Negishi Heights 1951 - 2014

Negishi Heights Naval Housing Area in Japan, officially known as CFAY Yokohama Detachment, closed on Jan. 1, 2015 after serving as home to thousands of service members and their families for nearly 64 years. All but a handful of families have been relocated to Ikego Naval Housing or Yokosuka Naval Base. Negishi will be returned later this year to its original Japanese landowners. The historic installation, which sits atop a hill overlooking Yokohama Bay, had served as a residential annex to Yokosuka Naval Base. It was originally established by the U.S. Army in 1947 during the post-war Occupation of Japan and was one of the U.S. military's oldest housing installations in Asia. Command was transferred to the Navy in 1951. Negishi occupied 106 acres and had 387 housing units. Most of the quarters were occupied continuously since it was built. Negishi Heights was originally a horse racing complex founded in 1866 by the Meiji Emperor. While the racetrack is now a park, the original grandstands remain standing as an historic monument.

[@stellasampson572]

This is my husband's YT account, but I lived at 501 from 12/74 to 12/77 . It wasn't one of the 4 plexes. It was a stand alone house. I was 11 years old when we left. I have the best memories of being a kid over there. Thanks for the memories.

[@genera1013]

I can't believe that my old home is gone. It's good that it's going back to the people who should be living on it, but it's still incredibly sad knowing that it's all gone. Only thing left will be our memories.

[@2wongsdontmakearice588]

I feel the same way too. But I don't have any doubts about the future of negishi

[@OfunaJP64]

Negishi Heights housing area is "prime real estate" in the Yokohama area! I lived at 563-A from 1964 until 1966. I could look out my Dining Room window and see the stadium. I was the only Air Force person living at Negishi while working at Ofuna Air Station which served as HQ for the Army Air Force Exchange System. Lived in a four-plex unit, 563-A. As a side note, the race track stadium served as a POW Camp housing American and Allied Forces during WWII.

[@VidBrats]

Gary, thanks for your comments. I knew the old Yokohama Baseball Stadium had been used as a POW camp but did not know about Negishi racetrack. You were there in my "in-between" years. We left Japan in '64 and returned in '68. Although we didn't live at Negishi (Sagamihara Housing Area during our second go-around) we'd stop at Negishi at least once a month for lunch at the 19th Hole Snack Bar by the golf course on the way to Honmoku to do our shopping at the NEX. The folks would dump me off at the Bill Chickering movie theater (Navy movies were free) while they shopped and ran errands. I have fond memories of our visits to Negishi. It was a beautiful housing installation with lots of elbow room.

[@ElainesYT]

Never lived in Negishi but I love the familiar sights of Yokohama which I visited often. It is so sad to see areas like these closing down. So many of us spent the majority of our childhoods on bases throughout Japan. They were wonderful years that are treasured. Sad to see that more children will not have the privilege. Miss Japan! Loved my years there.

[@boygone9129]

16:55 I remember walking down the street to go home for lunch to eat with my mom. Dude this video makes me happy I wana go back to Negishi things were better there. I’m gana come back to this video if I ever get sad.

[@harstrib]

1954 I was 8 and attended Negishi Heights 2nd grade. My Dad was Communications Officer for Area X in Yokohama. We had the large "valley" behind our house and the officers living in that area would fly their model airplanes down there on the weekends.

[@41yumisuke80]

A wonderful video tribute to a little slide of Heaven on earth. My husband and I were lucky enough to live there from 1992 until Nov 2015 when i finally had to move off. The exchange area close end of 2014 but the housing remained open until 1 Jan 2016. There will never be another place like Negishi nor can i imagine another place with the spirit like we had there, Negishi Spirit.

[@mschinkeye]

41 yumisuke I was born in Yokosuka in 90 and lived there til 96. My mom worked at the commissary. Living there was like living in a community full of family members

[@andrewcarmichael8683]

Wow. I have been there, but as nice as it is, We decided on off base housing, which I loved. It is quiet and nice, that much I agree wholeheartedly.

[@kaywinter5821]

Negishi will always have a place in my heart!!!! I was stationed at the FMC Yokohama and lived in Negishi from 2006-2008 and it was the most beautiful place to live and raise a family!!!!!!

[@theresarobertson8070]

Wow! What a trip down memory lane! I lived in Negishi Hts in about 1967-1971-ish? It was a free standing home directly across from a nursery school? Loved it!

[@kaywinter5821]

One of the best places I was stationed. I am actually in the video and very blessed and fortunate to have lived there! I always dreamed of coming back. So sad to see it was closed down. Anyone that lived there knows it was so peaceful and a hidden gem for all of us there.

