In Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, the local jazz culture is being revived through initiatives targeting young people. A junior ensemble formed last year brings together novice students eager to learn the genre. This effort aims to sustain the city's postwar jazz heritage amid fading traditions.
Sasebo, a city in Nagasaki Prefecture, once thrived as a naval port and continues to host bases for the U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Postwar, jazz musicians flocked to perform for American personnel in dance halls and cabarets, capturing the era's spirit. Over time, however, these venues dwindled, and jazz cafes that brought the music into daily life also faded.
To counter this decline, the annual Sasebo Jazz event, started by volunteers in 1991, has endured, even through the COVID-19 pandemic. Believing new talent is key to preservation, organizers formed the Sasebo Jazz Junior Ensemble in March last year. In early October, 15 elementary, junior high, and high school students—most without prior jazz experience—gathered for a joint practice session at a local studio.
Seira Kawabata, a 14-year-old junior high student, joined in September last year on bass with little musical background. She quickly learned improvisation. "Creating a sense of unity through an ensemble is the real thrill of jazz," she said.
The group is led by Mio Hayashida, 41, who runs a local jazz school. "I want this to open the door for the younger generation to encounter jazz," she explained.
Kazutaka Maeda, 64, operates Jazz Spot Easel, one of the city's few jazz bars. He organizes seaside concerts near JR Sasebo Station for two months each spring and autumn. "I want to continue these grassroots activities so that both the young and old can enjoy jazz," he said.
Tied to the National Cultural Festival from September to November, local junior highs and community centers hosted live performances and workshops. The 32nd Sasebo Jazz in November featured the junior ensemble.
"Jazz is never boring because the individuality of every single player bursts out. I'll keep chasing jazz for the rest of my life," said Fumi Hirata, a 17-year-old high school student, with a smile.
Hayashida added, "I want to create opportunities for people to experience jazz in their everyday life, so that we all can proudly say that Sasebo is a city of jazz."
With a population of about 227,000, Sasebo faces the East China Sea and served as a key Imperial Japanese Navy base since the Russo-Japanese War era (1904-05). It welcomed 1.4 million repatriates postwar at Uragashira Port. Tourists flock to Huis Ten Bosch resort and the Kujukushima Islands, while local specialties like Sasebo burgers and lemon steak reflect its military base heritage.