There is a much history involving this base and you can read more about it here. I first visited Sasebo aboard the USS Kilauea back during the 1975-76 Westpac. I tended to like visiting Sasebo and sometimes thought it a better place to spend time than Yokosuka. Perhaps the Kilauea took me there more than any other ship not only during the active duty days but two of my assignments with Military Sealift as well. It was Sasebo where I met the Walter S. Diehl the two times I served on her.
Look center left in the photo and the square enclosure. We call this India Basin. In the foreground of the shot is where ships of the Japanese Maritime Defense Force berth. India Basin has the distinction of being the largest dry dock in the world. This is home to a ship yard that serviced the Japanese Navy in war time and built very large crude carriers during peacetime. It was not uncommon to witness the manufacture of rudders and drive shafts while walking along the street to exit the center of the base. The ship along the top quay wall from this vantage point looks to be a large break bulk ship, the type suited for hauling grain or minerals. To the left of the photo bordering the left side of the river is designated Julian Basin. This is where the Commander Fleet Activities Sasebo has his HQ. The consolidated open mess is right across the street. This restaurant serves officers and enlisted from both navies and inherited the recipe for the best Spaghetti in the Far East from the old Fiddlers Green.
The people in Sasebo are friendly and I always had a good time going to stroll in the local mall and watch a movie. Sasebo is one of those places where you can enter the movie in the middle of the showing and remain for the full showing when everyone else has left. Japanese ladies seem to have the most endearing feminine voices on the planet. It was always one of those voices heard at the beginning of a movie or in an elevator. I preferred watching the movies out in town versus the ones on the base. The one bit of Americana in the city was a Denny's restaurant. You always knew what was on the menu because replicas of the food in plastic were displayed out in front of the store. In the seventies I did not encounter a McDonalds but there was one there during the 90's.