Location: Sakai
Top Things to do in Sakai
Top 10 Things to do in Sakai, Japan
Sakai (堺市, Sakai-shi) is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan on the edge of Osaka Bay at the mouth of the Yamato River. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the Medieval era.
Restaurants in Sakai
1. Sakai City Hall Observatory Flour
Overall Ratings
4 based on 144 reviews
Reviewed By Jeffrey F - Ilkeston, United Kingdom
My (Japanese) sister-in-law insisted we visit City Hall whilst seeing them in Sakai. It seemed a strange venue until we saw the building – it’s huge: the tallest building in the immediate area. The top floor (Fl 21, free entry) has 360 deg observation windows, with great views right across to Osaka, Kobe & as far as the Akashi Straights Bridge & Awaji Island. There are also information plaques to indicate what you are looking at & a little army of volunteers to enthusiastically tell you about their area.
Sakai (now a suburb of Osaka) has a number of World Heritage Tumuli: ancient burial chambers (kofun) made with heaped soil – usually keyhole-shaped & surrounded by moats. Dating from 400-800AD, they are so vast they can really only appreciated from this particular vantage point.
The deck also serves as a tourist information point, which information on the area & plaque relating to its history. A small café & toilet facilities complete the deck. If you are in Sakai, you really shouldn’t miss this.
2. Dotonbori
Overall Ratings
4 based on 10 reviews
The heart of Osaka nightlife, this area is filled with Theaters, restaurants, cafes, bars, arcades and nightclubs.
Reviewed By Sam S - Palm Beach, Florida
The street for foodies! I started my adventures at Tsuki no Odori a restaurant renown for its Yakitori (Japanes chicken food) had a few delicious skewers (1300yen) there before making my way down the street. I basically looked for queues and hoped for the best. My next stop was the famous "Osaka octopus balls" (6 for 400y) looked really great but I wasn't a fan. I moved on to the grilled crab legs that I was craving for (2 for 900y) but I found it over rated and not the easiest to eat standing up with chopstick...lol glad i had wome wetnaps with me. In one of the side street I saw some gyoza that looked really enticing, its one of those small shops where you order in the front on a vending machine and get you're order inside, (7 for 400y), they were small but very good, the staff at the shop was also super nice and accommodating. After that I was pretty full so I went to get the "second best ice cream in the world" their words not mine (400y) from a food truck, its was truly delicious, ice cream in a warm bun, definitely worth it! Next to the food truck was a chestnut roaster, I got a small bag to take back with me to the hotel not cheap! (1080y) for a small bag, around 250g, but I love them and they reminded me of my childhood! I enjoyed my visit to dotombori for the food but its more than that of course, every street has its personality and identity, a great place for people watching and to linger for hours.
3. Hamadera Park
Overall Ratings
4 based on 102 reviews
Reviewed By Kwakaku - Sakai, Japan
I was visiting the park on business, but many other old people were jogging, cycling or just walking. Young mothers were pushing their baby buggies. Toddlers and young children were playing with playground equipments. The park is surely an relaxing spot for the neighborhood.
4. Daisenryo Ancient Tomb
Overall Ratings
4 based on 186 reviews
Reviewed By J&S_Singapore - Singapore
Noted that there is another TA Review under “Mozu Kofungun tumulus”!! Similarly sharing reviews of these famous ancient keyhole tombs.
We did our homework and gave ourselves sufficient time to explore Saki city and this famed place. Alight at JR line Mozu station and walked about 15 mins we reached, within a Park premise. Along the way we noted a lot of (elder) volunteer staff whom helped us with directions. :>
This is the biggest and best known of the remaining close to 50 kofun-tombs in Saki & Japn. Nintoku-ryo Tumulus is one of the 3 Mozumimihara Tumulus, along with Hanzei-ryo Tumulus to the north and Richu-ryo Tumulus to the south. We soon learned that there is no concrete proof to acknowledge it as that of Emperor Nintoku (believed to date from the middle of the fifth century), and Archeologists has termed it as Daisenryo or Daisenryo Kofun. In addition, there are more than 10 smaller tombs called Baicho discovered around the tomb. Daisenryo is without a doubt the largest keyhole-shaped tomb in Japan.
One definitely needs to visit the nearby Sakai City Museum which explains (with computer-graphics) the whole story about kofun-tombs and more! That instead of the present forested high mold originally it is terraced levels covered with stones and surrounded by hundreds of clay Haniwa figures.! Real eye-opener.
The tombs are not accessible for tourists/visitors as it is being preserved. One can only stand at the entrance to the tomb which is marked by a stone Shinto tori and gazed at this impressive mammoth mould, completely covered by lush greenery.. It looks like a small hill viewed from a close range and that’s the only view visitors can get of the kofun. There are simple relic altars and the entire mound is surrounded by moats. Alongside the large premise are cherry tree-lined road, we are not sporting enough to walk around it… haha.
Still to get a more complete picture at the Sakai City Museum across the street, where there’s a reproduction of one of the sarcophaguses, along with the armor and other artefacts of.
