Photographed on March 1, 2014. This is LEC COFFEE’s matcha Basque cheesecake. 🍵

Himototakeba Sakai: Sakai Risho no Mori × Czech Pavilion <Main Hall Tea Room × Contemporary Art Tea Utensils> The masterpiece "La Traviata" turned into wagashi. A special tea gathering featuring contemporary art tea utensils 🍵✨ At the Main Hall Tea Room of Sakai Risho no Mori (@rishonomori), we will serve tea using original tea utensils created by contemporary artists that were also used at the Expo site ✨ The confection is an elegant limited fresh wagashi inspired by the Czech master Alphonse Mucha’s work "La Traviata" 👀 Enjoy a luxurious time in a serene space, savoring art with all your senses♪ "Main Hall Tea Room (each session about 60 minutes)" 📅 Dates: Friday, March 20 (national holiday) – Sunday, March 22 ※ Session times vary by day, please check carefully 📍 Location: Sakai Risho no Mori 🍵 Participation fee: ¥1,000 (includes "La Traviata" wagashi) ✅ How to apply: Reserve in advance on the Sakai Risho no Mori reservation site (each session limited to 20 people) (URL: https://reserva.be/sakairishonomori... ) ⚠️ The contemporary artists’ tea utensils are limited in number. 🎁 Special experiences available!※ See the reservation site for sessions and details. ・Tea whisking experience On designated sessions on Saturday the 21st and Sunday the 22nd, enjoy the chance to whisk your own tea 🍵 ・Shamisen performance On a designated session on Saturday the 21st, Tsuruya Musical Instruments (@tsuruya_music_instruments) will present a shamisen performance 🪕 🔍 For more details, search for "Himototakeba Sakai 2026"! 🔗 https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/news/detail/20251217133435...

🌸For a spring outing🌸 Take a leisurely tour of Sakai’s old highways and relax at Kokoan with views of the Mausoleum of Emperor Hanzei🍵 How about a stroll around Sakai’s old highways during cherry blossom season?🚶‍♀️🚶‍♂️🚶 A sightseeing volunteer guide accompanies the tour, so you’ll learn many new things✨ After the walk, unwind at Kokoan next to Hochigai Shrine⛩️ with sweets and tea🍡🍵 Enjoy a tranquil time in a lovely location overlooking the Mausoleum of Emperor Hanzei😌 Discover the charms of nearby Sakai you might not know, together with the cherry blossoms🌸 *Photo of the cherry blossoms at the Former Kosenji Temple Akai Site: taken on March 29, 2025* 📅 Date and time: Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Meet at 9:50 or 12:50. Reservations required at least three days in advance 💰 Fee: 4,000 yen (includes Kokoan voucher) 📍 Meeting place: Sakai City Hall 21st-floor observation lobby *On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays one person may join. From Monday to Thursday we accept requests for groups of two or more.* 🔍For details, search “Sakai old highway tour” https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/tourism/detail/201...

#Untie the Ribbon Sakai 2026 MI-TE Sakai × Singapore Pavilion Enjoy a special moment tasting the lingering excitement of the expo along with a spectacular 80 m high view 🍵 At Sakai City Hall’s 21st floor MI-TE Sakai, the Singapore Pavilion (@visit_singaporejp) brings the wildly popular limited wagashi (Japanese confections) from Saikai Housen Confectionery (takamotimoti)! We will offer an adorable confection shaped like the official mascot Marley, a treat you can only find here 🦁🇸🇬 Plus, on Sunday the 22nd… Shamisen performances by Tsuruya Musical Instruments (@suruya_music_instruments) will also be held ✨ Relax and enjoy a luxurious time with a panoramic view overlooking the Tomb of Emperor Nintoku♪ 📅 Date and time: Friday, March 20th (national holiday) to Sunday, March 22nd, 10:00–16:00 📍 Location: MI-TE Sakai (21st-floor observation lobby, Sakai City Hall) 🍵 Participation fee: ¥800 (includes Marley wagashi) ✅ No reservation required (first-come, first-served on the day) 🪕 Shamisen performances: Sunday the 22nd at 11:30 / 13:30 / 15:30 🔍 For details, search “Untie the Ribbon Sakai 2026”! 🔗 https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/news/detail/20251217133435...

