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Sakurai

Center of political and economic life in ancient Japan

About Sakurai
Photo: Oomiwa – 紫煙 / CC BY-SA 3.0

Things to do in Sakurai

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Places to stay in Sakurai

Tomiyamakan Ryokan Sakurai

Tomiyamakan Ryokan Sakurai

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As Nara prefecture is largely a mountainous region it’s no surprise that it’s much different from the hustle and bustle of the..

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A Rabbit’s Wisdom in Nara

A Rabbit’s Wisdom in Nara

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Satoshi was born in the Chinese year of the Rabbit, a modest animal with very desirable traits. For Satoshi, the 12-yearly cycle..

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Tanzan Jinja

Tanzan Jinja

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Vivid colors on a blue sky, the Tanzan jinja shrine is well-known for its dazzling maple trees in autumn and its bright sakuras..

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About Sakurai

Sakurai city is located in a fairly rural part of Nara prefecture, in the central east near Mie Prefecture, and is famous for being in the center of political and economic life in ancient Japan. Some of the famous shrines include Omiwa temple and Tanzan shrine, Kasamayako shrine and Tamatsura shrine. Sake dealers often hang a wooden sugi ball made at Omiwa shrine as a talisman to the god of sake. Buddhist temples in the area include Miwasanbyodo-ji, Hasedera, Asukadera, Tachibana-dera, Seirinji, and Abe Monjuin.

Sakurai-shi has an estimated population of some 63,000 people (2007). There are a number of walking tracks in and around Sakurai area. Yamanobe-no-michi is said to be the oldest road in Japan, stretching about 18 km, and is dotted with old temples and burial mounds, some dating back to between the 2nd and 6th centuries. Some say that Omiwa Shrine is the oldest in Japan.

Specialties in the area are wood and somen (Japanese vermicelli) which can be eaten either hot or cold. Because of its rural location the mountain landscapes are very beautiful, especially during the spring and autumn seasons. For more information on Sakurai area, as well as walking maps, go here:

http://www.city.sakurai.nara.jp/english/sakurai01.html

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