Wikipedia

Sakai

Sakai (堺市, Sakai-shi; Japanese pronunciation: [saꜜ.kai, sa.kaꜜi.ɕi][2]) 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, the city had an estimated population of 819,965,[3] making it the fourteenth most populous city in Japan (excluding Tokyo).

Sakai
堺市
Designated city
Sakai City[1]
Skyline of Sakai
Flag of Sakai
Flag
Official seal of Sakai
Seal
Map
Location of Sakai in Osaka Prefecture
Sakai is located in Japan
Sakai
Sakai
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 34°34′24″N 135°28′59″E / 34.57333°N 135.48306°E / 34.57333; 135.48306
CountryJapan
RegionKansai
PrefectureOsaka
Government
 • MayorHideki Nagafuji (from June 2019)
Area
 • Total
149.82 km2 (57.85 sq mi)
Population
 (January 1, 2022)
 • Total
819,965
 • Density5,473.0/km2 (14,175/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address3-1 Minami-Kawaramachi, Sakai-ku, Sakai-shi, Osaka-fu 590-0078
ClimateCfa
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
BirdShrike
FlowerIris
TreeWillow

Geography

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Sakai is located in southern Osaka Prefecture, on the edge of Osaka Bay and directly south of the city of Osaka.

Neighboring municipalities

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Climate

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Sakai has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen 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).[4]

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)		 27.5
(81.5)		 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[4][5]

Demographics

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According to Japanese census data,[6] the population of Sakai increased rapidly in the 1960s and 1970s, and has been relatively stable since.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
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

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Origins

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The area that would later become known as Sakai has been inhabited since approximately 8,000 BC.[7] 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.[7] The name "Sakai" appears in Fujiwara Sadoyori's poetry by 1045.[8] 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.[8]

Feudal period

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Medieval Sakai was an autonomous city governed by merchant oligarchs. During the late Muromachi period and the Sengoku period, from about 1450 to 1600, Sakai developed into one of the richest cities in Japan as a center of foreign trade. It was also a leading producer of textiles and ironware.[9] Its prosperity was often cited as a benchmark for other cities, as reflected in the saying, "Umi no Sakai, Riku no Imai" (tr. "along the sea, Sakai; inland, Imai"; the latter is now part of Kashihara, Nara). Throughout this period, Sakai maintained a close relationship with Hirano, another prosperous autonomous city. Like Sakai, Hirano was governed by leading townsmen, often described as a council (toshiyorishū). Sakai was also linked to Hirano culturally through practices such as haikai and renga. [10][11]

The first reliable account of the city dates to the 1480s and includes publicly issued legal notices, suggesting that a form of urban governance already existed by that time. By the 1530s, the population had reached around 40,000, most of whom were engaged in commerce, including some of the wealthiest merchants in Japan. At this time, Sakai was administered by an oligarchy of powerful merchants. The administration was divided into ten machi (districts), which were subordinate to a representative council of wealthy townsmen known as the egōshū.[9][12]

The Zen Buddhist priest Ikkyū is said to have chosen to reside in Sakai because of its relatively free atmosphere. Because of the association between the tea ceremony and Zen Buddhism, as well as the economic prosperity of its citizens, Sakai became one of the principal centers of the tea ceremony in Japan. Sen no Rikyū, widely regarded as the greatest master of the tea ceremony, was originally a merchant from Sakai.

During the Sengoku period, Christian missionaries visited Sakai and recorded its prosperity. Francis Xavier visited in 1550, and Gaspar Vilela, who visited in 1561, described the town as one of the safest places in the region and noted that it was "governed by consuls like Venice in Italy".[13][9][14]

After the arrival of Europeans, Sakai became a center for the production of matchlock firearms, and the daimyō Oda Nobunaga became one of their major customers. During his campaign to unify Japan, Nobunaga sought to impose a heavy levy of 20,000 kan on Sakai, aiming to curtail its autonomy. While the temple town of Ishiyama (now Osaka Castle) submitted to such demands, Sakai is described in some accounts as having resisted. During this conflict, records indicate that Sakai's egōshū sent diplomatic correspondence to the toshiyorishū of Hirano, proposing a joint defense against Nobunaga's forces.[11][10] However, the city eventually came under Nobunaga's control.

