EST. 1994 ISSUE 163 April/May 2021 Edition Contents Legend: ity Life is a free English newsletter published every even month by the ☆ events New Facilities 2 C International Division at the Sakai City Government to provide infor- mation to the residents of Sakai City. It is available at libraries, ward offic- ◆ exhibitions Events 3-4 es and other city facilities, or you can view it online at the Sakai City Gov- ※ important notices ernment English website. Don’t forget to also sign up for emails to know △ campaigns City Notices 5 when each new edition is published! There is more information on the back ☺ child & healthcare page. If you have any questions or feedback, please contact Ellen at the ○♣ environment Reference 6 following email address: [email protected] help lines Brand New in Sakai City! Mozu Mounded Tombs Visitor Center Address: 2-160 Mozusekiuncho, Sakai-ku Nearest Station: 5 minute walk from Mozu Station (JR Hanwa Line) Time: 9:00~18:00 Admission fee: Free Closed: New Year holiday period Nestled conveniently near the Worship Place of Nintoku-tenno-ryo Kofun, the building of the former Iroha café has been remodeled to be the Mozu Mounded Tombs Visitor Center. This facility will serve as a place to provide information to visitors who are new to kofun and their place in the history of ancient Japan. The grand opening was on 13 March and I had the opportunity to visit beforehand to write this article. Although the final installations weren’t finished yet, the interior was stylish and spacious. I was informed that the panels will be in Japanese and English, with Korean and Chinese available via QR code, so hopefully many of the people visiting will be able to learn about our World Heritage Site kofun group. I am also looking forward to making a personal trip to see what they’re about. There are some seats available indoors and outdoors, making the facility a good place to take a rest at during an outing as well. The attraction that blew me away was the theatre show. The show uses projection mapping on a curved screen to bring the viewer into the stunning scenery of Sakai. It starts with some beautifully clear aerial shots of different-shaped kofun, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of urban life. It then uses dynamic animation to guide you through a timeline of how Sakai’s industries and famous sites came to be. Combined with powerful accompanying music, it is a great way to immerse yourself in a quick 10 minute overview of Sakai and its charms. Sakai City Museum Re-open The renewal construction has been completed and the museum had their reopen on the same day as the Mozu Mounded Tombs Visitor Center! New features include reproductions of the stone chamber and stone coffin discovered in Nintoku-tenno-ryo Kofun, one of the largest reproductions of horse-shaped haniwa (clay figures) and a kids corner dedicated to explaining our World Heritage Site and history in an easy-to-understand manner. Address: 2-cho, Mozusekiun-cho, Sakai-ku Time: 9:30~17:15 (last entrance 16:30) Closed: Monday (open if public holiday) Admission: Adult 200 yen, university & senior high school 100 yen, junior high & primary school 50 yen 1 April/May 2021 New Facilities Ohama Arena & Ohama Budokan The old Ohama Gymnasium has been rebuilt to become a new martial arts cen- ter! Using the Old Sakai Lighthouse located nearby as a motif, the arena aims to revitalize and “light up” Ohama Park. It boasts an arena which can hold up to 3000 people and a new budokan hall dedicated to martial arts, such as judo and kendo. So we can expect some high level matches to take place here! Of course, there are still regular gymnasium facilities available for personal use, starting from 500 yen per visit for adults. Address: 4cho & 5cho, Ohamakitamachi, Sakai-ku (inside Ohama Park) Nearest Station: 10 minute walk from Sakai Station (Nankai Line) Hours: 9:00~21:00 Closed: First Monday every month, New Year break, safety inspection days (irregular) Giorno (ジョルノ) Grand Opening - 3 April The new building adjacent the Sakai City Hall brings new stores and restaurants to the Sakaihigashi area and a new access route. A pedestrian overpass was opened earlier in March and conveniently connects Sakaihigashi Station straight to the city hall, cutting out the need to cross at the busy intersection. The top floors will be private apartments however some city facilities will be moving in, such as the Sakai Passport Center (open in May), Sakaikko Hiroba and a new Library Service Counter. New walkway from Sakaihigashi Station View of Giorno from Sakaihigashi Station ☺ Sakaikko Hiroba (Sakai City Childcare Support Plaza) - Library Service Counter - Open 2 April Open 1 April Pick