Sakai, Osaka
Encyclopedia
is a city
in Osaka Prefecture
, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the Medieval era.
Following the February 2005 annexation of the town of Mihara
, from Minamikawachi District
, the city has grown further and is now the fourteenth most populous city in Japan, with 833,414 residents as of 2007-05-01.
The current city was legally founded on April 1, 1889 according to the laws of Imperial Japan. Sakai became a designated city in April 2006 giving it a greater measure of self-determination in governmental affairs. It is divided into seven districts
.
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. Once known for samurai swords, Sakai is now famous for the quality of its kitchen knives
; most high-quality Japanese cutlery originates in Sakai, and its production is a major industry in the city.
Sakai was one of richest cities in Japan.
Sakai is located on the edge of Osaka Bay
and at the mouth of the Yamato River, which connected the Yamato Province
(now Nara Prefecture
) to the sea. Sakai thus helped to connect foreign trade with inland trade.
Sakai was an autonomous city run by merchant citizens. In those days it was said that the richest cities were Umi no Sakai, Riku no Imai (tr. "along the sea, Sakai; inlands, Imai"; The latter is now a part of Kashihara, Nara
). The famous Zen
Buddhist priest Ikkyu
chose to live in Sakai because of its free atmosphere. In the Sengoku Period
some Christian
priests, including St. Francis Xavier in 1550, visited Sakai and documented its prosperity.
After the coming of Europeans Sakai became a manufacturing base of firearm
s, and a daimyo
, Oda Nobunaga
, was one of their important customers. During his ambitious attempt to unify Japan, Nobunaga attempted to take the autonomy privilege from Sakai. Sakai's citizens denied his order and pitched a desperate battle against his army. Most citizens fled; Sakai was burned and seized by Nobunaga. After the death of Nobunaga, one of his men, Toyotomi Hideyoshi
, seized power. Sakai became a prosperous city again under his reign.
Sen no Rikyū
, known as the greatest master of the tea ceremony
, was originally a merchant of Sakai. Because of the close relationship between the tea ceremony and Zen Buddhism, and because of the prosperity of its citizens, Sakai was one of the main centers of the tea ceremony in Japan.
Sakai was still an important trade center during the Edo Period
but was involved only in inland trade due to the Sakoku
policy of the Tokugawa government. At the end of this era Westerners again landed in Sakai, but it resulted in a tragic incident, because the Japanese citizenry and the foreigners were ignorant of each others' ways. French
sailors from the Dupleix
and Sakai citizens clashed; some French were killed, and subsequently the Japanese responsible for these deaths were sentenced to death by seppuku
. This incident is called the .
In modern times, Sakai is an industrial city with a large port. As such, its western area suffered widespread damage from bombing raids during the Second World War. It is now known for its knives and is the home of Shimano
bicycle parts. With a population of over 800,000, it is the largest suburb of Osaka City and the fourteenth-largest city in Japan.
(ku):
, United States - 1967 Lianyungang
, Jiangsu
, China - 1983 Tanegashima
, Kagoshima
, Japan - 1986 Higashiyoshino, Nara
, Japan - 1986 Wellington
, New Zealand - 1994
Cities of Japan
||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...
in Osaka Prefecture
Osaka Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :...
, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the Medieval era.
Following the February 2005 annexation of the town of Mihara
Mihara, Osaka
was a town located in Minamikawachi District, Osaka Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 38,956 and a density of 2,951.21 persons per km². The total area was 13.20 km²....
, from Minamikawachi District
Minamikawachi District, Osaka
Minamikawachi is a district located in Osaka, Japan.As of 2009, the district has an estimated population of 37,695 and a density of 491 persons per km²...
, the city has grown further and is now the fourteenth most populous city in Japan, with 833,414 residents as of 2007-05-01.
The current city was legally founded on April 1, 1889 according to the laws of Imperial Japan. Sakai became a designated city in April 2006 giving it a greater measure of self-determination in governmental affairs. It is divided into seven districts
Wards of Japan
A is a subdivision of one of the cities of Japan that is large enough to have been designated by government ordinance. Wards are used to subdivide each city designated by government ordinance...
.
