Ancient tombs, shrines, and historical sites! Walk around Sakai City with an English guide
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Sakai City, which can be easily accessed by train from Osaka Namba, is a city blessed with a rich history and culture thanks to the Mozu Tomb Group and many traditional industries. In this article, we will introduce places where foreigners can enjoy this history.
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[Where tradition meets modernity] We share the charm of Wakayama and Osaka with the world. Let's travel Japan together and create inspiring stories and unforgettable experiences. From Wakayama's tranquil temples and shrines and soothing lush mountains to Osaka's vibrant city and delicious cuisine, we will bring you all the charm you need. Let's enjoy the beauty of Japan together.
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Table of Contents
- What is Sakai City?
- Recommended things to do in Sakai City
- 1. Recommended for first timers! Take a leisurely stroll around the ancient tombs
- 2. Walking in the footsteps of Tokugawa Ieyasu
- 3. A historical stroll through Sakai "The legendary home of pottery"
- 4. A historical stroll through Sakai "A place connected to the Miyoshi clan and the Sakai Shogunate"
- Experience the joys of Sakai history with a guide
What is Sakai City?
Location of Sakai City
Sakai City is located in the central-southern part of Osaka Prefecture, about 20 to 30 minutes by train from popular places in Osaka such as Namba and Tsutenkaku. It is the second largest city in Osaka Prefecture in terms of area and population after Osaka City.
Tracing back the history and development of Sakai City
Sakai flourished as a trading port in the Middle Ages. At the time, Sakai was a moated city, rare even on a global scale, and prospered as an autonomous city. After the Meiji period, the city rapidly modernized with the development of modern industry, population growth, expansion of the city area, and development of transportation, and continues to develop strongly today.
A city full of historical charm even in the modern era
Given its long history, ruins within the city have unearthed chipped stone tools dating back approximately 10,000 years, pottery and stone tools from the Jomon period, and bronze bells and pottery from the Yayoi period.
In addition, based on this history, the tea ceremony culture perfected by Sen no Rikyu, as well as traditional industries such as cutlery, incense, and bicycles are also thriving in Sakai City.
Many remains of pit kilns have been discovered
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One of the distinctive features of Sakai City is that it remains the hub of many traditional Japanese industries, even after having endured the violent Warring States period.
With the above features, whether you're a fan of traditional Japanese culture or military commanders, or just want to take a stroll through the city and see something a little different, you'll be sure to enjoy it.
Emperor Nintoku's Tomb Worship Site
Recommended things to do in Sakai City
One way to fully enjoy the charms of Sakai City is through guided tours. Why not explore Sakai City with a knowledgeable guide? Here we will introduce four walking tours led by guides who can speak both Japanese and English.
1. A leisurely stroll around the ancient tombs
2. Sakai on the eve of the Honnoji Incident: A walk in the footsteps of Tokugawa Ieyasu
3. Sakai Historical Walk "The Village of Phantom Pottery"
4. A historical stroll through Sakai "A place connected to the Miyoshi clan and the Sakai Shogunate"
Below we introduce a guided walking tour plan for Sakai City.
1. Recommended for first timers! Take a leisurely stroll around the ancient tombs
It is believed that people began to settle in the Sakai area during the Paleolithic period. The Yamato Imperial Court was established in the 4th and 5th centuries, and the Mozu Tomb Group, consisting of over 100 tombs, was built in Sakai, including the Emperor Nintoku Tomb.
You will visit the Mozu Kofun Group Visitor Center and the newly renovated Sakai City Museum, and a guide will take you around the surrounding ancient tombs.
Emperor Richu's Tomb Viewpoint
[Tour Information]
・Visiting location:
1. Mozu Tombs Visitor Center 2. Emperor Nintoku's Tomb Worship Site 3. Sakai City Museum 4. Tombs in Daisen Park 5. Heisei no Mori Observatory 6. Richuu Tomb Viewpoint 7. Itasuke Tomb 8. Gobyoyama Tomb
・Time required: Approximately 3 hours
・Languages spoken by staff: Japanese, English
2. Walking in the footsteps of Tokugawa Ieyasu
In 1582, a major event in Japanese history, the Honnoji Incident, occurred. At the time, Tokugawa Ieyasu, an ally of Oda Nobunaga, was staying in Sakai, and it is said that when Ieyasu heard in Sakai that Oda Nobunaga had been killed, he hurried to Mikawa.
Myokokuji Temple, where Tokugawa Ieyasu is said to have stayed during his stay in Sakai
What did Ieyasu do in Sakai, where did he stay, and what did he see before and after the Honnoji Incident? Let's take a walk around Sakai following in Ieyasu's footsteps while listening to the guide's explanations!
