Opening Hours
● Sen no Rikyu Chanoyu (Tea Ceremony) Museum, Yosano Akiko Museum, Tourist Information Space / 9:00-18:00
● Chanoyu (Tea Ceremony) Experience Rooms / 10:00-17:00
● Parking / 24 hours
Closed
● Sen no Rikyu Chanoyu (Tea Ceremony) Museum, Yosano Akiko Museum, Chanoyu (Tea Ceremony) Experience Rooms / 3rd Tuesday of the month (if 3rd Tuesday is a public holiday, open Tue. and closed the next day) and New Year holidays
● Tourist Information Space / New Year holidays
● Parking / Open 365 days a year
A new museum where you can experience Sakai through two of
its most famous figures, Sen no Rikyu and Yosano Akiko
Sakai has a history going back to ancient times, with numerous historical and cultural sites including the Mozu Kofun Tumuli Group including the Emperor Nintoku Mausoleum, venerable shrines and temples, historic buildings and places, and time-honored traditional industries. At Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko, you can get to know and experience both the Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573-1603) Sakai of tea master Sen no Rikyu and the Meiji and Taisho Era (1868-1926) Sakai of poet Yosano Akiko. This is an ideal place to start your historical and cultural tour of Sakai.
Download multilingual leaflet
Who was Sen no Rikyu?
Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591) was the founder of the Sen-ke school of sado (Tea Ceremony) and is known as the originator of the wabi-sabi aesthetic (of accepting and celebrating imperfection and transience) in the tea ceremony. He was born into a Sakai merchant household and spent the majority of his life in the city. His birth name was Yoshiro and later, took on the Buddhist names Soeki and Hosensai, and then was given the high-ranking Buddhist name Rikyu-koji by Emperor Ogimachi. He studied the tea ceremony under the Sakai merchant prince Takeno Jōō, and served as a tea master under two warlords and unifiers of Japan, Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Under Hideyoshi in particular he was the supreme tea master, devoting himself to the arrangement of the great Kinchu and Kitano tea ceremony gatherings and gaining fame as Japan’s greatest tea ceremony practitioner.
Who was Yosano Akiko?
Yosano Akiko was born on December 7, 1878, the third daughter of a merchant family that ran a Japanese sweets business called Suruga-ya in what is today Kaino-cho, Sakai-ku, Sakai. She spent her formative years in Sakai, helping with the family business and also joining a literary society, then moved to Tokyo at the age of 22 and married her poetry teacher Yosano Tekkan (birth name: Hiroshi), going on to bear 12 children. Her most famous works include the poetry collection Midaregami (Tangled Hair) and the poem Kimi shinitamō koto nakare (Thou Shalt Not Die). While Akiko is famous as a poet, her other wide-ranging accomplishments include a translation of the thousand-year-old Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji) into modern Japanese, and critical works on social and educational issues. These critical works in particular convey universal messages that still resonate profoundly to this day. She died on May 29, 1942 at the age of 63. Every year on the anniversary of this day, a Buddhist memorial ceremony known as Hakuō-ki (lit. “white cherry blossom ceremony”) is held in Sakai.
Guide to Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko
Sen no Rikyu Chanoyu(Tea Teremony) Museum
In these galleries, you can get to know Sakai-born tea master Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591) and chanoyu (the tea ceremony) through exhibits divided into three areas: “Sen no Rikyu and the City of Sakai,” “Sen no Rikyu and Chanoyu,” and “Sen no Rikyu: His Life and Legacy.” On a touch panel with a large digitized version Folding Screen with Sakai Festival Scene, showing Sakai when it was flourishing and known as “the Venice of Japan” from the Muromachi (1336-1573) through the early Edo (c.1603-1691) period. Japan’s greatest tea master, Sen no Rikyu, played a major role in making Sakai a thriving international city.
Sakai Taian tearoom
According to Rikyu’s only existing, Taian Teahouse at Myoki-an Temple in Oyamazaki-cho, Kyoto, the only one of Rikyu’s tearooms still surviving and a National Treasure of Japan, is reproduced in its original form, based on research findings, by a team of artisans led by Nakamura Toshinori. You can apply and enter the tearoom, listening to guide’s explanation and feel the atmosphere for yourself.
Yosano Akiko Museum
In the center of the Yosano Akiko Museum, the cover designs of many of her books are presented in the “Designs of Akiko’s Books” section. Many of these book covers were colorful, elaborately designed, and have great artistic value, showing the influence of her husband Hiroshi’s idea that they “must be worthy of preservation for future generations.” The book cover designs are by some of Japan’s most renowned painters of the day, including Fujishima Takeji and Nakazawa Hiromitsu.