up your reserved books here and return items in the post This is a facility where children and guardians can gather, relax, slot located on the west side of the second floor. There are no mingle and learn. Consultations and information on child raising materials available to read but you can also make reservations are also available. In the play area, there is play equipment for items to pick up. indoors for children and adults to play together and be active. Access: 2F Giorno Events and seminars can also be held here. Other features Hours: 8:00~21:00 include a nursing room and changing room for babies, and Closed: 1st & 3rd a picture book room for reading. Thursday every Access: 3F Giorno month, New Year Hours: 10:00~17:00 holiday period, Closed: New Year holiday period and days facility inspection when Giorno closed days Target age: 0~12 years old *children and guardians cannot enter alone *every child must register in order to use the facility. Forms available at the reception Cost: Free Illustrations credit to freepik.com 2 April/May 2021 Events ☆Harvest Hill: (TEL) 072-296-9911 (URL) http://farm.or.jp Wild Bird Watching Look for birds using binoculars. Time: 10:00~17:00 (last entrance 16:00) Date: Sunday 4 April Entry Fee: Adult 1000 yen Time: 10:20~12:00 Child (4 years old to elementary school) 600 yen Cost: Free Access: 20 minutes by Nankai bus (Habesutono-oka Bus Stop) Capacity: 20 people. Reservations needed. from Izumigaoka Station on the Semboku Rapid Line. Strawberry & Red Bean Pancake Class Harvest Hill 21st Anniversary – Free entry on 14 April! Date: Weekends & public holidays in April Limited original goods handed out to the first visitors! Time: 13:45 Cost: 1600 yen Tulips Duration: 70 minutes 60,000 tulips in five colours! Peak Capacity: 36 people viewing is mid April. Place: Mura Area Flower Field Strawberry Ice Cream Class *may change depending on Date: Weekdays in April/May weather conditions. Check their Time: 14:15 website for more. Cost: 900 yen Duration: 40 minutes Free Sheepdog Show Capacity: 36 people A demonstration where a trainer com- mands a sheepdog to herd sheep with a Strawberry Melon Bread Class whistle. Date: Weekdays in May at 11:00 Date: Weekends between 10~25 April Weekends & public holidays in May at 15:30 Time: 13:30 Cost: 900 yen Place: Sheep house Duration: 60 minutes *there may be entry restrictions Capacity: 36 people ☆Cherry Blossom Viewing Spots ☆Rose de Mai ☆Sophia Sakai (TEL) 072-270-8110 - Daisen Park: Mozu Station (JR Date: 9~23 May Access: 1426 Fukaishimizu-cho, Naka-ku Hanwa Line) or Sakaishi-hakubutsukan Time: Sunset till 21:00 (till 19:00 if Located 12 minutes walk from Fukai Sta- -mae bus stop or Daisenkoen-nishi bus rainy) tion (Semboku Rapid Line) stop (Nankai Bus). The central pond is Place: Hamadera Park Rose Garden Closed on: Mondays (however open if a surrounded by about 400 cherry blos- (near the central entrance) public holiday) som trees. Nearest Station: Hamadera Koen - Nishihara Park: Togamikita Sta- Station (Nankai Line) or Hamadera Eki- Planetarium Show: “Earth Symphony” tion (Semboku Rapid Line). Consisting mae Station (Hankai Line) Date: Weekends & public holidays until mostly of the popular variety Somei- Cost: Free 23 May yoshino, there are over 1600 cherry Closed: Monday (except for public holi- days), April 20 & 21, May 11 blossom trees planted here. ©KAGAYA Studio - Ohama Park: Sakai Station Time: 18:00~18:45 (Nankai Line). A park famous for cher- Cost: Adult 510 yen, ry blossoms from historical days. Child (4 years to junior - Ohasu Park: Izumigaoka Station high school) 250 yen (Semboku Rapid Line). A park which Come experience the takes its name from the Ohasu Pond beautiful phenomena which takes up a third of the total area caused by the Earth’s of the park. You can enjoy the reflec- atmosphere such as auroras, meteor showers, lightning & snow tion of the fully bloomed cherry blos- ☆Daisen Park Japanese Garden in a 360 degree dome theatre. soms in the water. Peonies - Shirasagi Park: Shirasagi Station Star Gazing (Nankai Koya Line). A park with Enjoy viewing potted peonies in and roughly 10,000 Japanese irises consist- Date: April 3, 9, 17, 23 and around the resting house. There are May 1, 7, 15, 21, 29 ing of 150 species. However it is also about 500 peony plants decorating the famous for its cherry blossoms. Time: 19:30~21:00 garden in a gorgeous color, indicating Place: 6F Astronomical Observatory - Kamotani Park: Komyoike Station the arrival of spring. (Semboku Rapid Line). There are spec- Why not come see the starry spring sky Date: Mid to late April through largest telescope in Osaka Prefec- tacular cherry blossoms planted along Time: 9:00~17:00 the river.