Sasebo

Return to Nagasaki Prefecture

Sasebo (佐世保市, Sasebo-shi^?) Sasebo city is one of the major cities in Nagasaki prefecture. With a population greater than 250,000 Sasebo has a diverse variety for a small city in Japan. It is home the US Naval Base and a bustling shopping area known to the locals as the Arcade. Its location in a rural area gives Sasebo many beautiful sights and things to do. The best of both worlds can be found in Sasebo; if you need a little Western treat or if you are looking for rural Japan, this area has it all.

Transportation

• Sasebo is the last stop on the JR Sasebo Line. Easy and affordable access is found from Nagasaki, Hakata, and many other locations on Kyushu.

Buses also come into Sasebo from Oita, Beppu, Kumamoto, Fukuoka and Saga. There are night buses available from Osaka and Nagoya.

The city has a good public transportation network within Sasebo. However, most of it is in Japanese. Most things are within walking distance of the arcade. If not, Taxis are available pretty much every where and there is a local MR line that goes out to Hirado and the Northern cities in the Sasebo block.

Getting in

By bus

• 　Long distance bus routes including Sasebo to Osaka in English.

Sightseeing

Places to visit

• Military History Museum

You can learn about Sasebo's role in World War II as well as view authentic weapons.

• Art Museum

There are frequent temporary exhibits at the art museum located in Shimanosecho, near the Starbucks.

• Arkus

This is a performance hall and venue for major conferences, stage performances, and classical music.

• Shirahama Beach

Great for an afternoon at the beach or a spot to camp for the night.

• Huis Ten Bosch

The famous Dutch theme park is located 10 minutes drive from the city center.

• Sasebo Zoological Park and Botanical Garden

• Morning Fish Markets

• Arcade or Yonkacho

Walk in the 1km long covered shopping arcade to find a good mix of the old and new Japan.

• 99 Islands Cruise

Take a bus to Kashimae pier and hop on a boat to tour the surrounding islands in the Sasebo Bay area.

• ShinSaikai Bridge

Is great for its sakura trees in the spring and their many whirlpools make for a scenic picnic spot. For the history buffs you can see the three towers that were used to transmit the commands to attack Pearl Harbor to the Japanese Fleet in WWII.

• Bio Park

Located in Saikai Cho, this small but memorable park has many animals on display. You can feed the animals and even pet most of them.

Festivals

• Oyster Festival

In February the Kashimae pier area is your chance to eat local produce while BBQing outside with friends.

• Haiki Tea Festival

If you love tea, here is your chance to get some of Kyushu’s finest. Located near the JR station in Haiki you can find many local tea makers and sample many types of tea in May and June.

• Obon

Only in Nagasaki will you find a unique blend of Chinese and Japanese cultures for Obon season. The river is decorated with lanterns and Nakiri-cho has a large display of family’s remembering their newly dead.

• Sunset Jazz Festival

In Mid October, the Jazz crowds gather to listen to local artists and other Jazz bands.

• Yosakoi

Sasebo’s and one of Kyushu’s biggest festivals is held during the end of October. Yosakoi is a time for many dancing troupes to come to Sasebo to compete in a dance competition. Festival fare is in full array and you can witness performances just about everywhere in the city center.

• Sasebo’s Okunchi

In several shrines in Sasebo celebrate this Shinto festival with colorful dances through the streets. It is usually held in early November.

• Kira Kira Festival

Sasebo’s tribute to a Western Style Christmas is on display in December in the Arcade or Yonkacho area. Huge light displays and traditional lawn decorations light up the city and give spectators a taste of Christmas back home.

• Reggae Festival

Although there is very little Reggae there are lots of live performances by reggae inspired hop-hop bands. And to top it off it's on the Shirohama beach.

Shopping

The arcade gives the shoppers a place to find many things. In the arcade there is a Jusco, and many department stores like Tamaya, Twinkle, and Nishizawa for all your more expensive shopping needs. Used clothing stores, as well as electronic shops and boutiques litter the 1 km shopping arcade.

Supermarkets

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Department stores

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Home & Garden stores

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Book shops

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Others

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Eating

The presence of the Sasebo US Naval Base gives Sasebo a Western demand for variety, without crushing the local cuisine.

Fast food

• Shijaku Kaiten Sushi, Locations in Yamine, Tenjin-cho,and Kurokami, 100 yen sushi plates
• Restaurant name here, Description here
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Japanese food

• Shigeyo, Specializes in Tofu cooking
• Black (ブラク), They specialize in black (squid ink) curry. It's run by a couple who invented the dish and provide a real home kitchen feel. There are also great cakes and coffee to be had late night.
• Kadoya, Tawara-machi, Quite possibly the best Okonomiyaki restaurant in the prefecture. It's run by two sisters who live in the neighborhood and shower you with appreciation for your patronage.
• Kadoya, Kyomachi, Expensive but delicious yakitori.
• Hachinoya, A great traditional Japanese curry restaurant. Also amazing pastries.
• Torikin, Solid but very popular yakitoriya
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Foreign food

• Changos, More Japanese style Mexican food, found in an a la carte variety, but a local favorite.
• Mike's Tex Mex, It is more for your American Style meal sets and large drinks.
• Broadway Pizza, Broadway Pizza is the closest thing to American Style pizza that you can get off the US base. Owned locally by a man who lived in NYC, it is a nice little slice of Americana.
• Pietro, Italian
• Pinocchio, Italian
• Bishnu, Indian food
• Tenjinpo, Chinese Restaurant
• Blue Sky (ブルスカイ), Greasy burger joint open late night.
• Log Kit, Most famous Sasebo burger joint. Be prepared to wait.
• Hikari Burger, The alternative to Log Kit but good in it's own right.
• Phuket, Great but a little expensive Thai restaurant. The owner is engaged/married to the guy who runs Mike's Tex Mex which is just down the alley.
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Drinking

Izakayas

• (Tonchinkan) (とんちんかん), A great izakaya for cheap food but good food. The giant beers help too.
• Yasube-sushi, Tawara-machi, Great fresh and cheap sushi in this local izakaya. Don't expect much English here.

• Pumpkin, A younger crowd's izakaya. Cheap and usually bustling.
• Name, Description

Bars

• Rogic, Darts bar with live music.
• Dazzle Puzzle, More of a dance club than bar
• Sports Bar Dreamer, Pool hall and darts bar
• Zakoya, Usually referred to as "The Standing Bar" This place is standing room only and 300yen beers. The barman, who goes by the name Tiger, is good at English and really friendly.
• The Peach Pit, OK, so this isn't really a bar. Rather it's the set of benches in front of the RIC Mart. Grab a cold one in the RIC mart and enjoy the amazing people watching that Sasebo has to offer at night.
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Living

Banks

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Post offices

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Medical facilities

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Libraries

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Hair dressers

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Sports facilities

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Travel agents

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Map

Use the controls on the left to scroll and zoom around the map below.

  edit instruction

• To get long and lat, see http://itouchmap.com/latlong.html
• Use the following template:

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• For instructions on how to edit this Google map and add labeled marker pins, please see Help:Googlemaps.

Loading map...

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External links

• Hometown Homepage - Sasebo (English)
• Huis Ten Bosch Official Website (English/Japanese/Chinese/Korean)
• Sasebo Tourist Website (English/Japanese/Chinese/Korean)
• Yonkacho Interactive Map (English/Japanese/Korean)
• XXXXX city official homepage (English)
• XXXXX city official homepage (Japanese)

First draft written by: Patrick Hauge, Natalie Mepham, Zoë Russell, and Kate Meyer