9 Historical Attractions in Sakai: Explore a City Shaped by Ancient Burial Mounds and Maritime Trade

The Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group is a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising kofun built for the rulers of the ancient Japanese archipelago.
Located in the heart of the Mozu area, the Mausoleum of Emperor Nintoku is often described in Japan as one of the world’s three great tombs, alongside the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. It is Japan’s largest keyhole-shaped kofun, with a mound length of 486 meters. Walking the path around its perimeter takes about an hour, giving visitors a real sense of its immense scale.
Visit the worship area and stroll along the moat to see this enormous kofun standing side by side with the modern cityscape.

Adjacent to the Mausoleum of Emperor Nintoku, this urban park brings together kofun, abundant greenery, and cultural attractions. Spanning approximately 380,000 square meters, the expansive grounds are filled with lush greenery and seasonal flowers, with kofun of various sizes scattered throughout, including the Osamezuka Kofun and Magodayuyama Kofun.
The park is also home to the Sakai City Museum, the Mozu Kofun Group Visitor Center, and a Japanese garden, allowing visitors to enjoy a leisurely stroll while discovering Sakai’s history and culture. After visiting the Mausoleum of Emperor Nintoku, take a walk through the park to explore some of the kofun that surround it.

Located in Daisen Park, the Sakai City Museum traces the city’s history from ancient times to the present day. Its collections and exhibitions span archaeology, art, folklore, and other fields, offering visitors an insight into Sakai’s rich history and culture.
The permanent exhibition is organized chronologically into sections covering ancient, medieval and early modern, and modern and contemporary history. Displays include a reconstructed stone coffin and a horse-shaped haniwa figure. At the Mozu Kofun Group Theater, detailed computer-generated imagery is projected onto an approximately 200-inch screen, allowing visitors to see what the kofun looked like when they were built and even explore the interiors of their stone chambers.

Southeast of Onodera Temple, founded by Gyoki, a prominent Buddhist monk of the Nara period, lie the remains of a pagoda built from earth and roof tiles. This unusual pyramid-shaped, tile-roofed structure is the only known example of its kind in Japan and was designated a National Historic Site in 1953.
Excavations have also uncovered numerous tiles inscribed with the names of people believed to have been involved in its construction. Compare the remains with the nearby three-dimensional model and information panels to imagine what the pagoda looked like during the Nara period.

This facility brings together Sakai’s traditional industries, including cutlery making, chusen dyeing, wazarashi bleaching, incense making, kelp products, floor coverings, and carp streamers. A wide range of exhibits and products introduce the history and production methods behind these industries, offering an in-depth look at Sakai’s tradition of craftsmanship.
On the second floor, the Sakai Knife Museum CUT provides a detailed introduction to different types of kitchen knives and how they are made. On the first floor, the TAKUMI SHOP offers traditional craft products and other specialties from Sakai, allowing visitors to see and handle examples of the craftsmanship introduced in the exhibits.

This hands-on program at Wada Shoten, a long-established shop with 150 years of history, offers participants the chance to experience part of Sakai’s traditional knife-making process. Put on the same type of samue workwear worn by the artisans, then choose from a petty knife, deba knife, sashimi knife, or all-purpose knife to work on.
Under the guidance of an artisan, try your hand at sharpening the blade and attaching the handle. By comparing a knife before and after sharpening, you can experience firsthand just how much of a difference sharpening makes to its cutting performance. You can take the finished knife home with you, making it a memorable souvenir from Sakai.

Standing at the tip of Sakai Old Port, which once flourished as an international trading port, this approximately 12-meter-tall wooden lighthouse has a distinctive hexagonal, pyramid-shaped design. Built in 1877, it was constructed with the involvement of carpenters from Sakai, stonemasons from Bizen Province, and a British engineer who installed its lens.
Its green light, produced by an oil lamp, is said to have reached up to 10 nautical miles out to sea, helping guide ships safely for about a century. One of the oldest surviving Western-style wooden lighthouses in Japan, it was designated a National Historic Site in 1972.

