Designated city in Kansai, Japan
Designated city in Kansai, Japan
Sakai
(
Japanese
:
堺市
,
Hepburn
:
Sakai-shi
)
is a city located in
Osaka Prefecture
,
Japan
. It has been one of the largest and most important
seaports
of Japan since the medieval era. Sakai is known for its
kofun
, keyhole-shaped burial mounds dating from the fifth century. The
kofun
in Sakai include the largest grave in the world by area,
Daisen Kofun
. Once known for
swords
, Sakai is now famous for the quality of its
cutlery
. As of 1 January 2022
[update]
, the city had an estimated population of 819,965,
[2]
making it the fourteenth most populous city in Japan (excluding Tokyo).
Geography
[
edit
]
Sakai is located in southern Osaka Prefecture, on the edge of
Osaka Bay
and directly south of the city of
Osaka
.
Neighboring municipalities
[
edit
]
Osaka Prefecture
Climate
[
edit
]
Sakai has a
Humid subtropical climate
(Koppen
Cfa
) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Sakai is 16.5 °C (61.7 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,232.9 mm (48.54 in) with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 28.6 °C (83.5 °F), and lowest in January, at around 5.6 °C (42.1 °F).
[3]
Climate data for Sakai (1991?2020 normals, extremes 1977?present)
|
Month
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Year
|
Record high °C (°F)
|
19.1
(66.4)
|
23.9
(75.0)
|
25.6
(78.1)
|
30.2
(86.4)
|
33.0
(91.4)
|
36.3
(97.3)
|
37.9
(100.2)
|
39.7
(103.5)
|
36.8
(98.2)
|
32.7
(90.9)
|
27.5
(81.5)
|
25.5
(77.9)
|
39.7
(103.5)
|
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
|
9.6
(49.3)
|
10.5
(50.9)
|
14.3
(57.7)
|
20.0
(68.0)
|
24.9
(76.8)
|
28.1
(82.6)
|
32.0
(89.6)
|
33.9
(93.0)
|
29.6
(85.3)
|
23.6
(74.5)
|
17.8
(64.0)
|
12.3
(54.1)
|
21.4
(70.5)
|
Daily mean °C (°F)
|
5.6
(42.1)
|
6.0
(42.8)
|
9.3
(48.7)
|
14.6
(58.3)
|
19.4
(66.9)
|
23.1
(73.6)
|
27.2
(81.0)
|
28.6
(83.5)
|
24.6
(76.3)
|
18.6
(65.5)
|
12.9
(55.2)
|
7.9
(46.2)
|
16.5
(61.7)
|
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
|
1.6
(34.9)
|
1.7
(35.1)
|
4.5
(40.1)
|
9.3
(48.7)
|
14.4
(57.9)
|
19.1
(66.4)
|
23.4
(74.1)
|
24.5
(76.1)
|
20.6
(69.1)
|
14.3
(57.7)
|
8.4
(47.1)
|
3.9
(39.0)
|
12.1
(53.8)
|
Record low °C (°F)
|
?5.0
(23.0)
|
?5.3
(22.5)
|
?3.3
(26.1)
|
?1.1
(30.0)
|
4.1
(39.4)
|
9.1
(48.4)
|
15.5
(59.9)
|
16.6
(61.9)
|
9.7
(49.5)
|
2.7
(36.9)
|
?0.9
(30.4)
|
?3.4
(25.9)
|
?5.3
(22.5)
|
Average
precipitation
mm (inches)
|
48.3
(1.90)
|
57.8
(2.28)
|
97.8
(3.85)
|
92.2
(3.63)
|
126.7
(4.99)
|
164.1
(6.46)
|
154.2
(6.07)
|
87.3
(3.44)
|
139.0
(5.47)
|
139.3
(5.48)
|
74.6
(2.94)
|
51.9
(2.04)
|
1,232.9
(48.54)
|
Average precipitation days
(≥ 1.0mm)
|
6.4
|
6.9
|
9.5
|
9.3
|
9.6
|
11.8
|
10.3
|
6.6
|
10.0
|
8.9
|
6.8
|
6.6
|
102.6
|
Mean monthly
sunshine hours
|
138.3
|
138.7
|
173.5
|
194.6
|
206.9
|
160.6
|
190.6
|
228.6
|
160.4
|
163.0
|
147.5
|
138.7
|
2,041.4
|
Source:
Japan Meteorological Agency
[3]
[4]
|
Demographics
[
edit
]
According to Japanese census data,
[5]
the population of Sakai increased rapidly in the 1960s and 1970s, and has been relatively stable since.