Special Exhibitions
The special exhibition gallery contains airtight display cases suitable for showing valuable materials, including those of the National Treasure class. Special exhibitions are held periodically, enabling Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko to reach a broader audience from around Japan.
Tourist Information Space
This area introduces the rich historical and cultural heritage of Sakai and provides a wide range of information on sightseeing in the city. Sightseeing tips and must-see spots are introduced using touch panels and tablets. In addition to offering tourist information, the space contains a ceramic floor map replicating the late Edo Period (c.1780-1867) cityscape painting Sakai, Senshu (Senshu being the old name of southern Osaka Prefecture) and a diorama replicating the Shukuin area in the early Showa Era (c.1926-1941), conveying the long, thriving urban history and charms of Sakai and giving visitors ideas for walks around town.
Chanoyu(Tea Ceremony) Experience Room
Two types of experiences are offered at the Chanoyu (Tea Ceremony) Experience Room, located just across the Site of great tea master Sen no Rikyu’s Residence.
Make Tea in a Tea Ceremony Room(60 min.)
Have an authentic experience to make your own tea under the instruction by tea masters from one of major tea schools :Ura-Senke,Omote-Senke or Mushanokoji-Senke.
●Reservation required at least than one month in advance
●Capacity: 10 to 30 people
Ryurei Teicha(Casual Tea Ceremony)(20 min.)
At Ryurei Teicha, you can enjoy matcha tea and Sakai made traditional Japanese sweets any time, seated in a chair (no need to kneel on tatami mats).
●No reservations required. Groups and individuals both welcome
●Last admission: 16:40
Convenient Services
Tablets for borrowing
●We offer multilingual guidance by lending out tablets with information in five languages (Japanese, English, Korean, and traditional and simplified Chinese.)
●If you would like to borrow one, please ask at the reception desk.
●Tablets cannot be reserved in advance.
●If all tablets are currently loaned out, please wait until one is returned to the desk. Thank you for your understanding.
Accessibility for persons with disabilities
Wheelchairs and strollers for borrowing
●We offer two wheelchairs and two strollers that can be borrowed free of charge.
●There are two wheelchair-accessible elevators in the building.
●If you would like to use a wheelchair or stroller, please let us know at the reception desk.
●Wheelchairs and strollers cannot be reserved in advance.
●If all wheelchairs or strollers are currently loaned out, please wait until one is returned to the desk. Thank you for your understanding.
Information for visitors using wheelchairs
●If you visit by your own car, there is one priority parking space in the parking lot.
Other information
●Coin-operated lockers are available.
●There are three multi-purpose restrooms with Ostomates facilities.
●There is an AED on the first floor for responses to medical emergencies.
●Restrooms are equipped with either baby seats or multi-purpose beds.
Shop Enishi-an
Shop Enishi-an is a gift shop inside Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko. It offers an extensive selection of delicious Japanese sweets from Sakai, Sen no Rikyu-themed green tea, stationery goods related to Yosano Akiko and more. Please drop by the shop during your visit.
Watch video introducing Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko
Admission fees
Exhibition viewing fees
Opening Hours / 9:00-18:00 (enter by 17:30)
Sen no Rikyu Chanoyu Museum, Yosano Akiko Museum, Sakai Tai-an (viewing from outside)
- Group fees apply to groups of 10 people or more.
- Admission to the Tourist Information Space is free.
- Free of charge to visitors with disabilities and their caregivers, those aged 65 or older living in Sakai City, and preschool children.
- Additional fees may be charged for special exhibitions.
Attraction VR Experience “Time trip SAKAI” (Museum includes)
- VR.experience is available for 13 years old and above.
- First come first serve basis.
- No advance resevation required.
Ryurei Teicha: Chanoyu (Tea Ceremony) Experience Rooms
Opening Hours / 10:00-17:00 (enter by 16:40) With green tea and freshly made Sakai sweets (please enjoy at the seats.)
- Group fees apply to groups of 10 people or more.
- Advance reservation is required.
- Experience generally lasts about 20 minutes.
- Maximum seating capacity: 10 people
Parking fees
Discounts
Admission fees (to the Sen no Rikyu Chanoyu Museum and Yosano Akiko Museum) are discounted for the following visitors.
*Discounted fees do not apply to the Chanoyu Experience Rooms.
Holders of the following cards
Admission fees are discounted (20% off) for those who show the following cards. For further details, please ask at the reception desk.
