Sakai is a port city on Osaka Bay, and its most extraordinary feature is that it is built around tombs. The Mozu group, named after the old name of this district, includes Daisen, the tomb attributed to Emperor Nintoku, which is among the largest burial monuments in the world by area, a keyhole-shaped mound nearly five hundred metres long, surrounded by triple moats. Standing beside it you see only a wooded hill behind a wall of water, and the true shape is visible only from the air. Smaller mounds, including those at Terayama and Minamiyama, lie scattered among streets and houses, each with a fringe of trees.
The mounds date from the fifth century, in the Kofun period, when the Yamato kings controlled a powerful state that traded with Korea and China. They were covered in stones, surrounded by rows of haniwa clay figures, and filled with weapons, armour and mirrors. The group is part of the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group, recognised as World Heritage in 2019.
Sakai has more to offer than tombs. In the sixteenth century it was a rich merchant republic, where the tea master Sen no Rikyu was born and where Portuguese trade brought guns and tobacco. The town still makes fine kitchen knives, and it is the home of the bicycle components company Shimano, so cyclists get respect here. The Sakai Museum near Daisen tells the story well, and a nearby observation deck gives a glimpse of the tomb's shape.
Riding in Sakai is city riding. Roads are dense and fast, with elevated expressways, trams and narrow side streets, and parking near the tombs is limited. Cycle lanes run beside the moats, and the park paths are popular with joggers, so go slowly. There is no shortage of fuel stations, restaurants and convenience stores. Try the local Sakai-style udon and, in spring, look for cherry blossom reflected in the moat. For better riding, head for the Kongo and Katsuragi mountains to the east, where winding roads climb through cedar forest, or cross to the Kii Peninsula. Summer is hot and humid, so early mornings are best.