Sakurai, Nara

Infobox City Japan
Name= Sakurai
JapaneseName= 桜井市
Map

---

Region= Kansai
Prefecture= Nara
District=
Area_km2= 98.92
PopDate= January 31, 2007
Population= 63,321
Density_km2= 630.01
Coords= coord|34|31|N|135|51|E|region:JP_type:city
Tree= Cryptomeria
Flower= Prunus jamasakura
Bird=
Symbol

SymbolDescription=
Mayor= Akira Hasegawa
CityHallPostalCode= 633-8585
CityHallAddress= 432-1 Ōaza Ōdono
CityHallPhone= 0744-42-9111
CityHallLink= [http://www.city.sakurai.nara.jp/ City of Sakurai] Nihongo|Sakurai|桜井市|Sakurai-shi is a city located in Nara, Japan.

As of 2007, the city has an estimated population of 63,321 and the density of 630.01 persons per km². The total area is 98.92 km².

The city was founded on September 1, 1956.

Sakurai is home to O-Miwa Shrine, traditionally considered one of the oldest shinto shrines in Japan dedicated to the god of sake. Japanese sake dealers across Japan often hang a wooden sugi ball, made at O-Miwa Shrine, as a talisman to the god of sake. It features in Yukio Mishima`s novel Runaway Horses.

Famous places

*Buddhist temples
** Miwasanbyodo-ji
** Hasedera
** Asukadera
** Tachibanadera
** Abemonnjuin
** Seirin-ji

*Shinto shrines
** Omiwa Shrine
** Tanzan Shrine
** Kasayamakou Shrine
** Tamatsura Srine

ister cities

flagicon|Japan In Japan

* Kumano, Mie
* Taisha, Shimane

Outside Japan

* Chartres,France.

External links

*ja icon [http://www.city.sakurai.nara.jp/english/sakurai01.html Official website]