5 Recommended Tourist Spots in Osaka and Sakai

1. Daisen Kofun

Daisen Kofun is Japan\'s biggest burial mound created in the mid 5th century. A burial mound is an ancient way of burying the dead, that may also be observed in countries such as China and Korea. Burial mounds were created in Japan from the 3rd to 7th century to bury people of high social class such as royalty. It is said that there are about 200,000 mounds in the country.
The Daisen Kofun is square at the front and rounded at the rear, which is a characteristic unique to mounds in Japan. The mound which measures 486m is bigger than the pyramid of Pharaoh Kufu in Egypt and the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in China, which are counted as the three biggest burial spots in the world. It is not possible to see what is inside the mound, but you may walk along the nearly 2.8km worth of area surrounding it. You may also view documents related to the mound at the Sakai Museum.

2. Enjoy the Night Sky of the Sakai Senboku Coastal Industrial Zone

The Sakai Senboku Coastal Industrial Zone, which stretches out from the Hamadera Temple Park to the outskirts of Takaishi, is one place where you can view the beautiful night sky. Here you can enjoy a science fiction-like spectacle, thanks to the light emitting from the smoke stack, thanks, and pipes.
It would be recommended to view this sight from Chikkohamadera Nishimachi, where you may see over the gas tanks in Osaka at the other side. The plants that seem to float in a dreamy like state as well as the sea surface that reflects the light is a beautiful sight to see. You may enjoy the night sky over the canal 15 minutes from the Hamadera Koen Station on foot.

3. Hankai Tramway

How about using the Hankai Tramway to travel from within Osaka to Sakai? The departure point of this tramway would be at Tennoji Station, which is located near the Abenobashi Terminal Building, known for its many buildings surpassing others in the country, or Ebisucho Station, beside the popular sightseeing spot of Tsutenkaku. Hamadera Ekimae Station is where these two points connect. You may also avail of Japan\'s oldest form of vehicle (no service in the summer).
The fees include 210 JPY for adults for one ride, and 110 JPY for children. Along the tramway tracks, you may also find other sightseeing spots, so it would be recommended to purchase the Zen-Sen 1 Day Free Pass Tekuteku Ticket (Adults 600 JPY, Children 300 JPY).

4. Harvest Hill

This is a leisure facility designed to experience agriculture. You may visit the wide flower garden at the village area, and ride the go cart (800 JPY) and the Ferris wheel (300 JPY for one rotation) at the town area, among many others. You may also avail of other activities where you may interact with animals, such as feeding sheep, goats, and llamas (200 JPY), milking cows (100 JPY), horseback riding (500 JPY), etc. You may also enjoy homemade food such as sausages at the restaurant.

Entrance Fee: March to November: Adults 900 JPY, Children 500 JPY
December to February: Adults 500 JPY, Children 300 JPY

5. Observe Metalsmiths

Sakai Cutlery is famous for its traditional crafts created by professionals. Sakai has developed its hammering techniques since the olden days in order to create tools to create burial mounds. The people of Sakai were able to create a knife that could create cigarettes, which then became famous nationwide during the shogunate era because of the precision of its cutlery. At Enami Cutlery, you may view how blacksmiths attach and sharpen blades, as well as how they polish them over a fire, among which provides the most fervor among other processes (reservation required).

※ This image is for illustrative purposes only.

Please give Sakai a try when you visit Osaka.