Island embraced by the stars.
Why the starry skies of Yaeyama are celebrated as the most beautiful in Japan.
The Yaeyama sky is acclaimed as the best in Japan for its overwhelming number of stars, offering views of all 21 first-magnitude stars and 84 of the 88 constellations. This stunning brilliance is further enhanced by a stable atmosphere with minimal influence from the jet stream, allowing stars to twinkle gently, and by the profound darkness of its "Dark Sky Reserve," a status certified and carefully preserved by the islanders.
Whispers of the stars, verses of time: an island's cultural heritage.
On this island, the stars once served as a calendar. By observing the movements of specific stars using stones known as Hoshimi-ishi (star-gazing stones), people knew the precise time to sow seeds and harvest their crops. Gazing at the night sky was not merely an astronomical observation; it was the very essence of the island's life and culture. Especially cherished was Murikabushi (the Pleiades star cluster), which shines in winter. Its gentle light has watched over the people of the island, both then and now.
The Night Sky of Taketomi Island: A Celestial Journey Through the Seasons.
In spring, the elusive Southern Cross, invisible from Japan's main island of Honshu, graces the horizon. Summer reveals a breathtakingly dense Milky Way, a sight only possible on an island free from obstructing lights. In winter, the sky boasts the year's greatest number of first-magnitude stars, and even the great Orion Nebula is visible to the naked eye. With each season, the night sky of Taketomi Island captivates visitors with a different, miraculous visage.