#Himo Tokeba Sakai Sakai City Teahouse Shin-an × Jordan Pavilion The sensibility of contemporary art and desert landscapes mingle in a historic teahouse🍵🏜️ At Sakai City Teahouse Shin-an, a limited wagashi confection made by Okashitsukasa Tenjinmochi ( @tenjinmochi ) served at a tea gathering hosted by the Jordan Pavilion ( @visitjordan ) makes its debut!🍡 Enjoy a dreamlike sweet inspired by desert spaces with special contemporary-artist tea utensils that were used at the Expo🌌 Plus, on Friday the 20th (national holiday)… There will also be a shamisen performance by Tsuruya Musical Instruments ( @tsuruya_music_instruments )✨ Spend a luxurious moment amid the atmosphere of the nationally registered tangible cultural property Shin-an♪ 📅 Date and time: Friday, March 20 (national holiday) and Saturday, March 21 📍 Location: Sakai City Teahouse Shin-an 🍵 Admission: 1,000 yen (includes wagashi themed on a desert space) ※cash only ✅ No reservation required (15 seats per session, first-come, first-served) ⏰ Zashiki tea service times: 10:00 / 11:00 / 12:30 / 13:30 / 14:15 🪕 Shamisen performances: 20th (Fri, national holiday) 10:00 / 12:30 / 14:15 ⚠️ The contemporary-artist tea utensils are limited in number. 🔍 For details, search “Himo Tokeba Sakai 2026”! 🔗 https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/news/detail/20251217133435...

Our popular “Morning Yoga at the Temple” Rental mats for the session on Sunday, March 8 are now down to only 2 slots left! 🧘‍♀️✨ Spend a luxurious, quiet moment in the main hall of Myohoji Temple, listening to your own breath. After balancing body and mind with yoga, the deputy chief priest will offer ・a gentle, warming morning rice porridge that’s kind to the body 🥣 ・relaxing matcha and wagashi (Japanese sweets) 🍵🍡 as a special treat. “I’ve been feeling unusually tired lately…” “I want to reset my body and mind for spring” This is the perfect pampering plan for those feelings. Only 2 slots remain with rental mats included—first come, first served! Hurry up 💨 📅 Date and time: Sunday, March 8 — Gather at 8:20 AM 📍 Venue: Myohoji Temple (4-1-3 Nakanocho Higashi, Sakai Ward) 💰 Fee: 5,000 yen (rental mat +100 yen) 🔍 For details, search “Sakai Morning Yoga” https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/tourism/detail/173...

Photographed on February 23, 2014. After visiting Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, we hold a naorai at Starbucks Kanetsuki‑dōri Store. It's a Sakura Bloom Latte and a sakura matcha doughnut.🌸🍵

Discover Sakai as you visit and encounter its charms. “Himotoku Sakai 2026 ～OSAKA SAKAI EXPO～” is coming! An interactive event that unravels Sakai. This edition centers on the theme “OSAKA SAKAI EXPO”🔍 Enjoy tea service, hands-on experiences, and local gourmet treats to relive the Expo experience in Sakai! Take part in a stamp rally using the limited "Himotoku Sakai" stamp passport to collect official pavilion stamps and more while touring Sakai! Those who meet the conditions will receive a collaboration pin badge featuring Myakumyaku and Haniwa Bucho!✨ 📅 Event dates: Friday, March 20th (public holiday) to Sunday, March 22nd ※The stamp rally runs from Sunday, March 1st to Tuesday, March 31st 📍 Location: Various locations in Sakai City 🔍 For details, search for “Himotoku Sakai 2026”! 🔗 https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/news/detail/20251217133435...

✨At Sakai City Tea Room Shin-an, the contemporary artists’ tea utensils used at Sakai’s spring event for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai make an appearance✨ ✨From Saturday, December 20 through Sunday, January 25, 2026, for a limited time, guests who use the tea service at Sakai City Tea Room Shin-an can, if they wish, enjoy matcha served in the contemporary artists’ tea utensils used at Sakai’s spring event for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai✨ (You cannot choose the type of tea utensil, so look forward to a surprise ☺) While reminiscing about Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, savor authentic matcha served in these special tea utensils ☺ Tea service is available from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM✨ One serving 500 yen (with dry confectionery) ☺ 🔍For details, search for “Daisen Park Area: Rediscover the Attractions of the Expo” https://www.city.sakai.lg.jp/kanko/kanko/kohosakaievent/sinan.html...