Historical population
Year
| Pop.
| ±%
|
---|
1960
| 383,559
| ?
|
---|
1970
| 616,558
| +60.7%
|
---|
1980
| 839,421
| +36.1%
|
---|
1990
| 844,899
| +0.7%
|
---|
2000
| 829,636
| ?1.8%
|
---|
2010
| 842,132
| +1.5%
|
---|
2020
| 826,161
| ?1.9%
|
---|
History
[
edit
]
Origins
[
edit
]
The area that would later become known as Sakai has been inhabited since approximately 8,000 BC.
[6]
Sakai is known for its keyhole-shaped burial mounds, or
kofun
, which date from the 5th century. The largest of these, Daisen Kofun, is believed to be the grave of the
Emperor Nintoku
and is the largest grave in the world by area. During the
Kofun period
between 300 and 500 AD, the
Mozu Tumulus Cluster
was built from over one hundred burial mounds.
[6]
The name "Sakai" appears in Fujiwara Sadoyori's poetry by 1045.
[7]
Most of the current city is located within ancient
Izumi Province
; however, the wards of Mihara, Higashi and a portion of Kita are located within ancient
Kawachi Province
.
Tradition holds that 10,000 homes burned to the ground in 1399.
[7]
Middle Ages
[
edit
]
Medieval Sakai was an autonomous city run by merchant oligarchs. During the
Muromachi
and
Sengoku periods
from about 1450 to 1600, Sakai developed into one of richest cities in Japan as a port for foreign trade. It was a leading producer of textiles and ironwork.
[8]
In those days, it was said that the richest cities were
Umi no Sakai, Riku no Imai
(tr. "along the sea, Sakai; inlands, Imai"; the latter is now a part of
Kashihara, Nara
). The famous
Zen
Buddhist priest
Ikky?
chose to live in Sakai because of its free atmosphere. The first reliable account of the city is dated to the 1480s and contains publicly issued legal notices, which suggests that the city had a governing council at that point. By the 1530s, the population was around 40,000 residents, almost all of which earned a living through commercial enterprises and some of whom were the wealthiest people in Japan. At this time, Sakai was administered by an oligarchy of powerful merchants. The government had ten divisions
machi
that were subordinate to the representative council of wealthy townsmen known as the
eg?sh?
.
[8]
[9]
Sen no Riky?
, known as the greatest master of the
tea ceremony
, was originally a merchant of Sakai. Because of the close relationship between the tea ceremony and
Zen Buddhism
and because of the prosperity of its citizens, Sakai was one of the main centers of the
tea ceremony
in Japan.
In the Sengoku period, Christian missionaries, including
Francis Xavier
in 1550, visited Sakai and documented its prosperity.
Gaspar Vilela
described the town as the safest place in the area when he visited in 1561.
[10]
He also mentioned that the city was "governed by consuls like Venice in Italy".
[8]
[11]
After the coming of Europeans, Sakai became a manufacturing base of
matchlock firearms
and a
daimy?
,
Oda Nobunaga
, was one of their important customers. During his ambitious attempt to unify Japan, Nobunaga attempted to take the autonomy privilege from Sakai. Sakai's citizens denied his order and pitched a desperate battle against his army. Most citizens fled and Sakai was burned and seized by Nobunaga.
After the assassination of Nobunaga in 1582,
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
, seized power and abolished the autonomous system of Sakai, forcing many merchants to move to his stronghold in Osaka.
[12]
In 1615, Sakai was razed to the ground in the SummerCampaign of the
Siege of Osaka
between the
Toyotomi clan
and
Tokugawa Ieyasu
.