After the death of Nobunaga in 1582, Toyotomi Hideyoshi consolidated power and abolished Sakai's autonomous system. He also relocated merchants from Sakai and other cities to develop his base in Osaka.[15]

Edo period

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In 1615, Sakai was razed to the ground in the summer campaign of the Siege of Osaka between the Toyotomi clan and Tokugawa Ieyasu.[8]

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 Hyōgo 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 Hyōgo.

Modern Sakai

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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 of 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[16] giving it a greater measure of self-determination in governmental affairs.

Government

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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

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Sakai has seven wards (ku):

Wards of Sakai
Place Name Map of Sakai
Rōmaji Kanji Population Land area in km2 Pop. density per km2
1 Sakai-ku (administrative center) 堺区 148,353 23.66 6,270
A map of Sakai's Wards
A map of Sakai's Wards
2 Higashi-ku 東区 84,708 10.49 8,075
3 Kita-ku 北区 159,084 15.60 10,198
4 Naka-ku 中区 120,216 17.88 6,723
5 Nishi-ku 西区 134,389 28.62 4,696
6 Mihara-ku 美原区 37,223 13.20 2,820
7 Minami-ku 南区 135,992 40.39 3,367

Cityscape

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Economy

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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.[17]

Education

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Osaka Prefecture University

Universities

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Primary and secondary schools

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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 (堺朝鮮初級学校).[18]

Transportation

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Hankai Tramway
Senboku New Town & Semboku Rapid Railway
Mihara JCT

Airways

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Airport

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Sakai does not have an airport. The nearest major airport is Kansai International Airport.

Railways

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Bus

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Highways

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International relations

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Sister cities

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Friendship cities

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Notable people from Sakai

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Local attractions

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See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Sakai official English name Archived February 26, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, ed. (May 24, 2016). NHK日本語発音アクセント新辞典 (in Japanese). NHK Publishing.
  3. ↑ "Sakai city official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  4. 1 2 "平年値（年・月ごとの値）". JMA. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  5. ↑ "観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）". JMC. Retrieved August 10, 2012.
  6. ↑ Sakai population statistics
  7. 1 2 "Welcome to Sakai!".
  8. 1 2 3 "History". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 Clark, Peter (February 14, 2013). The Oxford Handbook of Cities in World History. OUP Oxford. ISBN 978-0-19-163769-8.
  10. 1 2 平野区誌編集委員会, ed. (2005). 平野区誌 (in Japanese). 平野区誌刊行委員会.
  11. 1 2 杭全神社, ed. (1993). 平野法楽連歌 過去と現在 (in Japanese). 和泉書院.
  12. ↑ Katsurō Hara (1920). An Introduction to the History of Japan. G. P. Putnams' sons.
  13. ↑ "Sakai: A keyhole to the history of Osaka". April 11, 2015.
  14. ↑ "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.
  15. ↑ "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.
  16. ↑ "Tokyo pollsters in the money" Archived October 18, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Yomiuri Shimbun, February 17, 2007. Accessed March 13, 2007.
  17. ↑ "Company". Kura Sushi. Retrieved June 11, 2022. 1-2-1 Fukasaka, Naka-ku, Sakai-shi, Osaka 599-8253, Japan - Address in Japanese: "大阪府堺市中区深阪1-2-2"
  18. ↑ ウリハッキョ一覧. Chongryon. November 6, 2005. Archived from the original on November 6, 2005. Retrieved October 15, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)().
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  • Sakai City official website (in Japanese)
  • Wikivoyage logo Sakai travel guide from Wikivoyage
  • Geographic data related to Sakai at OpenStreetMap
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