A solitary lotus plant in the heart of the water trade district (Photo: Reynald Ventura)

Cool Sakuragicho and Noge District

Discovering an old district in Yokohama

Reynald Ventura   - 1 min read

Most visitors coming to Sakuragicho would go out through the main exit of JR Sakuragicho station. If you turned left (East Exit) - you'd be walking towards Land Mark Tower or Minato Mirai. However, if you turned right (West Exit) and crossed the intersection (or went down through the Noge Chikamichi underground), you'd be walking towards Nogecho.  On the left side is the old Noge 'water trade' (Mizu-shōbai /水商売) district.

The other day, I walked around the area. The place comes to life at night. During the day, it sleeps. There's a wide range of eating places to choose from and various entertainment establishments offering many types of services. This time, I sat down at a fairly new restaurant serving craft beer.

Reynald Ventura

Reynald Ventura @reynald.ventura

I have a little garden: slightly bigger than the forehead of a cat. I grow herbs: parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme, and mint, and lemon grass, and lavender, and basil. Occasionally, I cook for myself. Sometimes, my Japanese wife and my daughter like my cooking. I come from the Philippines – ...