[7]
Sakai was restored as an important trade center during the
Edo period
but was involved only in inland trade due to the
sakoku
policy of the
Tokugawa shogunate
, which isolated Japan from the outside world. It was also known for its
sake
brewing and its cutlery industries. After the isolation policy was abandoned during the
Bakumatsu period
, Sakai was the location of the
Sakai Incident
, involving a clash between French sailors and Japanese gendarmes resulting in multiple casualties. When the Western powers demanded the opening of Osaka a port for foreign trade, both Sakai and
Hy?go
were named as candidates; however, Sakai's proximity and ease of access to
Kyoto
and the presence of many imperial tombs led to the selection of Hy?go.
Modern Sakai
[
edit
]
Following the
Meiji restoration
, Sakai was transformed into an industrial center as part of the
Hanshin Industrial Region
, with industries centering on textiles and brick making. From 1876 to 1881, Sakai was part of
Nara Prefecture
. The city of Sakai was proclaimed on April 1, 1889, with the creation the modern municipalities system. It was one of the first 31 cities to be created in Japan. The
1934 Muroto typhoon
killed over 300 people in Sakai. Another major disaster was in 1945, when the city was heavily bombed on six occasions during
World War II
with over 1800 civilian deaths.
Following the February 2005 annexation of the town of
Mihara
(from
Minamikawachi District
), Sakai became a
designated city
in April 2006
[13]
giving it a greater measure of
self-determination
in governmental affairs.
Government
[
edit
]
Sakai has a
mayor-council
form of government with a directly elected mayor and a
unicameral
city council of 52 members. Sakai contributes eight members to the
Osaka Prefectural Assembly
. In terms of national politics, the city is divided between the Osaka 15th district, Osaka 16th district and
Osaka 17th districts
of the
lower house
of the
Diet of Japan
.
Local administration
[
edit
]
Sakai has seven
wards
(
ku
):
Wards of Sakai
|
|
Place Name
|
|
|
|
Map of Sakai
|
R?maji
|
Kanji
|
Population
|
Land area in km
2
|
Pop. density per km
2
|
|
1
|
Sakai-ku
(administrative center)
|
堺?
|
148,353
|
23.66
|
6,270
|
|
2
|
Higashi-ku
|
東?
|
84,708
|
10.49
|
8,075
|
3
|
Kita-ku
|
北?
|
159,084
|
15.60
|
10,198
|
4
|
Naka-ku
|
中?
|
120,216
|
17.88
|
6,723
|
5
|
Nishi-ku
|
西?
|
134,389
|
28.62
|
4,696
|
6
|
Mihara-ku
|
美原?
|
37,223
|
13.20
|
2,820
|
7
|
Minami-ku
|
南?
|
135,992
|
40.39
|
3,367
|
Cityscape
[
edit
]
Economy
[
edit
]
Sakai was traditionally dependent on heavy industry and its port. However, after a period of high economic growth after World War II, along with the development and expansion of the Osaka metropolitan area, Sakai also has increasingly become a satellite city (
commuter town
) for Osaka metropolis, as represented by the development of Senboku New Town.
Shimano
, a major manufacturer of cycling and fishing products, is based in Sakai.
Kura Sushi
, the
conveyor belt sushi
chain, has its headquarters in Sakai.
[14]
Education
[
edit
]
Universities
[
edit
]
Primary and secondary schools
[
edit
]
Sakai has 98 public elementary schools and 43 public middle schools operated by the city government. The city also has one private elementary school, three private combined middle/high schools and one private combined elementary/middle/high school. The city has 23 public high schools operated by the Osaka Prefectural Board of Education, and four private high schools. The city operates two and the prefecture operates four special education schools for the disabled.
The city previously had a
North Korean school
, Sakai Korean Elementary School
(
堺朝鮮初級?校
)
.
[15]
Transportation
[
edit
]
Airways
[
edit
]
Airport
[
edit
]
Sakai does not have an airport. The nearest major airport is
Kansai International Airport
.
Railways
[
edit
]
JR West
?
Hanwa Line
Nankai Electric Railway
-
Nankai Main Line
Nankai Electric Railway
-
K?ya Line
Semboku Rapid Railway Co., Ltd.
-
Semboku Rapid Railway
Subway
[
edit
]
Osaka Metro
-
Mid?suji Line
Tramway
[
edit
]
- Hankai Tramway
Highways
[
edit
]
Expressways
[
edit
]
Japan National Route
[
edit
]
International relations
[
edit
]
Sister cities
[
edit
]
Friendship cities
[
edit
]
Notable people from Sakai
[
edit
]
- Sen no Riky?
