Town guide
Sakurai
桜井市
One of Japan's oldest corners: Omiwa Shrine worships Mount Miwa itself, Hasedera climbs a hillside of peonies and hydrangeas, and Tanzan Shrine glows red in autumn.
City in Nara
Advisories (minor): Thunder · Alerts for all of Japan
- places to see
- 13
- protected local food
- 1
- traditional crafts
- 3
- Japan Heritage stories
- 12
Map of Sakurai
Every place on this page, on the map. Switch on places to eat and stay nearby.
Things to see in Sakurai
Kibiike Haiji
吉備池廃寺A historic site in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
Chihara Obaka Kofun
茅原大墓古墳An ancient burial mound in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
Mesuriyama Kofun
メスリ山古墳An ancient burial mound in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
Sakurai Chausuyama Kofun
桜井茶臼山古墳An ancient burial mound in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
Obara-dera temple ruins
粟原寺跡A historic site in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
Makimuku ruins
纒向遺跡A historic site in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
Hase-dera Temple
長谷寺A Buddhist temple in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
Kusahaka Kofun
艸墓古墳An ancient burial mound in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
Monju-in Nishi Kofun
文殊院西古墳An ancient burial mound in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
Yamada-dera
山田寺A Buddhist temple in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
Tanzan Shrine
談山神社A Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
Omiwa Shrine
大神神社A Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
Show all 13 places
Kurahashi Tameike
倉橋ため池A historic site in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
Explore by interest
Nearby towns and day trips
Japan Heritage stories in Nara
- Aizu's 33 Kannon pilgrimage: faith with a day out
- Asuka: the women who shaped the birth of Japan
- Gyoda: the town of tabi storehouses
- Iga and Koka: in search of the real ninja
- Izumo: the sacred land where the sun sets
- Kamenose: crossing the landslide heart of the Tatsuta Kodo
- Katsuragi Shugen: where mountain asceticism began
- Michinoku gold: where Japan's gold story began
- Nyonin Koya: the temples where women prayed instead of Mount Koya
Local foods from Nara
Crafts from Nara
Weather in Osaka this week
Today
24 Oct
Rain
High 25°CLow 20°C
Sun
25 Oct
Rain
High 29°CLow 22°C
Rain 90%
Mon
26 Oct
Cloudy
High 25°CLow 19°C
Rain 70%
Tue
27 Oct
Cloudy
High 24°CLow 17°C
Rain 50%
Warm: T-shirts and breathable clothes, plus a light layer for air-conditioned trains and shops.
Good to know
- Climbing Mount Miwa is a sacred practice. You register at Sai Shrine, and photos are not allowed.
- Hasedera's covered stairway of 399 steps is lined with peonies in late April to May.
- Miwa somen, thin wheat noodles, are a local speciality. Try them chilled in summer.
More of Nara
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.
- Official city websiteSakurai(in Japanese) (opens in a new tab)
- Wikipedia (Japanese)桜井市(in Japanese) (opens in a new tab)
- WikipediaSakurai, Nara (opens in a new tab)
- WikipediaŌmiwa Shrine (opens in a new tab)
- WikipediaHase-dera (opens in a new tab)
- WikipediaTanzan Shrine (opens in a new tab)
- WikipediaSōmen (opens in a new tab)