Niwadani no Ko-Odori

Sakurai-jinja Shrine, where the Niwadani Ko-Odori Dance is performed, is affectionately called “Niwadani no Hachiman-san” by the locals, and its hall of worship erected during the Kamakura Period (1185 - 1333) is the only national treasure in Sakai. The Niwadani Ko-Odori Dance is a nationally selected/prefecturally designated Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
Currently, the Niwadani Ko-Odori Dance is performed in October of the new calendar each year, however, because its roots lie in a dance from the Izumi area that is performed to ask or thank the gods for making it rain, it has been held in August in the old calendar (current day period from late August to early October).
One can see the influences of the popular medieval style of dance from the song lyrics and the procession of red and black demon gods bearing the bamboo baskets carrying a primitive shrine known as a “himeko.”

After a dance at the home of the facilitator on the morning of the Ko-Odori, the procession departs with the lantern bearer at the front. Along with the demons and long-nosed goblins who dance in the center, the persons playing the role of Buddhist initiates, the drummers, the bell ringers, and the fan bearers all dance on the edge in tune with the chorus leaders, marching around the village roads.
It is said that the himeko borne on the backs of the demon gods ward off evil when they are placed at the entranceway of a home. In the past, people would take them away from each other, but now they kindly welcome the procession at their entrance and receive a himeko from the Ko-Odori procession.
Finally, the procession heads toward the first destination at Kuni-jinja Shrine in the Hachigamineji area, where they perform a dance. The chorus leaders place straw hats on their mouths and sing in a way so that the song remains uninterrupted when taking in a breath. Afterward, they head toward Sakurai-jinja Shrine where they perform the Yakata and Ahiki dances on the shrine grounds in tune with the chorus leaders.

Sakai is known around the world for its kofun, or tumuli. In the Mozu area, there are a total of 23 tumuli in 21 places among the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group registered World Heritage Site. The most eye-catching of all is the Tomb of Emperor Nintoku (Daisen Kofun), which is one of the largest tombs in the world. The Mozu Mounded Tombs Visitor Center was opened in 2021 as a way to share interesting information on the tumulus group, allowing visitors to experience the allure of Japan’s Tumulus Period up close.
Sakai was run by a self-governing body called the Egoshu from the Muromachi Period to the Azuchi-Momoyama Period, and became extremely prosperous thanks to era-leading technologies such as trade and gun smithing. The tea ceremony master Sen no Rikyu was originally a merchant of Sakai, and his supposed residence can still be found in the city today. The old-fashioned Hankai Tramway streetcar is a great way to tour the famous sites. Take a ride on the small, cute train, with a mix of old and new cars and enjoy a relaxing trip around the city of Sakai.