Sasebo City
"Kirrato (city with a bright future)" Sasebo City
- Nurtures people and towns
Sasebo is a city where the residents are healthy and active in harmonious coexistence with nature.
Sasebo City is situated at the edge of northwest Kyushu. The distance from Sasebo City to Tokyo is approximately 1,000km while the distance to Shanghai, China is approximately 800km. The city has mountains such as Mt. Eboushidake (568m) and Shoukandake (443m) and a ria (or drowned river valley) that formed in the coastal area. The city embraces a part of Saikai National Park that includes the beautiful natural "Kujuku Islands," which is made up of a complex interweave of different sized islands.
Sasebo Port, considered the center of Sasebo City, is an excellent natural port that has a narrow entrance and wide inner bay. Because of these characteristics, the 'Chinju-fu (naval base)' was set up here in 1889. Propelled by this momentum, the population of the city sharply increased from about 4,000 (in 1886) to about 50,000 (in 1902). From a village, Sasebo became a city at a single stroke, bypassing the town phase.
The central district of Sasebo City suffered catastrophic damage during the Second World War. In 1948, Sasebo Port was designated the first trading port in West Japan after the war. In 1950, Sasebo City started to make efforts toward becoming a peace-time industrial coast city in accordance with the "Act on Reconstruction of Cities that Formerly Served as Naval Ports" that was enforced by the government. Since that time, the city has developed around the shipbuilding industry.
Today, the Sasebo is also known as a city for sightseeing with many tourist attractions that represents the Kyushu district, such as "Kujuku Islands" of Saikai National Park and the Dutch-styled theme park "Huis Ten Bosch."
While the city puts great importance on "nurturing people" and "nurturing towns" as its two core targets for city development, it also strives to achieve "Kirrato" Sasebo City where citizens can be healthy and active in harmonious coexistence with nature.
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Annual event schedule
Time | Event | Description |
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Beginning of May | Mikawachi-Yaki Hamazen Festival | Visit the 400-year-old Mikawachi-yaki kilns. |
May | Haiki Tea Market | Haiki Tea Market has a 400-year history that has been passed down to present day. 1st tea market: May 7th to 9th, 2nd tea market: May 17th to 19th 3rd tea market: May 27th to 29th, 'Ume' market (Japanese apricot): June 7th to 9th |
Beginning of August | Sasebo Seaside Festival | Spectacular fireworks display at Sasebo Port. |
Mid-August | Emukae Thousand Lantern Festival//Sentourou | This is a 500-year old traditional event of Emukae machi. It is famous for having Japan's tallest (approximately 25m high) lantern tower, which is decorated with about 33,000 lanterns. |
Mid-September | Fireworks Festival of Huis Ten Bosch Kyushu | Kyushu's largest annual fireworks display festival at Huis Ten Bosch. |
Beginning of October | Mikawachi pottery market | Mikawachi-yaki(pottery) market for the famous wares made in Sasebo City designated as traditional Japanese craft by the government. |
Beginning of October (About 1 month from the beginning of September) | Sasebo JAZZ festival | Sasebo JAZZ festival is held with a live concert in Shimanose park and various events at the live music clubs around the city. |
Mid-October | YOSAKOI Sasebo Festival | Kyushu's largest Yosakoi festival |
November Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays |
Camp in the Matsuri (festival) of oysters Oyster in Kujyukushima | Kujukushima oyster outdoor barbeque at Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort |
December Mid-November to December 25 |
Kirakira Festival in Sasebo | This festival represents a typical winter experience of Sasebo where the parks, shopping streets, and shopping arcades are lit up with colorful decorative lighting. |
November to March | Huis Ten Bosch - Kingdom of Light | The world's largest size illumination display, "Kingdom of Light," crowned No. 1 in the all-Japan illumination rankings by nightscape critics. |