Not to be missed.
5. Sakai City Museum
Overall Ratings
4 based on 56 reviews
Reviewed By J&S_Singapore - Singapore
堺市博物館is a must-see if one is going to Saki or nearby. It serves more than complementing Daisenryo Ancient Tomb that is famed in Osaka –Japan.
The museum showcases Sakai’s history from ancient times to the present day. There are on-display artefacts excavated from the Mozu Kofungun tumulus cluster (other tombs), haniwa and pottery excavated from nearby tumuli, historical documents/paintings from earlier Sakai’s period and works by Sakai-born artists. There are items of religious nature, including Japan's largest and oldest Buddhist statue chiselled from sandalwood. No flash photography is allowed but normal ones ok. However the best part of the museum is the free 20 mins video in its wonderful theatre that explains everything (101 Guide!) about the kofun and the exhibits related to the burial ground. It comes with English sub-titles so helps us a lot!
This museum is located across the Nintoku-ryo tomb, separated by a short walk & the drive street. The Nintoku-ryo tomb is the largest kofun style tomb in Japan and stands 35 meters high and is now surrounded by moats and thick vegetation. It was built around the 700s and it is presumed to be the burial place of the Emperor Nintoku. There is no access to the tomb as it is being preserved, only a small visual from the main entrance - The only view visitors can get of the kofun. Thus visiting the Sakai City Museum is a must!.
They explained that its scale rivals that of the famous pyramids and the Chinese Emperor Qin’s Mausoleum in terms of size and scale! Unlike those other sites, most of these tombs have not been excavated and have been respected as imperial tombs, sitting in the middle of a modern Saki city
[Nintoku-ryo Tumulus is Japan's largest keyhole-shaped Kofun Tumulus; it is one of the 3 Mozumimihara Tumulus, along with Hanzei-ryo Tumulus to the north and Richu-ryo Tumulus to the south].
The modern history portion of the city is also interesting, It explains how it develops and transform to become an industrial center, specializing in manufacturing guns. !!!
Do note that the most exhibits did not have much English so kills off a little joy. There is a small basement where there are interactive activities; for you to try reassembling broken pottery like an archaeologist, fun!
We were assisted by very helpful Museum staff when they knew that we do not understand Japanese. Kudos to their kind gestures and effort, that we got to enjoy more the whole visit.
After spending an hour here and just as we left the Museum to proceed to Mozu Kofungun tumulus.
And just outside the Museum were a few mobile food vans, so we treated ourselves with superb latte, see pic of latte-art. An added visual and sensory treat!
6. Daisen Park
Overall Ratings
4 based on 71 reviews
Reviewed By degisme - Osaka, Japan
At first we've trying to enter the Tumulus -one of the largest tomb in the world from the Queens era. Tell you what? Don't waste your time on that. Luckily we just moved to the Daisen park which is very big including few ponds, wetsern style and japanese style parks (separate), Peace tower (they don't offer the rooftop sightseeing), bicycle museum, Sakai city museum.
apart from the busy life this place remind me of my home country and the fresh air lots of tree. Just Nice. come there and you'll feel it too.
7. Alphonse Mucha Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 34 reviews
Reviewed By WestDeneWombat1
The vibrant and exotic posters and illustrations on display are powerful and colourful. The gallery is within the Sakai Cultural Museum and is a 2 minute walk from the station (Sakaishi 10 minutes on JR from Tennoji was our route) via a covered walkway. A revelation, highly recommended, more particularly the works on the 4th floor. Very good.
8. Oizumi Ryokuchi
Overall Ratings
4 based on 58 reviews
Reviewed By 都市伝説さん
堺市にある大型の公園は堺市立の公園と大阪府立の公園があって大泉緑地は大阪府の管理地です。
堺市の公園よりもこちらの方が荒いような…。でも大泉緑地もなかなかの賑わっていますね。
中央休憩所から大泉池を見るのはなかなかいい気持ち！
9. Daisen Park Japanese Garden
Overall Ratings
4 based on 40 reviews
Reviewed By kixguy - Osaka, Japan
A small enclosed Japanese garden located in a large park sprawled over a vast area. Need to pay 100 yen to enter the garden. The Japanese maple trees are a sight to behold during late autumn! Wheelchair accessible. Family friendly. Treat for photographers, both amateur and professional.
10. Children's House Big Bang
Overall Ratings
4 based on 41 reviews
Reviewed By the_Sadie - Wellington, New Zealand
This place was lots of fun for the kids (8 and 11) and the bunch of adults accompanying them. The exhibits are all interactive and most are "sciencey"...but the main focus seems to be on play.
We particularly enjoyed the room where your silhouette became part of a pattern on the big screen like a 70s music video (not sure I'm describing that adequately!), and the smoke puffer, and the giant bubble blower. The kids got hot and sweaty climbing the 8 story climbing frame (while their parents took the cheat's route -- up the elevator) and enjoyed it so much that they did it twice.
And, oddly for Japan, there were hardly any other people there! That made it nice and relaxing too.
