I traveled to Japan with my mother in May, 2002, to Sasebo, Japan. Sasebo is my mother’s hometown. I call it my hometown as well now since that is where my mother’s family, the Matsunagas, originated. We traveled there to visit my ailing grandmother (She passed away early the following year).

As a kid, I loved to go to Tamaya or Jusco. They both had a huge toystore with amazing toys. Both stores were located in downtone Sasebo in a covered shopping area known as the Arcade (similar to a mall but I like to call it a covered bazaar). Unfortunately both Tamaya and Jusco no longer have their huge toystores at these locations. I also spent a lot of time in the Hyaku (100) Yen stores where I bought a lot of souveniors.

Sasebo has a great deal of tourist spots and hotels with reasonable rates.  It is definitely worth a visit and I suspect many American Veterans, who served in Sasebo, will return in the near future.

Here are some pictures of Sasebo:

(100 Yen Store)

(SSK Shipyard)

(Mother Mountain near my mother’s school)

(Another view of the SSK Shipyard)

(Sasebo Bus Station)

(Near the Sasebo Bus Station)

(Near the Sasebo Bus Station)

(Sasebo Train Station)

(Mountain View of Sasebo)

(Mountain View of Sasebo)

(Mountain View of Sasebo)

(Sasebo Shipyard View)

(Sasebo Shipyard View)

(Sasebo Shipyard View)

(Sasebo Shipyard View)

(SSK in the distance)

(Memorial on the mountain)