Walking tours of 1960s Yokohama with maps, stamp rally, flag pins

The Yokohama City Guide Association and the Yokohama City Cultural Tourism Agency launched guided walking tours inspired by Studio Ghibli 's latest film, Kokuriko-Zaka Kara , on Monday. The coming-of-age film about the teenagers Umi and Shun opened in Japan on Saturday.

Director Goro Miyazaki set the film's story in Yokohama, a harbor city near Tokyo, in Showa 38 (1963, a year before the Tokyo Olympics). In that spirit, the "Showa 30s Yokohama Nostalgia Tour: The World of Kokuriko-Zaka Kara 's Umi & Shun" showcases the city as it was nearly five decades ago.

The city already began distributing the official Kokuriko-Zaka Kara Yokohama Guide map for free on Saturday. Yokohama also held a stamp rally; the first 10,000 people who collect at least five of the eight printed stamps at different locations receive U-W flag pins, as well as a chance at 50 concert tickets. The maritime signal flags for "U" and "W" are seen in the film's poster (pictured above), and are part of the film's story.

The "Memories of the Port Five Decades Ago" tour highlights the old red-brick buildings and the Nippon Maru Memorial Park. "The Hill Where Signal Flags Flutter" tour goes to the famous Yamate 234 house and Minato no Mieru Oka Koen (Harbor View Park) on a bluff overlooking the coast. "The Streets Walked by Umi and Shun" tour travels pass the Hotel New Grand, Yamate Park, and other historical areas from 50 years ago. There is also a talk held at the Yokohama Archives of History.

The tours cost 500 yen (about US$6), and run at least through September 4. It costs 200 yen (US$2.50) for adults or 100 yen (US$1.25) for children to visit the Yokohama Archives of History.

Source: Anime Anime Japan