Events
Update：2024/11/29
City Affiliated Facilities
For events at Harvest Hill and Sakai Plaza of Rikyu & Akiko, please see our Museum & Facilities page. Thank you!
Sakai Omotenashi Tea Ceremony
Sakai is the hometown of grand tea master Sen no Rikyu. The city has a tea ceremony ordinance that encourages anyone and everyone to enjoy chanoyu culture. This tea ceremony event is being held free of charge. Come enjoy a cup of matcha green tea and traditional Japanese sweets!
Date/time: January 20th (Mon), 14:00-15:00.
Location: Sakai City Hall main building entrance.
School of tea ceremony: Mushakoji-senke.
Capacity: 45 people.
Fee: Free.
※No reservations required however numbered tickets will be handed out from 13:30, for the first 45 people.
Moat Illumination
Operating period: December 2nd (Mon) ~ January 15th (Wed) 17:00-23:30.
The moat will be coloured in blue and champagne gold lights.
Sakai-ko Festa
Date/time: December 14th (Sat) and 15th (Sun) 14:00-20:00.
Location: Sakai Ebisujima DOCK (Uchikawa riverside, which is on the west side of Xavier Park).
You can enjoy food trucks, workshops and stalls.
Children Shop Keeper Experience
Eligibility: Elementary school students (bring apron).
Capacity: 10 children per day.
Time: From 16:00 for 20 minutes (accepting: 15:00~ first come first served).
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony Christmas Concert 2024
1st section: A classical concert with vocalists and string ensemble.
2nd section: Musical performance of “The ninth symphony” fourth movement.
Date/time: December 22nd (Sun), start time: 14:00, doors open: 13:20.
Venue: Nishi Cultural Hall.
Fee: Adult – 3500 yen, 18 and under to elementary school students – 2500 yen. (Pre-school aged children are not permitted to enter).
Capacity: 540 people.
Application methods:
- Buy it directly at the counter at the Nishi Cultural Hall.
- Call the Nishi Cultural Hall and make a reservation (072-275-0120).
- Make an internet reservation (Pia Gettii system: https://westy-ogbc.jp/ticket/ Japanese only）
Ebisu Festival
Date: January 9th-11th
Place: Sugawara Shrine (2-1-38 Ebisuno-cho Higashi, Sakai-ku)
Nearest stations: 10 minutes from Sakai station (Nankai Line) or Sakaihigashi station (Nankai Koya Line). Also 3 minutes from Oshoji station (Hankai Line).
This is a festival to celebrate “Ebe-ssan” (Ebisu), the Japanese god of fishermen and business prosperity. People visit to buy a lucky bamboo branch and decorate it with lucky charms for prosperity and wellbeing, or a bamboo rake decorated with auspicious motifs to “rake in” the good luck and fortune for the next year.