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

The Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site comprising tombs built for rulers of the ancient Japanese archipelago.
Located in the center of the Mozu area, the Mausoleum of Emperor Nintoku is considered 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 burial mound, measuring 486 m in length. Walking the maintained path around its perimeter takes about 1 hour and gives visitors a sense of its enormous scale.
Visit the worship area and walk beside the moat to see the vast tomb set alongside the modern cityscape.

Adjacent to the Mausoleum of Emperor Nintoku, this urban park brings together burial mounds, greenery, and cultural facilities. Covering an expansive 380,000 sq. m and filled with abundant greenery and seasonal flowers, the park contains burial mounds of various sizes, including the Osamezuka and Magodayuyama kofun.
The Sakai City Museum, Mozu Kofun Group Visitor Center, and a Japanese garden are also located within the park, combining a pleasant walk with opportunities to explore history and culture. After visiting the Mausoleum of Emperor Nintoku, follow a route through some of the surrounding burial mounds.

Located in Daisen Park, this comprehensive museum traces Sakai's development from ancient times through the modern era. Its collection and exhibitions cover archaeology, art, folklore, and other fields, introducing the history and culture of Sakai City.
The permanent exhibition is organized into periods including 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 footage on an approximately 200-inch screen depicts the burial mounds when they were built and even takes viewers inside their stone chambers.

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

This facility brings together Sakai's traditional industries, including cutlery, chusen dyeing, wazarashi bleaching, incense, kelp products, floor coverings, and carp streamers. Its wide-ranging materials and products explain the history and production methods behind these crafts, offering an in-depth look at manufacturing in Sakai.
On the second floor, the Sakai Knife Museum CUT provides detailed explanations of knife types and the manufacturing process. The TAKUMI SHOP on the first floor sells traditional products and other notable Sakai goods, allowing visitors to examine firsthand the craftsmanship introduced in the exhibits.

This program at the 150-year-old Wada Shoten 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 a petty knife, deba knife, sashimi knife, or all-purpose knife to work on.
Under an artisan's guidance, try sharpening the blade and fitting its handle. Comparing the knife before and after maintenance demonstrates how sharpening changes its cutting performance. You can take the finished knife home, making it a fitting souvenir.

This hexagonal-pyramidal wooden lighthouse, standing about 12 m tall, is located at the end of Sakai Old Port, which developed as an international trading port. Built in 1877, its construction involved Sakai carpenters, stonemasons from Bizen Province, and a British engineer who installed the lens.
Its green oil-lamp light reportedly reached as far as 10 nautical miles and guided ships safely for about a century. As one of Japan's oldest Western-style wooden lighthouses, it was designated a National Historic Site in 1972.

This new sightseeing attraction takes visitors aboard a tethered helium balloon from Daisen Park to about 100 m above the ground. The balloon rises slowly and quietly, providing 360-degree views of the Mozu Kofun Group, the leafy Daisen area, and the city of Sakai.
From above, visitors can clearly see the full shapes of the burial mounds, which are difficult to make out from ground level, and appreciate their long history. Riding after walking around a burial mound offers another perspective on its scale 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 and Sakai, allowing passengers to travel while viewing the streets up close. Affectionately known as the “Chin-Chin Train,” it is Osaka Prefecture's only streetcar and remains an important form of transportation for local residents.
Alongside its retro cars, the line operates the Sakai Tram, an ultra-low-floor vehicle incorporating traditional Japanese design. Watch the scenery shift from urban districts to residential neighborhoods and temple and shrine approaches, getting off at stops that catch your interest as you explore Sakai.

This restaurant is the birthplace of udon suki, a hot pot dish of 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 began about 250 years ago as the ryotei restaurant Miu-ro.
Take a seat between historical attractions and savor broth prepared over about 2 hours using Rishiri kelp, soda bonito flakes, and aged bonito flakes. The thick homemade noodles become increasingly supple as they simmer, joining carefully prepared shrimp, chicken, and vegetables in the colorful hot pot.

This long-established confectionery has continued making wagashi with seasonal ingredients since its founding in 1955. A highlight is the fruit daifuku, made by wrapping seasonal fruit in soft mochi. More than 10 varieties of fruit, including strawberries, pineapples, melons, and muscat grapes, provide different flavors with each season.
The chunky red bean paste is made with Tanba Dainagon azuki beans, while the white bean paste uses tebo beans from Hokkaido. No stock is prepared in advance; only the amount sold that day is made, resulting in fresh, juicy daifuku well suited for the journey.

This Sakai confectionery offers sweets made using both Japanese and Western techniques. Its signature product, Ougon no Tetsugaku, created by confectioner Tadanori Kumashiro, is a castella cake distinguished by its golden color—produced using only eggs—and its moist, fluffy texture.
At the adjoining Rikyu tearoom, visitors can relax while viewing a Japanese garden and tea house. Take a break with the freshly baked castella served in a masu box, 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 events including futon-daiko float performances, stage shows, and food and retail booths.
One highlight is a demonstration by matchlock rifle squads, who fire traditional firearms. Through powerful sounds and martial displays, the performance conveys Sakai's history as one of Japan's leading firearm-production centers. The Grand Rikyu Tea Ceremony in Sakai, Rikyu's Hometown, also introduces visitors to tea ceremony culture as locations throughout the city become festival venues.

Held at Ohama Park, this summer tradition in Sakai has a history of 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 about 50 food trucks serving local specialties and more. Stage events and fireworks over the water bring the festival to a close, illuminating the harbor. As the program varies each year, check official information in advance.