Yokosuka occupies much of the Miura Peninsula, south of Yokohama, and it has been a naval town since the 1860s, when the Tokugawa shogunate built a shipyard here with French help. Today it is home to the US Navy's Seventh Fleet and a major Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force base, and the mix of cultures gives the town a distinctive feel. Dobuita Street, near the base, is full of bars and shops, and Yokosuka navy curry is a local speciality.
In Mikasa Park, the battleship Mikasa, Admiral Tōgō's flagship at the Battle of Tsushima in 1905, is preserved as a memorial ship. At Kurihama, on the eastern shore of the peninsula, a monument marks the spot where Commodore Perry landed in 1853, an event that led to the opening of Japan to the West. Kannonzaki, on the eastern tip, has a lighthouse that was one of the first Western-style lighthouses in Japan.
As a start and fuel stop, Yokosuka is practical, with plenty of service stations and convenience stores. From Kurihama, the Tokyo Bay Ferry crosses to Kanaya on the Boso Peninsula, a forty-minute crossing that makes a wonderful start to a ride around Boso. Motorcycles are welcome, and the views of the bay from the deck are lovely.
The roads around the Miura Peninsula are winding and scenic, with views over the sea, though traffic can be heavy, especially on weekends. The southern tip of the peninsula, around Misaki, is famous for tuna, and the fishing port has many restaurants serving it fresh.