VIDEO: Shonan International Village offers breathtaking view of Mt. Fuji near Yokosuka NB

(Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi)

Shonan Kokusai Mura, or Shonan International Village, is only a short 20-minute drive from Yokosuka Naval Base. The village offers a beautiful view of Zushi, Kamakura and Hayama with Mount Fuji off in the distance. Recently my wife and I visited the village and enjoyed an early-spring stroll.

Park for free at the end of the village and take a refreshing 15-minute walk along a stone-paved path leading to a nice park on the hill. For a sunset panoramic view, visit just before dusk to enjoy an incredible sight of the oceanside landscape and iconic Fuji.

While there, visitors are also treated to many beautiful flowers like early cherry blossoms starting in March and thousands of azaleas from late April to early May.

Shonan International Village was founded by Kanagawa Prefecture in 1994 as a base for international cultural exchange and various world-size research and development activities. The village is zoned for research and development facilities like Sokendai Graduate University for Advanced Studies, but is also mixed-use with plenty of lodging and restaurants nestled among residential areas.