●ICOCA card ●PiTaPa card ●WAONcard ●Relo Club ●Surutto Kansai
●JAF ●Elavel Club ●RESOL (and others)
Access
2-1-1 Shukuin-cho Nishi, Sakai-ku, Sakai City, Osaka 590-0958
TEL：+81-72-260-4386 FAX：+81-72-260-4725
By public transportation
Nearest train station:
【Shukuin Sta., Hankai Line】 1 min. on foot
【Sakaihigashi Sta., Nankai Koya Line】 Approx. 6 min. by bus
【Sakai Sta., Nankai Main Line】 Approx. 10 min. walk / Approx. 3-5 min. by bus
Nearest bus stop:Shukuin (1 min. on foot)
By both train and bus
●【Nankai Koya Line】 Bus from Sakaihigashi Sta., (get off at Shukuin bus stop)
【Sakaihigashi-ekimae Bus Stop 14】 For Sakai-ekimae / No. 23 / Approx. 6min. / ¥220
【Sakaihigashi-ekimae Bus Stop 16】 South route / No. 21 / Approx. 17 min. / ¥220
●【Nankai Main Line】 From Sakai Sta., (get off at Shukuin bus stop)
【Sakai Sta., East Exit Bus Stop 1】
For Kawachi-Matsubara-ekimae / No. 23 / Approx. 2min. / ¥220
【Sakai Sta., South Exit Bus Stop 1】
For Kitanoda-ekimae / No. 131, 132, 132C / Approx. 2 min. / ¥220
【Sakai Sta., South Exit Bus Stop 2】
For Subway Shinkanaoka-ekimae / For Hatsushiba-ekimae / No. 35, 35v, 36, 36v / Approx. 2 min. / ¥220
【Sakai Sta., South Exit Bus Stop 3】
South Route / No. 21 / Approx. 2 min. / ¥220
●【JR Hanwa Line】 【Nankai Koya Line】 From Mikunigaoka Sta., (Get off at Shukuin Bus Stop)
【Mikunigaoka-ekimae North Rotary, Bus Stop 2】
For Sakai Sta., South Gate / No. 35, 35v, 36, 36v / Approx. 10 min. / ¥240
【Mikunigaoka-ekimae South Side Bus Stop 4】
For Sakai Sta., South Gate / No. 131, 132 / Approx. 10 min. / ¥240
●【JR Hanwa Line】 From Sakaishi Sta., (Get off at Shukuin Bus Stop)
【Hanwa Sakaishi-ekimae Bus Stop 3】
For Sakai-ekimae / No. 23 / Approx. 18 min. / ¥240
By motor vehicle
Nearest expressway entrance / exit
■Hanshin Expressway No. 15 Sakai Route Sakai Interchange →
Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko (approx. 3 min. )
■Hanshin Expressway No. 4 Wangan Route Ohama Interchange →
Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko (approx. 3 min.)
●From Osaka
＜From USJ area＞
■Hanshin Expressway No. 2 Yodogawa-Sagan Route, Shimaya Interchange → Hanshin Expressway No. 4 Wangan Route, Ohama Interchange → Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko
＜From Kaiyukan area＞
■Hanshin Expressway No. 4 Tempo-zan Interchange → Hanshin Expressway No. 4 Wangan Route, Ohama Interchange → Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko
●From Wakayama
■Hanwa Expressway → Kansai-Kuko Expressway → Rinku Junction → Hanshin Expressway No. 4 Wangan Route Ohama Interchange → Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko
●From Kobe and Awaji
■Second Shinmei Road → Hanshin Expressway No. 3 Kobe Route → Ebie Junction No. 2 Yodogawa Sagan Route → Hanshin Expressway No. 4 Wangan Route Ohama Interchange → Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko
●From Hiroshima and Okayama
■Chugoku Expressway → Chugoku Ikeda Exit Interchange → Hanshin Expressway No. 11 Ikeda Route, Ikeda Entrance → Hanshin Expressway No. 1 Loop Route → Hanshin Expressway No. 15 Sakai Route, Sakai Interchange → Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko
●From Kyoto
■Meishin Expressway Suita Junction → Kinki Expressway Moriguchi Junction → Hanshin Expressway No. 12 Moriguchi Route → Hanshin Expressway No. 1 Loop Route → Hanshin Expressway No. 15 Sakai Route, Sakai Interchange → Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko
■Second Keihan Highway → Kadoma Junction → Kinki Expressway Moriguchi Junction → Hanshin Expressway No.12 → Moriguchi Route → Hanshin Expressway No. 1 Loop Route → Hanshin Expressway No. 15 Sakai Route Sakai Interchange → Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko
●From Nagoya and Mie
■Nishi-Meishin Expressway Tenri Interchange → Matsubara Junction → Hanshin Expressway Matsubara Route → Hanshin Expressway No. 15 Sakai Route, Sakai Interchange → Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko
Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko 2-1-1 Shukuin-cho Nishi, Sakai-ku, Sakai City, Osaka 590-0958
TEL：+81-72-260-4386 FAX：+81-72-260-4725