[Tour Information]
・Visiting location:
1. Sakai City Hall High-Rise Building 21st Floor Observation Lobby Explanations of the streets of Sakai's historical district and the road leading to the eastern provinces where Ieyasu fled
2. Walking around Sakai City Hall
① Kokakuji Temple, which is connected to the Tsutsui family, who were the benefactors of Ieyasu's escape. ② Myokokuji Temple, where Ieyasu is said to have stayed. ③ The site of the Sakai Magistrate's Office. ④ Kaika Shrine, where the Kaigoshu (assembly of the Council of Ministers) met.
3. Visit the historical strata and old maps at Sakai Toshiaki no Mori
・Duration: Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes
・Languages spoken by staff: Japanese, English
3. A historical stroll through Sakai "The legendary home of pottery"
During the time when the Mozu Kofun Group, a World Heritage Site, was being constructed, there was a place just a few kilometers away from the group of burial mounds, which is also mentioned in the Nihon Shoki as "Chinunoagatasuemura."
Over a thousand kilns were built by ancient immigrant potters, and mass production of sueki ware, the largest type of manufacturing at the time, was carried out here.
We will also visit Osuesan Kokuraji Temple, where the potter was a believer.
This tour will take you from Senboku New Town in Sakai City's Minami Ward to Naka Ward, and you will visit "Suinomura, Chino Prefecture," which appears in the Nihon Shoki, and visit the remains of an ancient Sue ware kiln, Suarata Shrine, which was the base of a group of potters and a gathering place that used the river, and Osuesan Takakuraji Temple, where the potters were devoted. Enjoy walking through this area where history lies dormant while your guide tells you about the stories behind it.
[Tour Information]
・Visiting location:
1. Sueki Village Monument 2. Sueki Kiln Site 3. Ceramic Domain Tea Hill (view)
4. Takakuraji Temple 5. Toarata Shrine
・Duration: Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes
・Languages spoken by staff: Japanese, English
Toarata Shrine was also a collection point for Sue ware
4. A historical stroll through Sakai "A place connected to the Miyoshi clan and the Sakai Shogunate"
Let's take a tour of Sakai, focusing on the Miyoshi clan, who wielded great power in Sakai in the 16th century, including Miyoshi Nagayoshi, who rose to become "the first ruler of Japan during the Sengoku period," his father Motonaga, his brother Jikkyu, and the Miyoshi clan leader Munemitsu.
We also learn about the connections and distances between the Sakai Shogunate, the Nichiren Buddhism sect, and the rival Hongan-ji Temple, which emerged amid a complex struggle for succession between the Ashikaga and Hosokawa clans.
Zenchoji Temple, a place associated with Miyoshi Sozo
[Tour Information]
・Tour schedule:
② The remains of the Umi-sen-mansho office ③ Zencho-ji Temple ④ Myokoku-ji Temple ⑤ Kaikachi Shrine ⑥ Risho no Mori
Half-day Course 2: In Search of the Afterglow of Miyoshi Nagayoshi
① Risho no Mori ② Kenhon-ji Temple ③ Myohoji Temple ④ Hinjoji Temple Ruins ⑤ Nanshuji Temple ⑥ Risho no Mori
"All-day course"
Participation in half-day courses 1 and 2 consecutively
・Time required:
Half-day course: approx. 2 hours 30 minutes / Full-day course: approx. 6 hours (including approx. 1 hour break)
・Languages spoken by staff: Japanese, English
The graveyard where the Miyoshi clan rests
Experience the joys of Sakai history with a guide
In this article, we introduced some walking tours with guided tours. These tours are enjoyable for everyone, including those who want to enjoy places other than the standard tourist spots in Osaka and those who love history. Be sure to enjoy Sakai City through a guided tour!
Application and Inquiry Information
Website: Sakai Tourist Guide (sakai-tcb.or.jp)
Sakai Tourism and Convention Association, Public Interest Incorporated Association 1-1-35 Shukuin-cho Nishi, Sakai-ku, Sakai City, 590-0958
TEL: 072-233-6601/FAX 072-233-8448
MAIL:pro@sakai-tcb.or.jp
Business hours: 9:00-17:30 (closed on weekends, holidays, and the New Year holidays)
Article creation time:
July 2024 (latest information available at each facility)
[Where tradition meets modernity] We share the charm of Wakayama and Osaka with the world. Let's travel Japan together and create inspiring stories and unforgettable experiences. From Wakayama's tranquil temples and shrines and soothing lush mountains to Osaka's vibrant city and delicious cuisine, we will bring you all the charm you need. Let's enjoy the beauty of Japan together.
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