📣 A program to rediscover the charms of the Expo will be held in the Daisen Park area!✨ At Daisen Park Japanese Garden, we will exhibit works that were displayed or sold at pavilions from 18 countries, including Japan, at the Osaka-Kansai Expo! In addition, contemporary artists’ tea utensils will be used at Sakai City Tea House Shin-an to serve tea in a standing-seated (ryurei) style! 📅 Event period: Saturday, December 20 – Sunday, January 25 🔍 For details, search “Rediscover the Charms of the Expo in the Daisen Park Area”! https://www.city.sakai.lg.jp/.../kohosakaievent/sinan.html... https://www.city.sakai.lg.jp/kanko/kanko/kohosakaievent/sinan.html...

🍂A Model Course to Savor Autumn Flavors🍂 🔸—Moat Area Central Section—🔸 The season for hearty autumn eating has finally arrived! ⋈😊⋈ Sakai’s Moat Area is full of not only tourist attractions but also shops serving seasonal sweets made with fluffy chestnuts, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and autumn gourmet dishes featuring mushrooms like matsutake. 🌰🧡 Here we present a short model course to enjoy autumn gourmet food and sightseeing in the Moat Area central section. ⋆⸜ ⚘ ⸝⋆ 📍"A course to visit shrines, temples, and shopping streets while enjoying autumn flavors (Central Area)" ① Ako Shrine ( @aguchijinja_official_ ) ↓ ② Sakai Yamanokuchi Shopping Street ↓ ③ Taste the season: autumn flavors 🌰✨ ・Rosier ( @rosier_fruits Mont Blanc parfait) ・D..labo ( @d_labo_ice Muscat parfait) ・Tenjinmochi ( @tenjinmochi Steamed chestnut yokan) ・Maruichi Confectionery ( @maruichikashiho Chestnut zenzai) ・SAKAINOMA ( @sakainoma Mushroom bagel sandwich) ・Cafe Lapin (mushroom stew hamburger, etc.) ↓ ④ Myokokuji Temple 🔍For details, search for “Taste the Season: Autumn Flavors Special”! 🔗https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/feature/detail/96... https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/feature/detail/96...

🍁Autumn Flavors Model Course🍁 ◽️– Moat Area, Southern Section –◽️ The season for hearty appetites has finally arrived! ୨୧😊୨୧ Sakai’s Moat Area is home not only to sightseeing spots but also to many shops offering autumn sweets made with fluffy chestnuts, sweet potatoes and pumpkin, as well as mushroom dishes featuring matsutake. 🌰🍱💛 Here is a short model course for enjoying autumn cuisine and attractions in the Moat Area’s southern section. ⋆⸜ ⚘ ⸝⋆ 📍"A Route Tracing Rikyu’s Connections and Autumn Flavors (Southern Section)" ① Sakai Rishō no Mori (@rishonomori) ↓ ② 868 Building (@hachirokuhachi) ↓ ③ Savor Seasonal Autumn Flavors🌰✨ ・Mimiu Sakai (shrimp and mushroom tempura soba) ・BLUE KETTLE (baked sweets: sweet potato, chestnut, pumpkin) ・Ume no Hana Sakai Rishō no Mori branch (special autumn kaiseki) ↓ ④ Nanshu-ji Temple 🔍For details, search "Spotlight on Seasonal Autumn Flavors"! 🔗https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/feature/detail/96... https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/feature/detail/96...

🍂Autumn Flavors Model Course🍂 🔸— Moat Area, North —🔸 The season for hearty appetites has finally arrived! ❊😊❊ Sakai’s Moat Area is full of shops offering not only tourist attractions but also sweets made with freshly roasted chestnuts, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin, plus autumn gourmet dishes featuring matsutake and other mushrooms. 🌰🤎 Here is a short model course (Moat Area, North) to enjoy autumn flavors and sightseeing⋆⸜ ⚘ ⸝⋆ 📍"Ironworking History and Autumn Flavors Course" 1. Sakai Denshokan ( @sakaidensan ) ↓ 2. SAKAINOMA PLAZA Yanagi ( @sakainoma ) ↓ 3. Savor the Season’s Autumn Flavors🌰✨ ・Tsuboichi Tea Main Shop ( @saryo.tsuboichi — chestnut parfait ) ・Rosier Yanagi ( @rosier_fruits — autumn selected mixed parfait ) ・Zelkova Shokudo ( @zelkova_shokudo — healthy lunch ) ・Asahido Confectionery ( best in Senshu ) ・Sorori ( @__sorori__ — Naruto Kintoki sweet potato ) ↓ 4. Teppou Blacksmith Residence ( @sakaimachiyamuseums ) 🔍Search for "Savor the Season’s Autumn Flavors Special" for details! 🔗 https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/feature/detail/96... https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/feature/detail/96...