Sakai is known for its keyhole-shaped burial mounds, or kofun
Kofun
Kofun are megalithic tombs or tumuli in Japan, constructed between the early 3rd century and early 7th century. They gave their name to the Kofun period . Many of the Kofun have a distinctive keyhole-shaped mound , unique to ancient Japan...
, which date from the 5th century. The largest of these, Daisen Kofun, is believed to be the grave of the Emperor Nintoku
Emperor Nintoku
was the 16th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 313–399.-Legendary narrative:...
and is the largest grave in the world by area. Once known for samurai swords, Sakai is now famous for the quality of its kitchen knives
Japanese kitchen knives
There are a number of different types of Japanese kitchen knives. The most commonly used types in the Japanese kitchen are the deba bocho , the santoku hocho , the nakiri bocho and usuba hocho , and the tako hiki and yanagi ba .-Types of Japanese kitchen knives:There are...
; most high-quality Japanese cutlery originates in Sakai, and its production is a major industry in the city.
History
In the Muromachi PeriodMuromachi period
The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate, which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, two years after the brief Kemmu restoration of imperial...
Sakai was one of richest cities in Japan.
Sakai is located on the edge of Osaka Bay
Osaka Bay
Osaka Bay is a bay in western Japan. As an eastern part of the Inland Sea, it is separated from the Pacific Ocean by the Kii Channel and from the neighbor western part of the Inland Sea by the Akashi Strait...
and at the mouth of the Yamato River, which connected the Yamato Province
Yamato Province
was a province of Japan, located in Kinai, corresponding to present-day Nara Prefecture in Honshū. It was also called . At first, the name was written with one different character , and for about ten years after 737, this was revised to use more desirable characters . The final revision was made in...
(now Nara Prefecture
Nara Prefecture
is a prefecture in the Kansai region on Honshū Island, Japan. The capital is the city of Nara.-History:The present-day Nara Prefecture was created in 1887, making it independent of Osaka Prefecture....
) to the sea. Sakai thus helped to connect foreign trade with inland trade.
Sakai was an autonomous city run by merchant citizens. In those days it was said that the richest cities were Umi no Sakai, Riku no Imai (tr. "along the sea, Sakai; inlands, Imai"; The latter is now a part of Kashihara, Nara
Kashihara, Nara
is a city located in Nara, Japan. It is the second largest city in the prefecture.As of January 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 125,547 and the density of 3,176.79 persons per km². The total area is 39.52 km²....
). The famous Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
Buddhist priest Ikkyu
Ikkyu
was an eccentric, iconoclastic Japanese Zen Buddhist monk and poet. He had a great impact on the infusion of Japanese art and literature with Zen attitudes and ideals.-Childhood:...
chose to live in Sakai because of its free atmosphere. In the Sengoku Period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
some Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
priests, including St. Francis Xavier in 1550, visited Sakai and documented its prosperity.
After the coming of Europeans Sakai became a manufacturing base of firearm
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
s, and a daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
, Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
, was one of their important customers. During his ambitious attempt to unify Japan, Nobunaga attempted to take the autonomy privilege from Sakai. Sakai's citizens denied his order and pitched a desperate battle against his army. Most citizens fled; Sakai was burned and seized by Nobunaga. After the death of Nobunaga, one of his men, Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
, seized power. Sakai became a prosperous city again under his reign.
Sen no Rikyū
Sen no Rikyu
, is considered the historical figure with the most profound influence on chanoyu, the Japanese "Way of Tea", particularly the tradition of wabi-cha...
, known as the greatest master of the tea ceremony
Japanese tea ceremony
The Japanese tea ceremony, also called the Way of Tea, is a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha, powdered green tea. In Japanese, it is called . The manner in which it is performed, or the art of its performance, is called...
, was originally a merchant of Sakai. Because of the close relationship between the tea ceremony and Zen Buddhism, and because of the prosperity of its citizens, Sakai was one of the main centers of the tea ceremony in Japan.
