Museum · Sakai

Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko さかい利晶の杜

A museum in Sakai's old town devoted to two famous locals, tea master Sen no Rikyu and poet Yosano Akiko, with a recreated tearoom and an affordable matcha tea ceremony experience.

About

Sakai was the city of Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591), who perfected the wabi tea ceremony, and of Yosano Akiko (1878-1942), the passionate modern poet of Tangled Hair. Rikyu and Akiko Plaza, opened in 2015 near Rikyu's birthplace, has galleries on both: a full-size reconstruction of the Taian tearoom attributed to Rikyu, displays on Sakai's merchant culture, and Akiko's family confectionery shop and study recreated. The tea ceremony room offers casual standing tea (tachirei) and formal tea in a teahouse, and the shop sells Sakai's famous knives, incense and tea goods. A tourist information counter and bicycle rental make it a good starting point for exploring old Sakai.

Highlights

• Full-size reconstruction of the Taian tearoom
• Tea ceremony experience in a teahouse
• Yosano Akiko's world recreated
• Sakai knives and crafts in the shop

Tips

• The tea experience is open to walk-ins on most days; ask at the counter.
• Visit Sen no Rikyu's nearby house site (well) and old merchant houses afterwards.
• Closed on the third Tuesday of the month.

Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09

Nearby

• Yasuke (Sakai)Sushi & Seafood · 230 m away
• Sakai Traditional Crafts Museum (Sakai Denshokan)Museum · 1.0 km away
• MI-TE Sakai (Sakai City Hall 21F Observation Lobby)Vista & View · 1.2 km away
• Shimano Bicycle MuseumMuseum · 1.3 km away
• Hochigai ShrineShrine · 1.7 km away
• Daisen Park Japanese GardenGarden · 2.0 km away
• Daisen Kofun (Tomb of Emperor Nintoku)Landmark & Tower · 2.1 km away
• Daisen ParkPark · 2.2 km away