Sasebo Civic Cultural Hall: The Navy's Triumphal Memorial Hall
The Sasebo Civic Cultural Hall (former Triumphal Memorial Hall of the Sasebo Naval Station) (佐世保市民文化ホール) is a two-storey reinforced concrete building opened in 1923 in Hirase-cho, Sasebo City, Nagasaki Prefecture, and in 1997 was entered on the national register as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a building area of 826 square metres and a sheet-metal roof. It was built with donations from the prefectures of Kyushu and Shikoku to honour the deeds of the naval district's ships in the First World War, and belongs to Sasebo City.
Sasebo City explains that in the later part of the war a special squadron built around Sasebo ships escorted convoys in the Mediterranean, and the hall was planned to commemorate that service.
Why It Was Registered
The Sasebo Civic Cultural Hall is registration number 42-0007, listed under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency highlights its symmetrical gable-fronted facade, pillars running through both storeys and geometric ornament, and calls it a much-loved symbol of a navy town.
The hall's own guide says it was requisitioned by US forces after the war and used as a dance hall and cinema, returned in 1977 and transferred from the state to Sasebo City in 1982 as a cultural facility. In 2016 it became a component of the Japan Heritage story of the naval districts of Yokosuka, Kure, Sasebo and Maizuru.
What to Look For
From March 2014 to November 2015 the hall was structurally strengthened with steel and extra concrete walls. Original features such as the ceilings were kept as far as possible, the exterior was not repainted, and part of the original stage can now be seen.
The ground floor holds the hall and the upper floor meeting rooms, with displays on Japan Heritage and a model of the destroyer Yukikaze.
Visiting
Admission is free, according to the hall. Sasebo City gives opening hours of 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., closed on Tuesdays and over the New Year. Telephone 0956-25-8192.
It is 1 minute on foot from the Sasebo Sogo Iryo Center Iriguchi bus stop. As the building is also rented out as a hall, areas may be restricted during events.
Q&A
- What is the Sasebo Civic Cultural Hall?
- The former naval Triumphal Memorial Hall, opened in 1923 to commemorate the navy's First World War service, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 1997.
- What are its architectural features?
- A symmetrical gable-fronted facade, pillars through both storeys and geometric ornament.
- Can I visit the Sasebo Civic Cultural Hall?
- Yes, free of charge, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; it closes on Tuesdays and over the New Year.
- How was it used after the war?
- It was requisitioned by US forces as a dance hall and cinema and returned in 1977.
- How do I get to the Sasebo Civic Cultural Hall?
- It is 1 minute on foot from the Sasebo Sogo Iryo Center Iriguchi bus stop.
Basic Information
| Name | Sasebo Civic Cultural Hall (佐世保市民文化ホール) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2 Hirase-cho, Sasebo City, Nagasaki Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 1997/12/12 (Heisei 9) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Reinforced concrete, 2 storeys, sheet-metal roof, building area 826 square metres |
| Owner | Sasebo City |
| Public Access | Free; 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., closed Tuesdays |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Sasebo Civic Cultural Hall (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00000420
- Cultural Heritage Online: Sasebo Civic Cultural Hall (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/185150
- Sasebo Civic Cultural Hall: About the hall (Japanese)
- https://gaisenkinenhall.com/outline/
- Sasebo City: Former Triumphal Memorial Hall (Japanese)
- https://www.city.sasebo.lg.jp/kankou/kankou/nihonisan/chinjufu_10201.html
Last verified: 2026.09.27