Photographed on September 1, 25. After Prayer to Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, I relaxed at the Starbucks Bell Ring Street store. It is a cool matcha mousty and a Uji matcha cheesecake.

🎑Saturday, October 4 — “Moon Viewing Yoga” (＊) — Now accepting participants🌔🍁 On an autumn evening when summer heat fades, we will hold Moon Viewing Yoga (＊) at a historic temple wrapped in silence🎑 Practice yoga that focuses on the rhythms of the moon and the body, and listen to a talk on the yin-yang and five elements theory from the deputy chief priest, spending a special time feeling the connection between the moon, people, and nature🌙 After yoga, enjoy a hospitality tea ceremony and Japanese sweets🍵 We look forward to your reservations😊🎶 📅 Date: Saturday, October 4 📍 Venue: Myohoji Temple (4-1-3 Nakanomachi Higashi, Sakai Ward, Sakai City) 🕣 Meeting time: 3:50 PM 💴 Fee: ¥5,000 ・ ¥5,100 with rental mat 💁‍♀️ Instructor: Hiroko Izumi, hive terrace The moon’s phases, such as the new moon and full moon, are deeply connected to the rhythms of nature. By practicing yoga with awareness of the moon’s rhythm, you can gently turn inward and cultivate a sense of harmony with nature. For details, search “Sakai Moon Viewing Yoga” (＊)🔍 ＊The schedule is set to the moonrise time, but visibility of the moon is not guaranteed due to weather conditions. https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/tourism/detail/199...

📢 Sakai Tourism Concierge Recommended✨ "🌿Experience history and culture at Sakai Risho no Mori!🌿" 📍Sakai Risho no Mori is a museum where you can experience the culture associated with Sen no Rikyu and Akiko Yosano.🔍 It’s full of attractions that delight both children and adults! 🔍Learn history with quizzes! You can get closer to the lives of Sen no Rikyu and the history of Sakai through quiz-style learning. Here you can enjoy learning with all five senses through exhibits and videos—things you won’t find in history textbooks. 🍵Experience the tea ceremony’s wabi-sabi spirit at a site linked to Sen no Rikyu! Sakai is the hometown of Sen no Rikyu. In this place you can enjoy an authentic tea ceremony experience while sensing the spirit of chadō that Rikyu cherished. Learn the heart of wabi-sabi and find a peaceful moment in a tranquil tea room. It’s a special experience that reveals the depth of the tea ceremony alongside history. 🛍 Shop at Sakai En-an for Sakai souvenirs! Items that reflect Sakai’s traditional crafts make perfect souvenirs. You’ll find many easy-to-use products blending tradition and modern design. Be sure to find goods that perfectly match your style! 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Enjoy cultural experiences the whole family can share♪

Sakai Tourism Concierge recommendation ✨ “📍A special moment to soak in history and beauty at Sakai’s tea room Shin-an 🍵” I’m Azusa Nakase from the Sakai Tourism Concierge. I visited Shin-an, Sakai City’s tea room, to experience a Japanese space that stands quietly in stillness 😆 Built by Kodō Ōgi, renowned as a master of sukiya-style construction, the tea room presents a beautiful blend of modernity and tradition. The moment I stepped inside, I felt time slow down 😌✨ You can also join a tea-serving experience 🍵 and taste matcha with seasonal sweets while touching the culture of chanoyu ☺️ One bowl of tea can enrich the heart so much…🍃 Please stop by during your Sakai sightseeing 🙌🏻 https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/spot/detail/107...

Photographed 5/18/25. After Prayer to Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, we visited LEC COFFEE. Kawagoe Matcha Basque Cheesecake. It was so delicious that I would like to visit again. 😊

