Sakurai, Nara

"Sakurai" redirects here. For the surname, see Sakurai (surname).

Sakurai 桜井市
—  City  —
View of Omiwa Shrine, one of sightseeing spot in Sakurai
Location of Sakurai in Nara
Sakurai
Coordinates: 34°31′N 135°51′E
Country	Japan
Region	Kansai
Prefecture	Nara
Government
• Mayor	Akira Hasegawa
Area
• Total	98.92 km2 (38.19 sq mi)
Population (December 28, 2011)
• Total	60,705
• Density	613.68/km2 (1,589.4/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
Postal code(s)	633-8585
City symbols
- Tree	Cryptomeria
- Flower	Prunus jamasakura
Phone number	0744-42-9111
Address	432-1 Ōaza Ōdono 633-8585
Website	City of Sakurai

Sakurai (桜井市, Sakurai-shi) is a city in Nara, Japan.

As of December 28, 2011, the city had an estimated population of 60,705, and 23,947 households with a density of 613.68 persons per km². The total area is 98.92 km².

The city was founded on September 1, 1956.

Sakurai is home to Ōmiwa Shrine, traditionally considered one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan dedicated to the god of sake. Sake dealers across Japan often hang a wooden sugi ball, made at Ōmiwa Shrine, as a talisman to the god of sake. It features in Yukio Mishima's novel Runaway Horses.

Famous places

• Buddhist temples
  • Miwasanbyōdō-ji
  • Hase-dera
  • Asuka-dera
  • Tachibana-dera
  • Abe Monju-in
  • Seirin-ji

• Shinto shrines
  • Ōmiwa Shrine
  • Tanzan Shrine
  • Kasayamakō Shrine
  • Tamatsura Shrine

Sister cities

In Japan

• Kumano, Mie
• Taisha, Shimane

Outside Japan

• Chartres, France.

External links

Media related to Sakurai, Nara at Wikimedia Commons

• (Japanese) Official website