Yakatabune In Yokohama

Last night we partied on the water in celebration of the 95th birthday of the Navy Dental Corps. We booked a Japanese yakatabune, which is a sort of flat-bottomed party boat that cruises around in the bay while entertaining its guests with food, booze, and karaoke. It's a traditional summertime activity, especially around hanabi (fireworks) season, that goes back to the old Edo era. Part of the tradition involves wearing a yukatta, or cotton kimono worn comfortably in the summer. Our cruise was run by the Suzuyoshi Yakatabune company in Yokohama, most gracious hosts that showed us an excellent time! They gave us a hell of deal too, charging ¥9,000 per person for a 2 1/2 hour cruise and dinner that normally goes for ¥10,500 per person. We had a total of 23 people in attendance, Japanese and American, dentists and family members. It goes without saying that a good time was had by all at this uniquely Japanese experience! Also, it was a very bittersweet time for me as this is the last time I will celebrate this event as a member of the armed services (my papers are in for release from active duty), hence I was emcee for the event. Following our cruise, the party continued at The Green Sheep, an Irish pub in Yokohama. Here's a bunch of photos - Enjoy!