Hi,

I've been offered a teaching position in Yokosuka, Japan. However after a small bit of research it's evident that Yokosuka houses the largest US Naval base in Japan.

While i'm not against the idea of the US Naval base, i'm hesitant to move to Japan with the aim of learning more about the culture/language, only to find where i'm based is overrun by westerners.

Does anyone here work there as a teacher, or even affiliated with the military, how is it? Is the city far more westernised than other areas of Japan or does it retain it's native culture and feel.

I'm just worried that it's basically a bit of America in Japan as every google search i type, Yokosuka & US Navy Base are the only results i get.

Cheers,

Tom

you will definitely see americans but you will still be able to see the japanese culture and language, it really isnt any more westernized than any other cities in japan

Don't worry Yokosuka is just a town of Japan and not like anyplace in USA. There are of course some American and their places day and night out of base there as well as Tokyo, however, it retains own culture and feel which are totally apart from American ones.

Yokosuka is about 90 min train ride from Tokyo. It is a small city (the main area) and a bit closed society. Around the base, you will see a certain number of Americans.

Last month, a murder happened in Yokosuka.
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080403p2a00m0na031000c.html

I like Yokosuka, but I think Yokosuka is not a town where you can touch Japan's "traditional" things.
But Kamakura city is next to Yokosuka. You can see many historical architectures in Kamakura. Many Japanese people visit this city every year.
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~qm9t-kndu/

One more thing, finding apartment in the central Kamakura is very difficult.