Hokusho

The Hokushō (北松) region is a collection of small towns and islands scattered along the north and northwestern Nagasaki coast, basking in the beauty of both mountains and the sea. It stretches from the town of Saza (佐々) to the south up to the rural cities of Matsuura (松浦) to the north and Hirado (平戸) to the northwest, and are part of the historic holdings of the Matsuura Clan.

The middle of Hokushō is separated by a broad Hakata-style-obi-like stretch of towns that were all once part of Hokushō; the towns of Kosaza (小佐々), Sechibaru (世知原), Yoshii (吉井), Emukae (江迎), and Shikamachi (鹿町) are formally governed by Sasebo today, but they still retain their Hokushō roots.

There’s plenty to enjoy year-round in northern Nagasaki! Hokushō has so many amazing nooks to explore. We have hot springs to soak in, incredible beaches to swim in, beautiful mountains and valleys, winding secret back roads to investigate and epic views to gasp at. There’s good local produce, restaurants and izakaya (居酒屋), and fresh seafood everywhere you go.

Okay, so we are a little short on monolithic department stores, cinemas, and large evening entertainment establishments; should you crave this, Sasebo, Nagasaki, and Fukuoka are not far away. Hokushō certainly makes up for this in beauty and character. The locals here are all extremely welcoming and friendly (as are the ALTs), there are plenty of activities and sports clubs to get involved in, and great festivals to attend.

So come, explore Hokushō!

For more information on events, tourism, and city specific rules and practices on topics such as disaster prevention and evacuation etc., please visit the following local websites for: 

• Matsuura 
• Hirado
• Saza