Comments on: Null-space Tunnels under Yokosuka Navy Base http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/09/negishi-caverns-haikyo-yokohama/ Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:42:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: John http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/09/negishi-caverns-haikyo-yokohama/comment-page-1/#comment-11591 John Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:46:54 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=440#comment-11591 Hi me and a friend r livin in yokosuka and r lookin to find some cave to check if anyone may know of any that r open or can take us to some please email me at the email add I left Hi me and a friend r livin in yokosuka and r lookin to find some cave to check if anyone may know of any that r open or can take us to some please email me at the email add I left

]]> By: Craig Hoyt http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/09/negishi-caverns-haikyo-yokohama/comment-page-1/#comment-4499 Craig Hoyt Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:27:25 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=440#comment-4499 I lived in Negishi housing for four years, from 1960 - 1964. We lived at 265-B which was right next to Richard E. Byrd school (which I attended). Back then there were no local house encroaching against the Navy housing and there was considerably more green space all around Byrd school and the Grandstand. Between the school and the Navy housing to the north lie a small valley which we called "Bamboo Valley" since much of it was covered in bamboo. At the bottom of the valley there were several natural springs and up against the cliff wall on the north side of the school were some caves we used to explore also. As I remember, there were 2 or 3 of them. We always thought they were bomb shelters from WWII. They went in a ways and had air holes dug up high into the roof of the caves. There were several alcoves that had were about 4 feet wide and started about two feet off the floor of the caves. They were only about 2 feet deep. I remember being scared witless the first time we went in because we had nothing to use for light...we felt along the walls in the dark. Once we learned about the alcoves, we would bring fresh recruits in and hide in the alcoves while they got lost. On their way out we would jump out from the alcoves and give them the excitement of their life! Another very cool thing in Negishi was a hidden set of stone steps that wound down off the bluff to the Japanese village below. These were VERY old steps and the path leading to them was very over grown with thorns and scrub brush. Once on them though, you had a shot down into the other world below. The first time we found these steps there was a dense fog surrounding the bluff so it was like descending into the unknown...but we couldn't resist. Once down below we were treated quite nicely by the locals who didn't seem to see many Americans. We got free candy and ice cream from several vendors. Anyway, if anyone wants to chat more about Negishi, you can email me at: perimeterjones@gmail.com Craig I lived in Negishi housing for four years, from 1960 – 1964. We lived at 265-B which was right next to Richard E. Byrd school (which I attended). Back then there were no local house encroaching against the Navy housing and there was considerably more green space all around Byrd school and the Grandstand. Between the school and the Navy housing to the north lie a small valley which we called “Bamboo Valley” since much of it was covered in bamboo. At the bottom of the valley there were several natural springs and up against the cliff wall on the north side of the school were some caves we used to explore also. As I remember, there were 2 or 3 of them. We always thought they were bomb shelters from WWII. They went in a ways and had air holes dug up high into the roof of the caves. There were several alcoves that had were about 4 feet wide and started about two feet off the floor of the caves. They were only about 2 feet deep. I remember being scared witless the first time we went in because we had nothing to use for light…we felt along the walls in the dark. Once we learned about the alcoves, we would bring fresh recruits in and hide in the alcoves while they got lost. On their way out we would jump out from the alcoves and give them the excitement of their life!

Another very cool thing in Negishi was a hidden set of stone steps that wound down off the bluff to the Japanese village below. These were VERY old steps and the path leading to them was very over grown with thorns and scrub brush. Once on them though, you had a shot down into the other world below. The first time we found these steps there was a dense fog surrounding the bluff so it was like descending into the unknown…but we couldn’t resist. Once down below we were treated quite nicely by the locals who didn’t seem to see many Americans. We got free candy and ice cream from several vendors.

