Noge
or Nogecho
Sounds like an interesting place to visit.
Noge is just south of the Sakuragicho station and west of the Kannai station, just across the Ooka River. The latter is the station we got off at during our extended stay in Yokohama. We explored Isezaki-Chojamachi shopping area west of Kannai, but did not know about or explore Noge.
Seems that Noge is on the "other side of the tracks", as the Minato Mirai redevelopment of the Yokohama waterfront did not extend west of the rail line. So Noge, and probably to a lesser extent Isezaki, remains as a more old-time neighborhood.
[link, Japan, JT]
Originally shared by Michael Turtle
A street performer gets a laugh out of some diners in the Noge nightlife district of Yokohama.
This is such a cool part of the city - a maze of alleys full of small izakayas (Japanese bars) and restaurants. You can stay at one place for a meal or jump around, getting snacks and drinks.
With the Rugby World Cup here next year, I reckon this will be a great place for visitors to have a fun night out!
Lost to time, a stroll through Noge’s grungy, dusty alleys harkens back to an age in Japan when things were far, far simpler. Indeed, the homely streets of Noge can feel like they were all but forgotten by urban planners. Noge’s vibe is very similar to the spirit of Tokyo’s Yanaka district that survived much of World War II.
ReplyDeleteNoge is one of the best locales in Japan for a live show! In a time gone by, Americans stationed at the nearby Negishi military base would roll into Noge. When the occupation ended and the soldiers left Japan, the musical culture that they brought with them stayed.
donnykimball.com - Yokohama’s Boozy Noge – A Different Side of Japan
Noge was the place to go in Yokohama and soon became the city's entertainment hub. All of a sudden theaters were popping up in the neighborhood, most notably the Kokusai Gekijo (International Theater), which in 1948 played host to 10-year-old singer named Kazue Kato. After wowing audiences, she then recorded her first single two years later under a different name; Misora Hibari. A cultural icon she went on to become the country's most well-known and loved enka singer. Her statue can be found near Sakuragicho station.
ReplyDeleteAround the same time that Hibari started making a name for herself in Japan, the popularity of jazz music started to skyrocket in the country with Yokohama, and particularly Noge, leading the way. American troops, wanting to listen to live shows, would hire locals to perform at clubs in the area. A lot of jazz tracks were permitted only within military facilities, yet some managed to find their way into bars in Noge, most notably Chigusa.
welcome.city.yokohama.jp - Noge