Yao City

The left wall was drawn in 1879.

Kaizanzuka Kofun, Morse's sketch

Photo by Saigen Jiro (CC0)

01 ／ Temple site

A tower base about 20 m on each sideis thought to be the Yugedera pagoda of the Shoku Nihongi.

This base was found at Yugedera Temple Site, a National Historic Site. Many roof-end tiles of the Todai-ji and Kofuku-ji types were among the tiles unearthed around it. Since fiscal 2025, site restoration work including the base has been under way.

About 20 m on each side
National Historic Site, 13 Feb 2018
Todai-ji- and Kofuku-ji-type roof-end tiles

02 ／ Kofun

A haniwa with wall and house as oneshows a place for water rituals.

Unearthed in the fiscal 1999 survey of Shionjiyama Kofun, a National Historic Site, this Middle Kofun period haniwa became a city-designated cultural property in fiscal 2025. It shows water drawn in from outside the wall, passing through the house and draining from the opposite wall. The photo shows a replica.

Middle Kofun period
City-designated, fiscal 2025
Seventh survey, fiscal 1999

03 ／ Bon dance

A work song for hauling timber is consideredthe root of Joko-ji's nagashi-bushi.

The city describes Joko-ji Temple as said to be the birthplace of Kawachi Ondo. A work song sung when the temple was rebuilt in the Muromachi period is regarded as the origin of the slow, narrative nagashi-bushi, which has been danced at the Jizo Bon dance on 23 and 24 August each year.

Origin: a Muromachi-period work song
Jizo Bon dance, 23 and 24 August
The city says it can be heard only at Joko-ji

Living here

11 minutes by Kintetsu from Osaka Uehommachi.

about 260,000 people
30 min to a city centre

On the Kintetsu Osaka Line, the sectional express takes 11 minutes from Osaka Uehommachi to Kintetsu-Yao Station. From JR Kyuhoji Station, the Yamatoji Rapid reaches Osaka Station in 24 minutes. City Hall is a 7-minute walk from Kintetsu-Yao Station.

People living here: 264,642people
Area: 41.72km²
Households: 114,265households
Rent (average for rentals): 57,457yen
Healthcare: 11 hospitals ／ 212 clinics

Area and habitable land at the same scalee-Stat B1101 / B1103

Children waiting for childcare: —36 nurseries and similar
Home purchase subsidy: —
Average annual temperature: —

These 3 items are waiting on a nationwide data source. We do not fill them with estimates.

ACCESS

Where you can go from here.

Yao City in Japan34.627°N 135.601°E

to OsakaKintetsu Osaka Line local express11min

Travel times follow 近畿日本鉄道『駅の時刻表』（eki.kintetsu.co.jp。ページに「2026年3月14日現在」）。近鉄八尾駅（大阪線・slCode=356-8）と大阪上本町駅（slCode=356-0）の発車時刻表の各列車を、停車駅発着時刻表（T7）で1本ずつ開いて数えた（平日ダイヤ・土休日ダイヤの両方） (checked 2026-10-14). They vary by time of day.

Shape

Borders 7 municipalities across 1 prefectures.

Territory of Yao City

Boundaries: National Land Numerical Information (N03)

North to south

7.5km

Osaka Prefecture: 東大阪市, 大阪市, 柏原市, 藤井寺市, 松原市
Nara Prefecture: 平群町, 三郷町

Yao City isthis kind of town.

01Kaizanzuka Kofun is a round mound and one of the National Historic Site Takayasu Senzuka Kofun Group. A 2005 city survey confirmed that its chamber's left wall is the one in the sketch Morse drew in 1879
02Yugedera Temple Site is a National Historic Site where a tower base was found, and Shionjiyama Kofun is a National Historic Site keyhole-shaped mound. A haniwa from the mound showing a water ritual site became a city cultural property in fiscal 2025
03The city describes Joko-ji as said to be the birthplace of Kawachi Ondo, and its nagashi-bushi style is danced at the temple. Osaka Uehommachi is 11 minutes away by Kintetsu sectional express

See the town as it is now.

Source: Wikidata (P2002, P2003, P2013, P2397)

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Yao City official site ↗Wikipedia ↗