This new sightseeing attraction takes visitors aboard a tethered helium balloon from Daisen Park to a height of about 100 meters above the ground. Rising slowly and quietly into the sky, the balloon offers 360-degree views of the Mozu Kofun Group, the lush greenery of the Daisen area, and the city of Sakai.
From above, visitors can clearly see the full shapes of the kofun, which are difficult to appreciate from ground level, offering a fascinating sense of their immense scale and long history. Taking a ride after walking around a kofun also provides a different perspective on its size and relationship with the surrounding cityscape.
Operations may be temporarily suspended or canceled due to strong winds, rain, snow, dense fog, or other conditions. Check the operating status on the official website before heading out.

The Hankai Tramway connects Osaka City and Sakai, offering passengers an up-close view of the streets along the way. Affectionately known as the “Chin-Chin Densha,” it is the only streetcar system in Osaka Prefecture and has long been a familiar part of everyday life for local residents.
Alongside its retro-style streetcars, the line also operates the Sakai Tram, an ultra-low-floor vehicle featuring traditional Japanese design elements. Enjoy the changing scenery from the window as the tram travels from urban districts through residential neighborhoods and past the entrances to temples and shrines, hopping off at stops that catch your interest to explore Sakai along the way.

This restaurant is the birthplace of udon suki, a hot pot dish featuring udon noodles simmered with chicken, vegetables, and seafood. Mimiu operates 12 locations, mainly in Osaka, but this is its only restaurant in Sakai, where the business was founded about 250 years ago as the ryotei restaurant Miu-ro.
Take a break from exploring Sakai’s historical attractions and savor the flavorful dashi, carefully prepared over about two hours using Rishiri kombu, soda-bushi, and honkare-bushi. The thick homemade udon noodles become increasingly tender and supple as they simmer, complementing the carefully prepared shrimp, chicken, and vegetables in the pot.

This long-established confectionery has been making wagashi with seasonal ingredients since its founding in 1955. A highlight is its fruit daifuku, featuring seasonal fruit wrapped in soft mochi. More than 10 varieties of fruit, including strawberries, pineapples, melons, and muscat grapes, offer different flavors throughout the seasons.
The chunky red bean paste is made with Tanba Dainagon azuki beans, while the white bean paste is made with tebo beans from Hokkaido. The daifuku are made fresh each day in just the quantities needed for that day’s sales, ensuring their wonderfully fresh and juicy texture. Pick up a few to enjoy as you explore Sakai.

This Sakai confectionery offers a variety of sweets crafted using both Japanese and Western techniques. Its signature product, Ougon no Tetsugaku, created by confectioner Tadanori Kumashiro, is a castella cake known for its naturally golden color, achieved using only eggs, and its moist, fluffy texture.
At the adjoining Rikyu tearoom, visitors can relax while enjoying views of the Japanese garden and tea house. Take a break with freshly baked castella served in a masu box, a special treat available only at the tearoom.

Held every October primarily along Oshoji Avenue, this is Sakai City’s largest festival. The avenue becomes a pedestrian zone filled with a wide variety of events, including dynamic futon-daiko float performances, stage shows, and food and shopping booths.
One of the highlights is a demonstration by matchlock rifle squads, featuring the firing of traditional matchlock guns. With powerful sounds and martial displays, the performance brings to life Sakai’s history as one of Japan’s leading centers of firearm production. The Grand Rikyu Tea Ceremony in Sakai, Rikyu’s Hometown, also offers visitors a chance to experience the city’s tea ceremony culture, as locations throughout Sakai are transformed into festival venues.

Held at Ohama Park, this beloved summer tradition in Sakai has a history spanning about 700 years. Anyone can participate in the evening fish auction, where the spirited calls of visitors bidding for fish mingle with those of the vendors.
The venue also hosts around 50 food trucks serving local specialties and other dishes. Stage events and fireworks over the water add to the festivities, with the fireworks illuminating the harbor as the festival draws to a close. As the program varies from year to year, be sure to check the latest official information in advance.