits on my old house lot. :P

[1369billy]

@d5ive other memories, playin little league baseball, the swimmin pools in area 1, i remember over at the movie theater one year they had some acrobat circus type of group that performed up on the stage, & i got to ride the miniature bicycle! cool stuff! we lived in area 1 right across the large open grass field that had a small playgroun d in it, thanks for the videos