Sasebo, Nagasaki

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Sasebo
佐世保市
Special city
Kujukushima in Nagasaki Prefecture
Kujukushima in Nagasaki Prefecture
Flag of Sasebo
Flag
Location of Sasebo in Nagasaki
Location of Sasebo in Nagasaki
Sasebo is located in Japan
Sasebo
Sasebo
Location in Japan
Coordinates: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Country Japan
Region Kyushu
Prefecture Nagasaki
Government
 • Mayor Norio Tomonaga (since May 2009)
Area
 • Total 426.47 km2 (164.66 sq mi)
Population (October 1, 2011)
 • Total 259,800
 • Density 609/km2 (1,580/sq mi)
Symbols
 • Tree Flowering Dogwood
 • Flower Lilium speciosum
 • Bird Leomire
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City Hall Address 1-10 Hachiman, Sasebo-shi, Nagasaki-ken
857-8585
Website www.city.sasebo.nagasaki.jp

Sasebo (佐世保市 Sasebo-shi?) is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.

As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 259,800 and a population density of 609 persons per km². The total area is 426.47 km2 (165 sq mi).

The city includes a part of Saikai National Park. Located in the southern part of the city is the Dutch-styled theme park Huis Ten Bosch.

History

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The area of present-day Sasebo was a small fishing village under the control of nearby Hirado Domain until shortly after the start of the Meiji period. Imperial Japanese Navy Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō, when surveying the coasts of northwestern Kyūshū for the site of a navy base, selected his location based on its protected, deep-water harbor, geographic proximity to China and Korea, and the presence of nearby coal fields. Sasebo Naval District, founded in 1886, became the major port for the Japanese navy in its operations in the First Sino-Japanese War and Russo-Japanese War, and remained a major naval base to the end of World War II. Along with the base facilities, the navy also constructed the Sasebo Naval Arsenal, which included major shipyards and repair facilities.

Sasebo City was founded on April 1, 1902. The city which had 206,000 inhabitants in 1945 suffered severe damage by bombing on June 29, 1945 during World War II and was destroyed by 48%.[1] Sasebo was one of the original 17 targets selected for the dropping of the atomic bomb.

After the end of the war, part of the base facilities were taken over by the United States Navy, forming U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo. Some parts of the base are shared with the Japan Self-Defense Forces, in particular the JMSDF, though the primary base of the JGSDF's Western Army Infantry Regiment is also among the facilities there.

Mergers

Economy

Shipbuilding and associated heavy industries continue to dominate the economy of Sasebo. Adjacent to the naval base is the Sasebo Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. shipyard. Sasebo Station is the westernmost station in the JR passenger train system.

Climate

Sasebo has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is somewhat lower in winter.

Climate data for Sasebo, Nagasaki
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 9.4
(48.9)
10.3
(50.5)
13.9
(57)
19.3
(66.7)
23.3
(73.9)
26.1
(79)
29.8
(85.6)
31.4
(88.5)
28.0
(82.4)
23.0
(73.4)
17.6
(63.7)
12.1
(53.8)
20.35
(68.62)
Daily mean °C (°F) 5.8
(42.4)
6.5
(43.7)
9.7
(49.5)
14.8
(58.6)
18.8
(65.8)
22.1
(71.8)
26.4
(79.5)
27.4
(81.3)
23.9
(75)
18.6
(65.5)
13.3
(55.9)
8.2
(46.8)
16.29
(61.32)
Average low °C (°F) 2.3
(36.1)
2.9
(37.2)
5.5
(41.9)
10.5
(50.9)
14.5
(58.1)
18.7
(65.7)
23.6
(74.5)
24.2
(75.6)
20.4
(68.7)
14.6
(58.3)
9.2
(48.6)
4.5
(40.1)
12.57
(54.64)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 76.0
(2.992)
83.0
(3.268)
120.4
(4.74)
180.8
(7.118)
189.5
(7.461)
312.3
(12.295)
327.1
(12.878)
188.1
(7.406)
187.6
(7.386)
103.7
(4.083)
95.7
(3.768)
64.5
(2.539)
1,928.7
(75.934)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 3
(1.2)
2
(0.8)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
1
(0.4)
6
(2.4)
Average relative humidity (%) 66 66 66 70 72 79 81 76 74 68 68 67 71.1
Mean monthly sunshine hours 107.1 116.7 166.6 169.7 191.7 151.8 178.7 223.1 178.3 189.7 146.6 113.7 1,933.7
Source: NOAA (1961-1990)[3]

Sister city relations

Sasebo City Hall

Sasebo has sister-city relations with three places outside Japan and one within the country:[4]

Points of interest

Huis Ten Bosch theme park

References

  1. John Keegan: Atlas Zweiter Weltkrieg, S. 196. Augsburg 1999
  2. http://www.kokudo.or.jp/new/cities/sub/kyusyu/42.htm
  3. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. Sasebo City office (2008). 姉妹・友好都市等との交流事業 (Shimai Yūkō Toshi to no Kōryū Jigyō), Sasebo City office. Retrieved on 2009-02-08 from http://www.city.sasebo.nagasaki.jp/www/contents/1053317965925/index.html.
  5. Chris Taylor: Japan, p. 632. Berlin 1998.

External links