Sasebo, JAPAN

Sasebo is a lovely city in Western Kyushu Island, in Nagasaki Prefecture. The port area of Sasebo encompasses about 28 KM and is larger than either Kobe or Yokohama ports. Ancient Sasebo is believed to date back to 10,000 of the Neolithic age, and many earthenware artifacts have been unexcavated from that early time.

Besides a rich history, the Sasebo area has been a major producer of porcelain since the Edo period. The famous Mikawachi porcelain comes from the area east of Sasebo. The gateway to the 99 islands of the Saikai National Park is only 20 minutes by car from the center of the city. A short boat ride will take you to uninhabited islands for exploring or camping. A gigantic theme park, Huis Ten Bosch, is just to the east and can easily be reached by train. The sea area includes Hirado Island (where Will Adams of “Shogon” fame is buried) and a part of Goto Islands. The Saikai Bridge, which leads to the Uragashira Peace Park, is the largest arch-type bridge in the world. The well-known August Jazz Festival is held every year in Nimitz Park, which is part of the US Naval Base. The population is about 250,000. The city was severely damaged during the bombing of World War II, but has been rebuilt and is now a modern city whose industries include shipbuilding and metallurgy. SOURCE

The relationship between Albuquerque and Sasebo began when individuals from both cities met and became friends during the Korean War. The two cities officially became “sister cities” on November 1, 1966. Our continued relationship over the years has involved many projects attracting the interest of Japanese sponsored businesses to Albuquerque, as well as several student exchanges. Our two cities celebrated 50 years of friendship and partnership in 2016.