[Starry Sky Special] Ishigaki City and Iriomote Island have been chosen as Japan's first starry sky protected area!
Table of Contents
- 1 Ishigaki City was chosen as Japan's first starry sky reserve!
- 2 Why the starry sky of Ishigaki Island is so highly regarded
- 3 Constellations that can be seen on Ishigaki Island
- 4 The attraction of the starry sky of Ishigaki Island is not only constellations!
- 5 Take a starry sky tour of Ishigaki Island!
- 6 summary
Ishigaki City was chosen as Japan's first starry sky reserve!
な、な、なんと！2018年3月30日に石垣市が日本初の星空保護区（※）に認定されました♪Ishigaki Island was originally known as "Star Island" for its beautiful starry sky, and now it has been officially recognized as a starry sky reserve in the world!
Ishigaki Island has downtown lights in the urban area, but a little further away, you can see a star-filled sky without artificial lights. We introduce the starry sky you can see in Ishigaki Island, which is recognized as a starry sky protected area!
(* The 59th starry sky protected area recognized by the International Dark Sky Association in the world! The only one in Japan!)
Why the starry sky of Ishigaki Island is so highly regarded
The reason why the starry sky of Ishigaki Island is so highly regarded is not only because of the variety of stars that can be seen, but also because the climate is favorable and it is easy for travelers to participate. TripAdvisor ranked Ishigaki Island as No. 1 in the world in "2018 Ranking of the most popular tourist cities on the rise", and I think one of the reasons for its popularity is that it is convenient for travelers to enjoy stargazing in the great outdoors while also having a downtown area.
Constellations that can be seen on Ishigaki Island
From now on, Ishigaki City will be called "Dark Sky Park" all over the world. What constellations can we see?On Ishigaki Island, you can see 84 of the 88 constellations.On Ishigaki Island, you can not only see constellations, but you can also see stars of a size that you can never experience in Honshu, and stars that do not twinkle and look really still, like a still picture.
Moreover, you can see all of the 21 first magnitude stars on Ishigaki Island! It is indeed the best starry sky in Japan. First, we will introduce three major constellations popular in Ishigaki Island, which can be seen because it is one of the few subtropical regions in Japan!
1. the Southern Dipper
The "Nandu Cross" can be seen from December to June.As the name suggests, it is shaped like a cross of luminous first magnitude stars and can only be seen south of Okinawa in Japan. This Nandu Cross is also said to be the smallest of all constellations.
Driving around Ishigaki Island, you will occasionally see signs and stores named "Haimurubushi," which means "Southern Cross" in the local dialect.You can ask the owner if you see them in restaurants and other places!
2. Centaurus
Ishigaki Island is one of the few places in Japan where you can see the entire constellation Centaurus. Centaurus is famous for its combination with Wolf constellation, but it really looks like they are poking each other with a yari. Please be sure to see the constellations unique to Ishigaki Island!
the Sculptor (constellation)
As the name suggests, Ryukos is a constellation named after the "dragon bones" that are the pillars of a ship. It is easy to recognize by its strong light because one first-magnitude star and three second-magnitude stars were used for the constellation. This constellation can only be seen in the southern hemisphere, so in Japan, it can only be seen in southern areas such as Ishigaki Island.
The attraction of the starry sky of Ishigaki Island is not only constellations!
The attraction of the starry sky of Ishigaki Island is not only that you can see more than 90% of constellations. The constellations are great, but the night of Ishigaki Island is full of other attractions. We introduce other stars you can see and other nighttime delights you should see!
Milky Way
We often hear about the Milky Way, the famous meeting place of Orihime and Hikoboshi on Tanabata, but on Ishigaki Island, Orihime and Hikoboshi meet on many days when the weather is fine, though not every day (laughs).In this sense, Ishigaki Island may be a fun time for couples and families every day!
On Ishigaki Island, you can really feel "Is this the Milky Way? In Ishigaki Island, you can really feel "This is the Milky Way! You often see the word "Tingara" in Ishigaki Island, which means "Milky Way" in the local dialect, so please look for the signs!
shooting star
How many times have you ever seen a shooting star in your life? Most of you will probably answer once or twice.At one spot on Ishigaki Island, you can see shooting stars several dozen times in just a few hours at the most.You can see enough shooting stars for a lifetime, so be careful not to make too many wishes and make fewer wishes than the number of shooting stars (laughs).
man-made satellite
Even satellites can be seen glowing on Ishigaki Island! It may be hard to believe, but it is true! (laugh) Because they appear to be stationary, you may mistake them for stars, but if you see something other than a first-magnitude star shining strongly, it is a satellite. If you go on a trip to Ishigaki Island anyway, you can brag after you get back that you saw a satellite!
lightning bug
Ishigaki Island is famous for its year-round fireflies. Depending on the time of year, larvae (Iriomote fireflies) glow and cover the ground. Especially popular is the Yaeyama firefly, Japan's smallest (2m-4m).
Fireflies glow from March to June, often in clusters of several thousand. They are called "carpets of light" because of their appearance. It is wonderful to see such beautiful light not only in the sky but also on the ground.
Click here for details of the Yaeyama firefly viewing tour.
Take a starry sky tour of Ishigaki Island!
There are several star gazing tours in Ishigaki Island. In this article, we will introduce three such star gazing tours in Ishigaki Island!
1. star gazing tour
This is a standard stargazing tour. Go to a place with beautiful stars, lay out a yoga mat or picnic sheet, and lie down to admire the stars. While drinking hot sampincha tea, look for shooting stars and constellations.
For more information on stargazing tours, click here↓.
2. night mangrove canoeing for starbathing
Admire the starry sky and the mangroves at night while canoeing! You will enjoy star bathing while lying in a canoe in a place where you can only hear the sound of paddling and animals... You will be thrilled by the thrill and the starry sky you can see through the mangroves. Let's enjoy a canoe cruise while enjoying the starry sky and forest bathing!
3. exciting SUP tour under the stars
Let's go night cruising with SUP (Stand Up Paddle Boat), which is rapidly gaining popularity in Ishigaki Island! The experience of seeing the star-filled sky while lying on the paddle boat, it's nice to enjoy such a spectacular view. The soft moonlight and the starry sky where each star seems bigger than the last, it is truly a new way to enjoy Ishigaki Island.
4. Milky Way Star Cruise
This tour takes you by boat to a place where there is no light and you can see the stars in the sky. You can enjoy the starry sky, the Milky Way, and depending on the time of year, the Southern Cross, which can be seen only at the southernmost tip of Japan. Since the tour goes to Kohama Island, it is completely dark 360 degrees and there is only light from the starry sky. The guide will explain the starry sky to you, so you don't need to have any knowledge of stars. Just enjoy the cruise and the starry sky. There are also noctilucent insects at the bottom of the sea, glowing like fireflies.
summary
Star Island (Ishigaki City) became a starry sky protected area on March 30 this year, so there are plenty of starry skies alone. I think the regulations will become stricter from now on, so why don't you enjoy the starry sky of Ishigaki Island, which can be said to be the best in Japan, while you still can?
Ishigaki Island Night Tour is here↓.
All the fun in Ishigaki Island is here↓.
Ishigaki Island Tours
