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]
Sakurai
桜井市 | |
|---|---|
 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  Emblem | |
 | |
 Location of Sakurai in Nara Prefecture | |
  Sakurai | |
| Coordinates: 34°31′N 135°51′E / 34.517°N 135.850°E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kansai |
| Prefecture | Nara Prefecture |
| First official recorded | 92 BC |
| Village settled | April 1, 1889 |
| Town settled | November 18, 1890 |
| City settled | September 1, 1956 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Akira Hasegawa |
| Area | |
| • Total | 98.92 km2 (38.19 sq mi) |
| Population (March 31, 2017) | |
| • Total | 58,386 |
| • Density | 590/km2 (1,500/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| Postal code(s) | 633-8585 |
| - Tree | Cryptomeria |
| - Flower | Prunus jamasakura |
| Phone number | 0744-42-9111 |
| Address | 432-1 Ōaza Ōdono 633-8585 |
| Website | www |
History
editSakurai 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
edit- Buddhist temples
- Abe Monju-in
- Asuka-dera
- Hase-dera
- Miwasanbyōdō-ji
- Seirin-ji
- Tachibana-dera
- Shinto shrines
- Kasayamakō Shrine
- Ōmiwa Shrine
- Tamatsura Shrine
- Tanzan Shrine
Transportation
editRail
edit- West Japan Railway Company
- Sakurai Line (Man-yō Mahoroba Line): Makimuku Station - Miwa Station - Sakurai Station
- Kintetsu Railway
Road
edit
Sister cities
edit
Kumano, Mie, Japan- Taisha, Shimane, Japan
Chartres, France
References
edit- ^ "Official website of Sakurai city" (in Japanese). Japan: Sakurai City. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
- ^ "面積および地勢" (PDF) (in Japanese). Japan: Sakurai City. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
- ^ Ponsonby-Fane. (1915). The Imperial Family of Japan, p. 13.
- ^ a b c d Koch, W. (1904). Japan; Geschichte nach japanischen Quellen und ethnographische Skizzen. Mit einem Stammbaum des Kaisers von Japan, p. 13.
- ^ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 14; excerpt, "Mikaguri Palace"
- ^ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 15.
- ^ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 16.
- ^ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 17.
- ^ Brown, Delmer. (1979). Gukanshō, pp. 262-263; excerpt, "... palace was Osada no Miya of Iware in the province of Yamato."
- ^ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 18.
External links
edit
Media related to Sakurai, Nara at Wikimedia Commons
- Sakurai City official website (in Japanese) at the Library of Congress Web Archives (archived 2002-09-14)
- Sakurai City official website (in English)
Geographic data related to Sakurai, Nara at OpenStreetMap
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