Sakai was still an important trade center during the Edo Period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
but was involved only in inland trade due to the Sakoku
Sakoku
was the foreign relations policy of Japan under which no foreigner could enter nor could any Japanese leave the country on penalty of death. The policy was enacted by the Tokugawa shogunate under Tokugawa Iemitsu through a number of edicts and policies from 1633–39 and remained in effect until...
policy of the Tokugawa government. At the end of this era Westerners again landed in Sakai, but it resulted in a tragic incident, because the Japanese citizenry and the foreigners were ignorant of each others' ways. French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
sailors from the Dupleix
FS Dupleix (1861)
The Dupleix was a steam and sail corvette of the French Marine Nationale. She was the first French vessel named after the 18th Century Governor of Pondichéry and Gouverneur Général of the French possessions in India marquess Joseph François Dupleix.After her commissioning, the Dupleix was sent to...
and Sakai citizens clashed; some French were killed, and subsequently the Japanese responsible for these deaths were sentenced to death by seppuku
Seppuku
is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. Seppuku was originally reserved only for samurai. Part of the samurai bushido honor code, seppuku was either used voluntarily by samurai to die with honor rather than fall into the hands of their enemies , or as a form of capital punishment...
. This incident is called the .
In modern times, Sakai is an industrial city with a large port. As such, its western area suffered widespread damage from bombing raids during the Second World War. It is now known for its knives and is the home of Shimano
Shimano
Shimano, Inc. is a Japanese multinational manufacturer of cycling components, fishing tackle, and rowing equipment.In 2005, the company had net sales of US $1.4 billion. Bicycle components provided 75% of its sales income...
bicycle parts. With a population of over 800,000, it is the largest suburb of Osaka City and the fourteenth-largest city in Japan.
Wards
Sakai has seven wardsWards of Japan
A is a subdivision of one of the cities of Japan that is large enough to have been designated by government ordinance. Wards are used to subdivide each city designated by government ordinance...
(ku):
- Sakai-kuSakai-ku, Sakaiis a ward of the city of Sakai in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The ward has an area of 23.69 km² and a population of 147,413. The population density is 6,223 per square kilometer....
- administrative center - Kita-kuKita-ku, Sakaiis a ward of the city of Sakai in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The ward has an area of 15.58 km² and a population of 154,846. The population density is 9,945 per square kilometer. The name means "North Ward."...
- Nishi-kuNishi-ku, Sakaiis a ward of the city of Sakai in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The ward has an area of 28.62 km² and a population of 133,583. The population density is 4,667 per square kilometer. The name means "West Ward."...
- Naka-kuNaka-ku, Sakaiis a ward of the city of Sakai in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The ward has an area of 17.94 km² and a population of 121,377. The population density is 6,766 per square kilometer. The name means "Central Ward."...
- Higashi-kuHigashi-ku, Sakaiis a ward of the city of Sakai in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The ward has an area of 10.48 km² and a population of 85,263. The population density is 8,136 per square kilometer. The name means "East Ward."...
- Mihara-kuMihara-ku, Sakaiis a ward of the city of Sakai in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The ward has an area of 13.24 km² and a population of 39,230. The population density is 2,960 per square kilometer....
- Minami-kuMinami-ku, Sakaiis a ward of the city of Sakai in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The ward has an area of 40.44 km² and a population of 155,266. The population density is 3,839 per square kilometer. The name means "South Ward."...
Sister cities and friendship cities
Berkeley, CaliforniaBerkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, United States - 1967 Lianyungang
Lianyungang
Lianyungang is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. It borders Yancheng to its southeast, Huai'an and Suqian to its south, Xuzhou to its southwest, and the province of Shandong to its north...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
, China - 1983 Tanegashima
Tanegashima
is an island lying to the south of Kyushu, in southern Japan, and is part of Kagoshima Prefecture. The island is the second largest of the Ōsumi Islands....
, Kagoshima
Kagoshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Kagoshima.- Geography :Kagoshima Prefecture is located at the southwest tip of Kyushu and includes a chain of islands stretching further to the southwest for a few hundred kilometers...
, Japan - 1986 Higashiyoshino, Nara
Higashiyoshino, Nara
is a village located in Yoshino District, Nara, Japan.As of October 1, 2007, the village has an estimated population of 2,426 and a density of 18.40 persons per km². The total area is 131.60 km².-Geography:...