, founder of
Tea ceremony
- Kataoka Ainosuke VI
,
Kabuki
actor, actor,
television presenter
and
entertainer
.
- Yuki Morisaki
,
chef
and
entertainer
- Reon Kadena
,
glamour model
and actress
- Emperor Nintoku
, the 16th
Emperor of Japan
- Gy?ki
, Japanese
Buddhist
priest
of the
Nara period
- Ikky?
,
Zen
Buddhist
monk
and poet.
- Sen no Riky?
,
Japanese tea master
- Tsuda S?gy?
, Japanese tea master
- Imai S?ky?
, Japanese tea master and
merchant
- ?uchi Yoshihiro
,
Muromachi period
samurai
clan head and military leader
- Kenz? Tange
, Japanese award-winning architect
- Takeno J??
- Oreskaband
, all-female
ska
band
- Kana-Boon
,
Japanese rock
band
- Nobuaki Kakuda
,
karateka
and
kickboxer
- Hiroki Suzuki
, Japanese actor and singer
- Kentaro Kobuchi and Shunsuke Kuroda, the members of the music group
Kobukuro
- Akiko Yosano
, poet and novelist
- Ryumon Yasuda
, painter and sculptor
- Hideo Nomo
worked in Shin-nittetsu Sakai and played on its club team before he was scouted by the
Kintetsu Buffaloes
- Yudetamago
,
manga artist
duo (attended Hatsushiba High School in Higashi-ku)
- Akio Mori, a well known K-1 kickboxer known as
Musashi (kickboxer)
- Akira Nagata
, actor and singer/vocalist, member of
J-pop
group
Run&Gun
- CIMA
, Japanese
professional wrestler
- Fuka Koshiba
, Japanese actress
- Peter
, Japanese singer, dancer and actor
Local attractions
[
edit
]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Sakai official English name
Archived
February 26, 2010, at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
"Sakai city official statistics"
(in Japanese). Japan.
- ^
a
b
"平年値(年?月ごとの値)"
. JMA
. Retrieved
May 19,
2021
.
- ^
"?測史上1~10位の値(年間を通じての値)"
. JMC
. Retrieved
August 10,
2012
.
- ^
Sakai population statistics
- ^
a
b
"Welcome to Sakai!"
.
- ^
a
b
c
"History"
.
- ^
a
b
c
Clark, Peter (February 14, 2013).
The Oxford Handbook of Cities in World History
. OUP Oxford.
ISBN
978-0-19-163769-8
.
- ^
Katsur? Hara (1920).
An Introduction to the History of Japan
. G. P. Putnams' sons.
- ^
"Sakai: A keyhole to the history of Osaka"
. April 11, 2015.
- ^
"Japan's oldest 'autonomous' city splits over Osaka Metropolis Plan ? Xinhua | English.news.cn"
.
news.xinhuanet.com
. Archived from
the original
on September 24, 2013
. Retrieved
May 8,
2016
.
- ^
"Japan's oldest "autonomous" city splits over Osaka Metropolis Plan - Xinhua | English.news.cn"
.
news.xinhuanet.com
. Archived from
the original
on September 24, 2013.
- ^
"Tokyo pollsters in the money"
,
Yomiuri Shimbun
, February 17, 2007. Accessed March 13, 2007.
- ^
"Company"
.
Kura Sushi
. Retrieved
June 11,
2022
.
1-2-1 Fukasaka, Naka-ku, Sakai-shi, Osaka 599-8253, Japan
-
Address in Japanese
: "大阪府堺市中?深阪1-2-2"
- ^
ウリハッキョ一?
.
Chongryon
. November 6, 2005. Archived from
the original
on November 6, 2005
. Retrieved
October 15,
2015
.
(
Archive
).
External links
[
edit
]
Links to related articles
|
---|
|
---|
| ※
also a
prefectural capital
;
†
eligible for core city status but not yet nominated;
☆
to become core cities
|
|
---|
2,000,000 and more
| |
---|
1,000,000?1,999,999
| |
---|
500,000?999,999
| |
---|
200,000?499,999
| |
---|
|
|
---|
International
| |
---|
National
| |
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Geographic
| |
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Academics
| |
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