[@StormShoukhan]

Wonderful video! Lived in 551A for 7 years. Both my children were born in Yokosuka, so Negishi is very much considered 'home'. Definitely a sad day to see it closed down. That said, my wife and I will always have fond memories of our time there.

[@DeStCh61]

I lived in 550B in the early 70's. Please, can you tell me the name of the street that was?! For the life of me I can't remember it!! Did it even have a street name?

[@jennifermartin2383]

And we will be one of the last families to leave this wonderful place. It's truly turned into a ghost town. Everything is closed and it's rare to run into anyone on the streets these days.

[@yokota69]

Another excellent video by Tom Barry......

[@opwave79]

I lived in Negishi Heights from 1974-76, attending kindergarten at Byrd Elementary School in 1975-76. I don't exactly remember exactly where I lived on, but I knew there was a grassy hill directly across our house where my brother and I used to sled down in the winter.

[@gmgraham1]

I was there from '75-77, also attending "Little Byrd" for first grade and "Big Byrd" for part of 2nd grade before moving back to the States. Great memories!

[@opwave79]

Wow! That's awesome. I only remember my kindergarten teacher, Ms. DeFazio. I still have the class photo.

[@gmgraham1]

That's great you still have the photo. Did you get into the throwing card game 'menkos' as a kid there? I still have a small collection of them.

[@opwave79]

Greg Graham No, I don't remember getting into that game. I was just your average kindergartener playing in the sandbox and monkey bars!

[@baystgrp]

Lived in Negishi ‘49-‘52. Was four when we arrived in Yokohama on the MSTS transport “Graffy”. Negishi was originally known as ‘Area X’. Very interesting to see it as a Navy housing complex. We lived in one of the Gray two-story duplexes. In the video clips from the early ‘59’s note the almost complete absence of trees; the lush landscaping you see in the more recent contemporary video is the result of almost sixty years of growth :) Ironic to hear the narrator state Negishi will be around for quite a while... Cannot understand why (or if) the racetrack grandstand is still there; it has been a decrepit derelict for years.

[@japanbrats]

While Negishi Heights is now closed (though still standing unoccupied), the old grandstand is still there as of this writing. More than likely it is being kept as a monument of sorts to the Meiji Era.

[@JamesKeller]

The Grandstand building there will probably stick around for a while more -- word is that because an Emperor approved and authorized it... it's got history. I just saw it earlier this month. The park is peaceful, but the demolition work removing the US presence is disquieting...

[@maryjohildebrandt6569]

I went to school at Negishi Hieghts in 1958 - 1960.

[@badvideo169]

what grade

[@kkanaumi]

I can’t believe the US left Negishi. I’m living in the neighborhood nearby but I wish we had foreigners running around like before. The Negishi base had great greenery and housings that created a very good living environment. Since the US is gone, the Japanese govt is planning to cram it up with ugly buildings just the like surrounding areas. Seeing the surroundings. tiny houses built with no space in between is just heart breaking. I’m a Japanese citizen and I love my country, but I admit the Japanese will not be able to make a great city like the housing the US had made. I wish the Navy housing were still under US navy control while Japanese rented and lived in them. That would’ve been a solution to maintaining sanity in the crazy crammed Japanese village...

[@japanbrats]

That's a unique perspective. Density has always been the difference between U.S. bases and what we so often see outside the gates. Americans enjoy a little elbow room. Thanks for your comment.

[@JamesKeller]

I visited today - and saw the public announcement displaying the plans for 130 cookie-cutter homes. Negishi was a really nice place... I miss those years.

[@jeanniecawley1686]

I lived in negishi heights 1970-1973 next to cemetery single house my dad was on USS Worden

[@jasons2017]

Anyone remember who the OIC was in 2008-2009?

[@edwardlipson3003]

Can we still tour negishi Heights or is it completely gone I plan on traveling to Japan next year but if I could no longer look at the old neighborhood I might just cancel the plans

[@japanbrats]

Unfortunately, no. Though still standing, Negishi is not open for tours as it's already reverted back to Japan. However, you might be able to visit by special arrangement in advance with the C.O. at CFAY. But there's no guarantee. Good luck.

[@edwardlipson3003]

@@japanbrats I lived in area to right across from the fire department right below the hill from 1966 can 1969 going back is part of my bucket list

[@oliviarodrigo2025]

Rest Pace base

[@Password1395]

Tom Barry who crated JapanBrats died in August 2022.

[@user-bb4gi5ne2h]

Hi! I have a question for you. Is what-you-write-in-here true? If you don`t mind, please let me know.

[@Photog422]

That place was haunted as fuck.