, Japan - 1986 Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand - 1994
Notable people
- Reon KadenaReon Kadena, also known as Leon Kadena or Minamo Kusano, is a Japanese model and actress. Kadena is a female Japanese idol whose photobooks and films largely feature her in revealing costumes, underwear and bikinis.-Filmography:...
- Emperor NintokuEmperor Nintokuwas the 16th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 313–399.-Legendary narrative:...
- GyōkiGyokiwas a Japanese Buddhist priest of the Nara period, born in Ōtori county, Kawachi Province , to family of Korean Baekje descent. Gyōki became a monk at Asuka-dera temple in Nara at the age of 15, and studied under master Dōshō as one of his first pupils. Gyōki studied Yogacara , a core doctrine of...
- IkkyūIkkyuwas an eccentric, iconoclastic Japanese Zen Buddhist monk and poet. He had a great impact on the infusion of Japanese art and literature with Zen attitudes and ideals.-Childhood:...
- Sen no RikyuSen no Rikyu, is considered the historical figure with the most profound influence on chanoyu, the Japanese "Way of Tea", particularly the tradition of wabi-cha...
- Tsuda SogyuTsuda Sogyubelonged to the influential family of merchants of Sakai whose business name was Tennōjiya. Together with his father, Tsuda Sōtatsu, he built the Tennōjiya into one of the most prosperous business houses in Sakai...
- Imai SokyuImai Sokyuwas an important 16th century merchant in the Japanese port town of Sakai, and a master of the tea ceremony. His yagō was Naya.A relative of the Amago and Sasaki samurai clans, Sōkyū originally came from Yamato Province. After settling in Sakai, he studied the tea ceremony under Takeno Jōō,...
- Ōuchi YoshihiroOuchi Yoshihiro, also known as Ouchi Sakyo-no-Tayu, was a Muromachi period samurai clan head and military leader.Yoshirio was the second son of Ōuchi Hiroyo, and a member of the Ōuchi family which served under Ashikaga Takauji. The Ōuchi became known as the shugo of Suō and Nagato in 1363 for assisting the...
- Takeno JōōTakeno Joowas a master of the tea ceremony and a well-known merchant during the Sengoku period of the 16th century in Japan. His name has come down in Japanese cultural history because he followed Murata Jukō as an early proponent of wabi-cha, and was chanoyu teacher to Sen Rikyū.It is believed that the...
- Ore Ska BandOre Ska Bandis an all-female ska band from Sakai, Japan. They have released two full albums in Japan, Ore in July 2006, and WAO!! in May 2007, as well as a self-titled compilation album for a US release, Oreskaband...
- Nobuaki KakudaNobuaki Kakudais a Japanese Seidokaikan Karateka.-Career:Kakuda is famous for his first punch knockout win over German mixed martial artist Mavrick at 0:56 seconds in the K-1 Fields Europe GP 2005 as well as being the only K-1 fighter to lose to Akebono, a former Sumo wrestler whose long losing streak has made...
- Kentaro Kobuchi and Shunsuke Kuroda, the members of the music group KobukuroKobukurois a Japanese band, which formed in 1998 and made its major label debut in 2001. The name is a portmanteau of the two family names, Kentarō Kobuchi and Shunsuke Kuroda.- Members :...
- Akiko Yosano, Japanese poet and novelist
- Ryumon Yasuda, Japanese Painter and sculptor
- Hideo NomoHideo Nomois a former right-handed pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball from Japan. He achieved early success in Japan, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from to...
worked in Shin-nittetsu Sakai and played on its club team before he was scouted by the Kintetsu BuffaloesKintetsu BuffaloesThe was a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka, Japan, which were in the Pacific League. The team was owned by Kinki Nippon Railway Co. and later sold to the Orix Group, the owner of the Orix BlueWave baseball team, in 2004...
. - YudetamagoYudetamagois the pen name of the Japanese manga artists duo consisting of story writer Takashi Shimada and artist Yoshinori Nakai. They are best known for the popular manga Kinnikuman, Ultimate Muscle , and Tatakae!! Ramenman...
, manga artistMangakais the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
duo (attended Hatsushiba High School in Higashi-ku)