Anyway, if anyone wants to chat more about Negishi, you can email me at: perimeterjones@gmail.com

Craig

]]> By: MJG http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/09/negishi-caverns-haikyo-yokohama/comment-page-1/#comment-835 MJG Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:23:32 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=440#comment-835 Jason- Siphoning, absolutely. I still have the pipes and bucket- will be ready if it comes up again. Getting dirty- well, we have to suffer for our art. Tornadoes- Su Young thought the same thing. I don't know why, but maybe because the water has dripped down through the rocks and collected- maybe over years. I'm no expert, but I think those rocks could act as a filter to clean the water. That plus there's no light or heat down there, so nothing much can grow. - The trash is junk that has fallen down the cliff-face above, got caught by the wall, and has slowly back-filled the tunnel. Blame fly-tippers who leave trash on the cliff-top. Sebu- You made my day with your comment, thanks! I will certainly Ganbarimasu with the haikyo in the future. Tony- Thanks, though I owe a lot to Brian, without whom I'd never have even suspected there were tunnels down there. Brian- You absolutely have permission to post photos or other stories here- I very much hope you'll be able to. As for the accuracy of the maps you gave me, or even 'wasting my time'- there's really no need to apologize, I don't think you misled me at all. After all, it was 20 years ago, and you were a kid! I turned up unsure I'd find anything- so was very pleased to have found what I did. - As for the other tunnel on the east side, I'll definitely go seek them out at some point- thanks for encouragement. On another note- did you hear last week there were some mortars fired at the base by a guerilla/terrorist group? Sounded remarkably like what happened those 20 years ago with the pipe-bombs. I wonder if it was the same people, using the same stash? Maybe I'll steer clear for a while... Nash- I'm not worried though, they'd have to be pretty small to use that culvert as a swimming pool. Jason- Siphoning, absolutely. I still have the pipes and bucket- will be ready if it comes up again. Getting dirty- well, we have to suffer for our art.

Tornadoes- Su Young thought the same thing. I don’t know why, but maybe because the water has dripped down through the rocks and collected- maybe over years. I’m no expert, but I think those rocks could act as a filter to clean the water. That plus there’s no light or heat down there, so nothing much can grow.

– The trash is junk that has fallen down the cliff-face above, got caught by the wall, and has slowly back-filled the tunnel. Blame fly-tippers who leave trash on the cliff-top.

Sebu- You made my day with your comment, thanks! I will certainly Ganbarimasu with the haikyo in the future.

Tony- Thanks, though I owe a lot to Brian, without whom I’d never have even suspected there were tunnels down there.

Brian- You absolutely have permission to post photos or other stories here- I very much hope you’ll be able to. As for the accuracy of the maps you gave me, or even ‘wasting my time’- there’s really no need to apologize, I don’t think you misled me at all. After all, it was 20 years ago, and you were a kid! I turned up unsure I’d find anything- so was very pleased to have found what I did.

– As for the other tunnel on the east side, I’ll definitely go seek them out at some point- thanks for encouragement. On another note- did you hear last week there were some mortars fired at the base by a guerilla/terrorist group? Sounded remarkably like what happened those 20 years ago with the pipe-bombs. I wonder if it was the same people, using the same stash? Maybe I’ll steer clear for a while…

Nash- I’m not worried though, they’d have to be pretty small to use that culvert as a swimming pool.

]]> By: Nash http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/09/negishi-caverns-haikyo-yokohama/comment-page-1/#comment-826 Nash Wed, 17 Sep 2008 01:04:40 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=440#comment-826 Someone's going to be angry when they find you drained their swimming pool. Someone’s going to be angry when they find you drained their swimming pool.

]]> By: Exploring abandoned prisons and caverns in Japan | Japan Probe http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/09/negishi-caverns-haikyo-yokohama/comment-page-1/#comment-825 Exploring abandoned prisons and caverns in Japan | Japan Probe Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:31:09 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=440#comment-825 [...] exploring caverns in Kanagawa Prefecture and posting videos and photographs of his discoveries: check them out! [...] [...] exploring caverns in Kanagawa Prefecture and posting videos and photographs of his discoveries: check them out! [...]

]]> By: Brian http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/09/negishi-caverns-haikyo-yokohama/comment-page-1/#comment-824 Brian Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:33:15 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=440#comment-824 Oh, correction on the RPG (rocket propelled grenade), it actually was a homemade pipe bomb. A big difference, especially with the times. Oh, correction on the RPG (rocket propelled grenade), it actually was a homemade pipe bomb. A big difference, especially with the times.

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