Sakai City Hall

As the name indicates, Sakai City Hall is a government building of Sakai City about 20 km (12 mi) south from Osaka. Sakai City Hall consists of two buildings. The taller one is about 80 meters (262 feet) high, and its 21st floor is the corridor type sightseeing observation open to the public for free. The observation deck allows you to overlook the ancient Mozu Tombs, Rokko Mountain, ABENO HARUKAS, Kumgang Mountain, the Railway, and other cityscapes of Sakai and southern Osaka. In addition, the observation deck hall provides many tourism information boards and displays ancient objects related to the development of Sakai. Besides, you can enjoy a cup of drink by the window while waiting for the sunset.

Top Things to Do in Sakai City Hall

Overlook the Mozu Tombs in Shape of Keyhole

The observation deck allows you to look into four directions: east, west, north, and south, offering a 360-degree view of the entire Sakai area and even southern Osaka. Among the numerous scenes, the most eye-catching should be the famous Mozu Tombs. However, it may be difficult for you to identify its shape like a keyhole, unless you use telescope.

The Mozu Tombs, also known as the Tumulus of the Emperor Nintoku, is a large group of ancient tombs that are surrounded by lush trees, and it is one of the three grandest tombs in the world, together with the Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt and the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum in China.

Know about the History of Sakai

A tourist information board is set up in front of each viewing window to explain in details the scenery, landmarks, and buildings seen from the window. Besides, the hall provides a huge map that shows the shape of the Mozu Tombs and introduces the basic information about the tomb. You also can find some objects related to the Mozu Tombs displayed in the hall. Furthermore, if you are a gun lover, the hall displays some old local guns, and the bodies of these guns are made of wood.

Notes:

1. You may see many government staff and some policemen, take it easy.
2. It provides tourist brochures in English.
3. There is a coffee shop that sells juice, coffee, and green tea.
4. You are not allowed to eat or drink, except in the drink shop.

Ticket： Free

Opening Time

It is open from 9:00 to 21:00 all year round.

Recommended Visit Time

Less than 30 minutes.

How to Get to Sakai City Hall

From Shin Osaka Station

You can take the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line, and get off at Namba Station. Then you need to change to the Railway Nankai Koya Line, and get off at Sakai Higashi Station, then walk for about 5 minutes. The whole single route takes about 45 minutes.

From Kansai International Airport

You can take the Kansai Airport Line, and get off at Mikunigaoka Station. Then transfer to Railway Nankai Koya Line, get off at Sakai Higashi Station, and walk for about 5 minutes. The way takes about 1.5 hours.

Nearby Attractions to Visit

After overlooking the city view and varied ancient tombs, you can walk to the Mozu Tombs to admire the stately structures closely, and countless ancient trees surrounding it. The tomb is the largest ancient tomb in the world, and its maximum length is 486 meters (531 yards), twice the length of the pyramid of Khufu. Besides, you can visit nearby Daisen Park to appreciate the traditional Japanese style garden and view plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, and red maple during specific seasons.

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