Experience starbathing in the center of the star-filled sky of Ishigaki Island♪
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Experience stargazing in Ishigaki Island
Ishigaki Island, a "tropical resort island," is famous for its ocean, mangrove rivers, and subtropical jungle, but the nighttime wilderness of Ishigaki Island is also a popular time for those in the know. The star-filled sky seen in a place where there are almost no artificial lights such as street lamps.
In fact, on Ishigaki Island, you can see the Nandou Cross and other stars that cannot be seen in Honshu. It is said by astronomers to be the No. 1 spot in Japan for star gazing, making it the best place for star gazing! This time, we will take a look at suchNature Planetarium Ishigaki Island Starry Sky TourI have participated in the
Dress for Ishigaki Island Stargazing Tour
Basically, you can wear whatever you like during the star gazing tour on Ishigaki Island. If you need socks, please bring them. Short sleeves and short pants are also fine, but if you don't want to get bitten by insects, we recommend wearing a lightweight long-sleeved shirt and long pants. (Insect repellent sprays are available for rent.)
Everything else you need for the tour, such as a flashlight, a picnic sheet to lie on, and sampincha tea, is included in the tour price. Those who wish to see the starry sky in a larger size can bring a telescope or other equipment.
Participation in Ishigaki Island Stargazing Tour
We had less than 10 participants this time, and we went around to the remote island terminal and each hotel to pick up tour participants. This time the tour was held in a van that can accommodate about 10 people, but during the busy summer season, a bus that can accommodate 20 people may leave three times a day (from 8:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m., and 10:00 p.m.)!
What makes this tour different from others is that you can drink sampincha tea while watching the stars, and you can lay out a kind of picnic sheet and watch the stars while lying down.
There are more than 10 places recommended by the guide for star gazing, but the locations are changed depending on the season and weather at that time. This time we were taken to a place with a spectacular view at the top of the mountain and starry sky on the beach! In the van, the guide talked about the night animal creatures of Ishigaki Island and the constellations that can be seen, which was exciting from the beginning of the trip.
The first stop was at the top of Banna Park! We left our car around the middle of the mountain and walked through the jungle.On the way to the best spot for star gazing, we were lucky enough to see endangered species of coconut crabs and flying foxes.
From March to May, you can see the smallest firefly in Japan, the Yaeyama firefly, which is only found on Ishigaki and Iriomote Islands.
When we arrived at the summit, we found a 360-degree panoramic view spot with a star-filled sky! The weather was perfect and we were truly surrounded by stars as far as the eye could see!The guide will pull out a picnic sheet and we will watch shooting stars while lying down.
I thought it was a shooting star, but when I asked what it was, it turned out to be a satellite. It was more than I had imagined that I could even see a satellite! They had prepared hot sampincha tea for us, so we drank it and took a breather. Lying down and drinking sampincha tea while stargazing is truly star gazing.
We boarded the van and headed to our second spot. The spectacular view at the top of the mountain was exciting and fluffy, but we were told that we could see the stars on the beach next, so we were excited again and awaited our arrival.The beach is a mystical space that is different from that of the mountains. Sitting on the beach and watching the stars with the rippling waves as background music is like star gazing you have only dreamed of!
It is said that all of the 21 first magnitude stars can be seen on Ishigaki Island, and 84 of the 88 constellations can be seen. I didn't know which star was which (lol), but I was impressed that each star looked so big!
The reason why the starry sky looks so beautiful on Ishigaki Island is that it is almost unaffected by the jet stream, so the light of large stars appears to stop rather than twinkle. The guide talked about the constellations in an easy-to-understand way and kept us entertained throughout the tour!
Are there other stargazing opportunities on Ishigaki Island?
There are more star gazing tours in Ishigaki Island. There is the night mangrove cruise where you cruise through the dark mangrove river with canoes and SUPs where there is only starlight. There is nothing better than lying on a boat and admiring the starlit sky while enjoying an exciting and thrilling cruise while listening to the chirping of noctilucent insects and the sound of river fish jumping. It is also a good idea to take a mangrove cruise & bathe in the star-filled night sky.
There's more to Star Cruises
For those who want to see not only the starry sky of Ishigaki Island but also more amazing starry sky, this is a must-see. Take a boat for about 20 minutes toward Kohama Island and go to the point where it is completely dark 360 degrees to appreciate the starry sky! The stars look very big, and shooting stars are falling rapidly. You can also see floating noctilucent insects in the sea, which sometimes glow like fireflies on the bottom of the sea. If you want to see the starry sky more beautifully, stargazing on a cruise ship is also a good choice.
For more information on the Milky Way and Star Cruise, click here↓.
Summary of stargazing tours
This stargazing tour lasted a little over two hours, including pickup and drop-off, but it really flew by.Other tour participants were highly satisfied with the tour and especially appreciated the pick-up and drop-off service at their hotels! I heard that you can see the Nanto Cross in winter and the Milky Way clearly in summer.
I think this tour is definitely addicting for families and couples on special occasions such as anniversaries. The guide said that families with children will be most satisfied with the jungle night tour, although the starry sky is also good!
For more information about night tours in Ishigaki Island and a list of plans, click here↓.
All the fun in Ishigaki Island is here↓.
Ishigaki Island Tours
