浦賀　―　歴史の港

Tucked into the eastern shore of the Miura Peninsula, Uraga is a harbour town with an outsized place in history. For centuries it served as the gateway to Edo — the official checkpoint where foreign ships entered Tokyo Bay. Then in July 1853, four steam-powered warships under Commodore Matthew Perry dropped anchor here, demanding that Japan open its ports to American trade. The world changed.

Today Uraga is quiet. A small ferry still crosses the narrow harbour mouth, linking the eastern and western banks — a journey of a few minutes that has been made for hundreds of years. The hills on both sides hold old temples, lookout points, and the occasional cannon battery left over from the days when Japan prepared to defend its shores. It is a town worth walking slowly.