[Japanese] [next]

Sakurai, the city beloved in the heart of the Japanese.

The city of SAKURAI is located at 135"51' longitude East and 34"31' latitude North. Its width is 11.9km(East-West),its length is 16.4km(North-South), and it has a surface area of 98.92km2, 60% of which are mountains. This city has a long history. It was first developed as a political, economic and cultural center.

This rich history can be seen from the remains of palaces and ancient civilization, and by burial mounds dating from between the 2nd and 6th centuries scattered all around the city. In the middle ages, SAKURAI was a borough of shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, where numerous cultural and trading activities took place. Later, it was used as a stop-over by travelers and it is now known as the city of the temples.

The specialities of the city, known all over Japan, are wood and Somen (Japanese vermicelli). The landscape is beautiful throughout the year. In spring, the plains and mountains are covered with flowers and greenery, with cherry blossoms and with spring dew which blurs the lines of Mt.Miwa. The garden of the Hase-dera temple is covered with peonies. In summer, one can feel the freshness of the rivers.

In autumn, the colors of mandarin oranges and persimmons can be seen near Yamanobe. The Tanzan shinto shrine is covered with splendid red autumn leaves.

As winter comes, the mountains, rivers, shrines and temples become covered with a light layer of snow. The landscape of every season brings tranquility and calm in surroundings embellished with historical monuments and other proofs of the traditional cultural heritage.

(phot : View of The Yamato-sanzan from Miwa.)

Specialities Sakurai City, famous for its wood products, is nestled in the mountains of Nara Prefecture. Traditional Japanese items such as Sake, Miwa-SOMEN (Japanese vermicelli), and Izumo dolls are produced here, as well as modern sporting goods. The city has been the inspiration for many MANYO poems (Ancient Japanese poems). Interest in MANYO has brought an increase in the tourism industry. We take great pride in our elaborately produced goods; always respectful of our natural resources and our beautiful city.

SAKURAI CITY TOURIST MAP

Route Yamanobe Omiwa Jinja Route Tounomine Tanzan Jinja Shorin-ji Route Iware Abe-Monjuin Route Hatsuse Hase-dera Route Obara Ishii-dera

TOURIST INFORMATION TOURIST INFORMATION CENTER (TIC) Tokyo Office TEL.03-3201-3331 NARITA Int'l Airport Office TEL.0476-30-3383 TEL.0476-34-5877 KANSAI Int'l Airport Information Center TEL.0724-56-6025 TOURIST INFORMATION CENTER (TIC) NARA TOURIST INFORMATION J.R. Nara Station TEL.0742-22-9821 Kintetsu Nara Station TEL.0742-24-4858 Nara City Tourist Center TEL.0742-22-3900 Sarusawa Information TEL.0742-26-1991 Ikaruga-cho Information Center TEL.0745-74-6800 Nara Prefecture SAKURAI INFORMATION Public Corporation Sakurai City Hall (Oodono 432-1 Sakurai City Nara Prefecture) TEL.0744-42-9111 (Commerce and Tourism Division) (ex.341) Sakurai Citizen Hall TEL.0744-45-0964 Municipal Buried Cultural Assets Center TEL.0744-42-6005 Sakurai-Police Station TEL.110 Sakurai Fire Station (fire and first aid) TEL.119 The First Aid Clinic on weekends TEL.0744-45-3443 STATION (JR Sakurai, Miwa, Makimuku / Kintetsu Sakurai, Daifuku, Asakura, Hasedera) JR Sakurai Station TEL.0744-42-2806 Kintetsu Sakurai Station TEL.0744-42-3077 BUS (Sakurai Station) Nara Kotsu Kashihara Business Office TEL.0744-24-8545 TAXI (Sakurai Station, Hasedera Station, Miwa Station) Kintetsu Taxi Sakurai Business Office. TEL.0744-42-2070 BICYCLE RENTAL (Sakurai Station) Kintetsu Rent Cycle TEL.0744-43-2828 MAP FOR DAILY LIFE guide map PDF file sakurai-map-english information guide_e01.pdf map guide_e02.pdf sakurai-map-chinese information guide_c01.pdf map guide_c02.pdf sakurai-map-japanese information guide_j01.pdf map guide_j02.pdf for printing PDF file map-printable-english map_e.pdf map-printable-chinese map_c.pdf map-printable-japanese map_j.pdf Sakurai City Hall (Oodono 432-1 Sakurai City Nara Prefecture) TEL.0744-42-9111 [2002/05 up] info@city.sakurai.nara.jp TOP