Places to play: Yokohama

Two locations in reasonably central Yokohama are given below.  There are of course other tennis facilities in Yokohama, for which I have yet to gather information.

A.  Yokohama International Tennis Community

YITC is the oldest tennis club in Japan, established in 1878 (one year after the first championships at Wimbledon).  It has 6 clay courts, a clubhouse with lockers, showers, and simple restaurant, and parking.  It is set among trees and greenery, quite nice amid the urban setting of Yokohama. 

Non-permanent membership entrance fees are 90,000 yen, with a registration fee of 10,000 yen.  Permanent membership entrance fee is 750,000 yen with a registration fee of 50,000 yen.   Monthly dues are  8200 yen. Spouse and children memberships available.

The club is near Ishikawa-cho station.  Address is 230 Yamate-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama 231-0862.  Phone 045 681 9528, fax 045 681 8731.

B.  Yokohama Country & Athletic Club

This club gets close to what a "country club" is in the US meaning of the term.  The club was founded in 1868 as a cricket club, and cricket is still played here.  Its brochure says the club offers "one of the most comprehensive arrays of sporting and recreational facilities in Asia".  Besides the cricket   field (of course used for other sports too) and 7 tennis courts, there's a fitness area, full restaurant and meeting rooms, sauna, swimming pool, library, squash courts, volleyball, basketball, billiards, darts, and many activities and classes.

Entrance fees are 246,000 yen for one person and 390,000 yen for a couple.   Monthly dues are 18,000 yen for one person and 29,000 yen for a couple.

The club is near Yamate station, which can be reached from Yokohama station.  From Azabu, take the Hibiya subway line to Naka-Meguro, change to the Toyoko line and take that to Yokohama station.  From Hamamatsu-cho or Shinagawa, take the Keihin Tohoku line to Yokohama station.  By car, use the Daisan Keihin, Shuto Expressway, or Bayshore Expressway.

The address is Yaguchi-dai 11-1, Naka-ku, Yokohama 231-8684.  Phone 045 623 8121, fax 045 623 1233, e-mail ycac@gol.com, web page www2.gol.com/users/ycac/.