Museums & Facilities

This is a must-visit attraction to learn about two historical Sakai figures, grand tea master Sen no Rikyu and poet Yosano Akiko. It is affectionately called "Risho no Mori" in Japanese, using characters from the two figures' names. Sakai tourist information is also available here.
Hours: 9:00-18:00 (Tea ceremony experience: 10:00-17:00)
Closed: 3rd Tuesday of the month. (excl. public holidays, closed the next day), New Year holidays
Admission: Adult: 300 yen, high school students: 200 yen, junior high school students and under: free
*free for pre-schoolers, Sakai residents aged 65 and over, and those with disabilities (proof required)

• Ryu-rei teicha with Japanese sweets (tea ceremony with tables and chairs): Adult: 800 yen, high school students: 700 yen, junior high school students and under: 600 yen

TEL: 072-260-4386
URL: https://www.sakai-rishonomori.com/english/

Sakai City Museum is home to exhibitions occupying about 1,330 square meters of gallery space that introduce the ancient, medieval, premodern, and modern periods of the city's history. Information is also available in video form, and the museum holds special exhibitions focusing on selected themes a few times a year.
Hours: 9:30-17:15 (Doors close at 16:30)
Closed: Monday (open if public holiday) and New Year's holiday
Admission: General 200 yen, high school and university students 100 yen, elementary and junior high school students 50 yen
*Free of charge for junior high school students and younger living or studying in Sakai, Sakai residents aged 65 and over and those with disability status (proof of status required)
*Admission fee is subject to change for special exhibits
Access: Mozu station (JR Hanwa Line)
Address: 2 Cho, Mozusekiun-cho, Sakai-ku
TEL: 072-245-6201

The Sakai City Mihara Museum of History combines a hall where visitors can exchange ideas while experiencing culture and art with a gallery designed around the theme of "master craftsmen." Exhibits explore two of the Mihara district's most important historical legacies: the medieval Kawachi metal casting tradition and the Kurohime-yama kofun, a burial mound where 24 sets of iron armor were excavated.
Hours: 9:00-17:15 (Doors close at 16:30)
Closed: Monday and days following national holidays
Admission: 200 yen (500 yen for special exhibitions)
*Free of charge for junior high school students and younger, Sakai residents aged 65 and over, and those with disability status (proof of status required)
Access: Daiho bus stop (Kintetsu bus)
Address: 281 Kuroyama, Mihara-ku
TEL: 072-362-2736
URL: https://www.mc-mihara.jp/

Scheduled period: Until January 28th (on designated days only)

Time: 17:45~21:00 (accepting entries until 20:30)

Dates: December – 1st~5th, 7th~11th, 15th~19th, 21st~30th

January – 2nd~8th, 12th~14th, 19th~21st, 26th~28th

Cost: Adults (middle school students and over) 1500 yen, children (4 years and over) 800 yen, persons with disabilities (middle school students and over) 800 yen, persons with disabilities (4 years and over) 400 yen and their caregivers (18 years and older) 800 yen, dogs 500 yen.

The hugely popular event that attracted over 30 thousand visitors last year is being held this year too. Starting with a mammoth in a lit-up forest, you can see animals such as penguins and reindeer in rainbow light, huge robotic insects such as ladybugs and beetles. Underneath 20-meter-high dawn redwoods, there are interactive light-up displays, such as a seesaws, swings and sounding-keyboards. Please come and play!

Daffodil Flowers

Peak viewing: Late January to early February

The flower that signals the arrival of spring. The white flowers bloom strongly in the cold winter and give off a sweet scent.

Place: Mura Area

Capybara Hot Spring

You can see the capybaras lying down in the onsen and dozing off. Please be comforted by the relaxed capybaras.

Date: Until February 25th

Time: Please check the homepage

(Depending on the temperature there are days when they don’t bathe)

Cost: Free (feed ranges from 200~500 yen)

Location: Capybara breeding hut

Lion Dance

Please have a good year by watching a lion dance, which is a big feature of the New Year season.

Date: January 3rd

Time: 13:00~13:30

Cost: Free

Location: Town area, main stage

Making cookie decorations

Get into the Christmas spirit by making cute cookie decorations

Date/time: Weekends and public holidays in December 14:00 start

Cost: 1000 yen

Time needed: 45mins

Capacity: 24 people (prior reservation necessary)

Location: Gourmet classroom

When the Sophia Sakai Planetarium's gigantic dome-shaped 18-meter diameter screen comes to life, the audience feels as if they have been lifted gently into space. Attractions at this family-oriented facility include a family hour for toddlers and children of early elementary school age as well as opportunities to view celestial bodies at its observatory, which has a 60-centimeter telescope.
Closed: Monday (however open if a public holiday), New Year's holiday, other temporary closure dates
Access: Fukai station (Semboku Rapid Line)
Address: 1426 Fukaishimizu-cho, Naka-ku
TEL: 072-270-8110
URL: http://www.sofia-sakai.jp/

Cost: Adult 510 yen, Child 250 yen (4 years old to junior high school student)
Additional temporary closure dates until March 2024: December 12th & 13th, January 9th & 10th , February 13th, March 12th & 19th

Based on the idea that toys encourage children to play and that playing one way that children create their own culture, this giant children's museum features a spaceship design. Children love this world of fun, complete with a Toy Spaceship where kids can play with unusual and old-fashioned toys.
Hours: 10:00-17:00 (Doors close at 16:30)
Closed: Monday (however open if a public holiday and closed the following day)
Admission: Adults 1,000 yen, junior high school and elementary school students 800 yen, children age three and older 600 yen, children age three and younger free
Access: Izumigaoka station (Semboku Rapid Line)
Address: 1-9-1 Chayamadai, Minami-ku
TEL: 072-294-0999

Coordinator for International Relations from China and New Zealand will come and read books out aloud. There will also be a foreign book display where you can freely read books.

Date/time: December 26th, 13:30~16:00

Cost: Free

Target Audience: Elementary~Middle School aged children

Application: Unnecessary (first come first served up to 20 people)

The Urban Greenification Center is dedicated to responding positively to the desire of citizens to increase the amount of greenery and flowers in their daily lives. The Center maintains a greenery consultation room and Greenery Hall as well as several beautiful gardens, including a greenhouse and a four-season garden.
Hours: 9:30-17:00
July & August 9:30-18:00
December to February 9:30-16:30
Closed: Monday (however open if a public holiday and closed the following day), and New Year's holidays
Admission: Free
Access: Mozu station (JR Hanwa Line)
Address: 1-4-3 Higashiuenoshiba-cho, Sakai-ku
TEL: 072-247-0310

The traditional industries of Sakai all gathered under one roof. There are areas where you can see, learn about and experience for yourself Sakai's traditional knives, incense, chusen wazarashi commodities (made of bleached cotton and dyed in a traditional method), rugs and carpets, processed kelp products, bicycles and Japanese confectionary, as well as a shop where you can buy finest examples of each craft, in addition to Sakai's other local specialties. There's also the Sakai Hamono Museum within the facility, where they exhibit and sell a variety of rare and professional-quality knives.
Hours: 10:00-17:00
Closed: New Year's holiday
Admission: Free
Access: Myokokujimae station (Hankai Tramway)
Address: 1-1-30, Zaimoku-cho Nishi, Sakai-ku
TEL: 072-227-1001
URL: https://www.sakaidensan.jp