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, free for junior high school students and under
*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/

Booths will be set up so you can enjoy tea from 5 countries and you can experience tea cultures around the world. We plan to have Sri Lanka’s black tea, Chinese tea, Korean Tea, Chai and Japanese Matcha (casual-style seating). Also, you can experience making Japanese traditional sweets. (Cancelled in case of stormy weather).

Date/time: November 10th (Sun) 10:00-16:00
Venue: Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko
Fee: 800 yen
Capacity: Each tea booth 6 people/session, Ryurei (casual-style) Japanese tea ceremony 30 people/session (depending on the conditions you may have to wait).
Application: Through this link (accepting applications from October 1st).

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 mostimportant 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/
Days of closure: Every Monday (if a public holiday falls on this day, Tuesday will be the day of closure)

November 16th (Sat) & 17th (Sun) 9:30-16:30
You can explore the exhibition room and the building in the Kurohimeyama Kofun’s history square where you can challenge yourself with a worksheet and receive a participation prize.

Ryurei tea ceremony
Date/time: November 17th (Sun) 10:00-15:00.
Venue: MC Hall (tbc).
Capacity: First 50 people.
Fee: 500 yen (application unnecessary).

MC Gallery Exhibition
My favourite! Art Exhibition 2024
An art exhibition of scenic photos by a photography enthusiasts group based in Sakai.
Date/time: October 13th (Sun) ~ November 10th (Sun) 9:30-17:00

Panel Exhibition on the World Heritage Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group
Date/time: November 16th (Sat) 9:30-17:00, November 17th (Sun) 9:30-15:30.

Mihara Market Autumn Harvest Festival

You can buy freshly harvested wild rice and fresh vegetables grown in Mihara. There is also a booth selling kofun specialties.
Date/time: November 17th (Sun) 10:00-15:00
Venue: MC Hall and around

Bell-ringing experience

Ring the temple bell of Kawachi foundry and become transported back in time.
Date/time: October 6th and November 3rd 10:00-15:00 (first Sunday of every month)
Cancelled if rainy.
Cost: Free.
Place: Near the parking entrance.

Closures in August and September: No closures in August, September 4th, 11th and 18th

Seventy thousand sunflowers
Two flower fields yielding 70 thousand sunflowers in total will bloom. Ideal viewing period is forecasted for mid-August. Blooming information will be posted on the homepage so please check.

Jabu-jabu hiroba
A popular spot for kids to play in the summer! It is open daily until September 23rd. Canceled in case of rain and free entrance

Summer festival

August 4th, 11th ~13th, 18th & 25th

17:00-20:30 (last entrance 19:30) ※cancelled in case of rain

・Bon dance: 18:00-20:00, fireworks 20:00~ around 5 mins, free participation and observation

・Food trucks (fee-charged ) 15:30-20:30
・Each day there will be more than 10 food trucks
You can also buy food made at harvest hill!
・Game stalls 17:00-20:00
There will be a shooting range, water balloon fishing, ring toss, coin throw, rubber ball scooping
Fee: 500 yen/game

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 2025: September 17th, September 24th, October 15th, November 5th, Novemer 12th, December 10th, December 11th, January 14th, January 15th, February 25th, March 11th

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

Sakai Botanical 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