We will hold a grand tea gathering where you can enjoy Sakai’s diverse charms and performances by artists connected to Sakai 🍵🍡🎶 Would you like to spend a special time experiencing Sakai’s spirit of hospitality at the Osaka-Kansai Expo? 😊 Not only can you enjoy tea service by the three Sen families and sweets from long-established wagashi shops, but you can also relax to pleasant music by artists with ties to Sakai 🍵🍡🎶 📅 Period: Saturday, May 10 – Tuesday, May 13 🏠 Venue: Osaka-Kansai Expo Pop-up Stage South and Gallery EAST 🔴 Participation: A numbered ticket (first-come, first-served) is required for the tea ceremony and meditation experience at Gallery EAST. 💰 Cost: Free 🔍 For event details, search “Sakai Expo”! 🌟 During the event, we will run a campaign giving wagashi from Sakai’s long-established confectioners on the spot to those who post photos of the Sakai event on social media with #matchasakai #japaneseculture.‼️ Please post and enjoy Sakai’s delicious wagashi 😋🍡 ・Maruichi Kashiho ( @maruichikashiho ) ・Kaan Satoya ( @satoya._ ) ・Hosen Kashipo ( @takamotimoti ) ・Hamadera Mochi Kagetsudo ・Okashi Tsukasa Tenjinmochi ( @tenjinmochi ) ・Okayoshi Mishoan 🌟 Also, if you scan the QR code for SAKAI TICKET at the venue with your smartphone, you can enter a lottery to win digital coupons usable in Sakai City‼️If you’re lucky, you might win a 10,000-yen subsidy voucher usable at hotels in Sakai City⁉️There are no losing entries—everyone wins something—so please join us 🤗 🔍 Also check the “Sakai Tourism Guide Expo Special Site (If you came to the Expo, come to Sakai too)”! We look forward to your visit 😄

✨Tea served in contemporary artists' teaware 🍵 – Art Tea Gathering in Sakai🎨– Sakai City will present a tea gathering using contemporary artists' teaware as part of Sakai’s program for the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. We will host tea service events using contemporary artists' teaware at tea ceremony–related venues around the city so visitors can enjoy the Expo experience locally. Please see the Sakai City website for details.

Photographed on April 9, 25. After the cherry blossom viewing, we visited Maestro of Resona Coedo Terrace. It is a café latte, matcha, and a new product An Butter Financier. An Butter Financier uses Essire Butter.

📢Introducing a new hands-on experience✨ Make matcha with a stone mill and learn how to whisk it at a long-established tea shop🍵 At Nishio Meikouen Tea Shop, a venerable establishment in Sakai where the tea ceremony tradition still lives, would you like to try making matcha from tencha? You will whisk and enjoy the matcha you grind with the stone mill yourself🍵 A lecture by the head of the shop is included, so even first-timers can feel at ease🔰😊 In the second half, you will learn how to brew sencha to bring out its best flavor and hear stories about tea🎀 The shop offers not only tea leaves but also tea-based products perfect for souvenirs, such as “Rikyu, Sakai and Wanichabi Chocolate,” which was selected as a representative Osaka product, and jams🎁 Please join us in the delicious new-tea season🌿 This is a recommended plan to introduce Sakai to friends visiting Expo from afar ✨🔔 For details, search “Sakai matcha making”🔍

📢 The “Futari Demo Sakai” Campaign Is Here!💑✨ Starting Friday, March 14, Sakai City kicks off the “Futari Demo Sakai” campaign!🎯🚶‍♂️ Enjoy plenty of activities made for pairs, from journeys decided by dart throws to special Sakai-only experiences💛🎉 📅 Period: Friday, March 14 – Saturday, May 31 ✅ Free to participate 🆓 ✅ No reservation required 📆✖️ ✅ Chances to win prizes!🎁 🔍 For details, visit the Sakai tourism guide website and search “Futari Demo Sakai”! 💡 Campaign Highlights 1. Dart Trip Let fate choose your destination! Visit spots while taking on quizzes along the way🎯 Answer all questions at a spot correctly to earn a chance to play a prize-winning dart game✨ 2. Special Experiences Try Sakai cultural activities like wagashi (Japanese confection) making and tea ceremony experiences🍵 3. Digital Stamp Rally Visit any 4 of the 7 spots to enter a lottery for prizes🎁 4. Share Campaign Post photos or videos of your pair trip in Sakai on Instagram with both hashtags #futari_demo_sakai and #futari_tabi! 🏯💑💫 Five winners will be chosen by lottery from those who post to receive lovely prizes!🎁 Share your memories and join the campaign!📲✨ We have posted a reel video for this campaign on our official Instagram and Facebook. Please take a look👀

🍵 Matcha experience with a golden tea bowl (seated tea ceremony)🍡 Enjoy matcha served in a golden tea bowl while seated, along with Sakai wagashi (fresh Japanese confections)✨ 📢 “Untie the Knot, Sakai: Delving into Sakai’s Mysteries 2025”🎉 🗓️ Saturday, March 22 and Sunday, March 23 📍 Sakai Rishō no Mori — reservations open from Saturday, March 1! 🔍 For details, please check the announcements on the Sakai Tourism Guide website 📬 Apply: via the Sakai Rishō no Mori reservation site 📞 Inquiries: 072-260-4386