Place:Sakurai, Nara

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Sakurai

桜井市
City
Top:A panorama view of Mount Miwa and Yamato River, Second:Ōmiwa Shrine, A heritage site of Hashihaka Tomb, Bottom:Hase Temple, Tanzan Shrine (all item from left to right)
Top:A panorama view of Mount Miwa and Yamato River, Second:Ōmiwa Shrine, A heritage site of Hashihaka Tomb, Bottom:Hase Temple, Tanzan Shrine (all item from left to right)
Flag of Sakurai
Flag
Official logo of Sakurai
Emblem
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Location of Sakurai in Nara Prefecture
Location of Sakurai in Nara Prefecture
Sakurai is located in Japan
Sakurai
Sakurai
 
Coordinates: [ ⚑ ] : 34°31′N 135°51′E / 34.517°N 135.85°E / 34.517; 135.85
CountryJapan
RegionKansai
PrefectureNara Prefecture
First official recorded92 BC
Village settledApril 1, 1889
Town settledNovember 18, 1890
City settledSeptember 1, 1956
Government
 • MayorAkira Hasegawa
Area
 • Total98.92 km2 (38.19 sq mi)
Population
 (March 31, 2017)
 • Total58,386
 • Density590/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Postal code(s)
633-8585
- TreeCryptomeria
- FlowerPrunus jamasakura
Phone number0744-42-9111
Address432-1 Ōaza Ōdono
633-8585
Websitewww.city.sakurai.lg.jp

Sakurai (桜井市, Sakurai-shi) is a city located in Nara Prefecture, Japan. As of March 31, 2017, the city has an estimated population of 58,386, and 24,629 households.[1] The population density is 590 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,500/sq mi), and the total area is 98.92 square kilometres (38.19 sq mi).[2]

History

Sakurai was briefly the capital of Japan during the reign of Emperor Yūryaku.[3] The life of the Imperial court was centered at Hatsuse no Asakura Palace where the emperor lived in 457–479.[4] Other emperors also built palaces in the area, including

  • Iware no Mikakuri Palace, 480–484[4] in reign of Emperor Seinei[5]
  • Nimiki Palace, 499–506 in reign of Emperor Buretsu[6]
  • Iware no Tamaho Palace, 526–532[4] in reign of Emperor Keitai[7]
  • Hinokuma no Iorino Palace, 535-539[4] in reign of Emperor Senka[8]
  • Osata no Sakitama Palace or Osada no Miya, 572–585[9] in reign of Emperor Bidatsu[10]

The modern city was founded on September 1, 1956.

Sakurai is home to Ōmiwa Shrine, traditionally considered one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan dedicated to the god of sake. Sake dealers across Japan often hang a wooden sugi ball, made at Ōmiwa Shrine, as a talisman to the god of sake. It was featured in Yukio Mishima's novel Runaway Horses.

Famous places

  • Buddhist temples
    • Miwasanbyōdō-ji
    • Hase-dera
    • Asuka-dera
    • Tachibana-dera
    • Abe Monju-in
    • Seirin-ji
  • Shinto shrines
    • Ōmiwa Shrine
    • Tanzan Shrine
    • Kasayamakō Shrine
    • Tamatsura Shrine

Transportation

Rail

  • West Japan Railway Company
    • Sakurai Line (Man-yō Mahoroba Line): Makimuku Station - Miwa Station - Sakurai Station
  • Kintetsu Railway
    • Osaka Line: Daifuku Station - Sakurai Station - Yamato-Asakura Station - Hasedera Station

Road

  • Japanese National Route Sign 0165.svgJapan National Route 165
  • Japanese National Route Sign 0166.svgJapan National Route 166
  • Japanese National Route Sign 0169.svgJapan National Route 169

Sister cities

In Japan

  • Kumano, Mie
  • Taisha, Shimane

Outside Japan

  • France Chartres, France.

References

  1. "Official website of Sakurai city" (in ja). Japan: Sakurai City. http://www.city.sakurai.lg.jp/. 
  2. "面積および地勢" (in ja). Japan: Sakurai City. http://www.city.sakurai.lg.jp/ikkrwebBrowse/material/files/group/28/003.pdf. 
  3. Ponsonby-Fane. (1915). The Imperial Family of Japan, p. 13.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Koch, W. (1904). Japan; Geschichte nach japanischen Quellen und ethnographische Skizzen. Mit einem Stammbaum des Kaisers von Japan, p. 13.
  5. Ponsonby-Fane, p. 14; excerpt, "Mikaguri Palace"
  6. Ponsonby-Fane, p. 15.
  7. Ponsonby-Fane, p. 16.
  8. Ponsonby-Fane, p. 17.
  9. Brown, Delmer. (1979). Gukanshō, pp. 262-263; excerpt, "... palace was Osada no Miya of Iware in the province of Yamato."
  10. Ponsonby-Fane, p. 18.

External links