Did you know that Ishigaki is among the International Dark Sky Places? It sounds like a bunch of random words strung together, I know, but it’s a title conferred to locations that have exceptionally beautiful night skies perfect for stargazing. And yes, if you look up from the right places, you’ll find that the stars seen from Ishigaki are so beautiful, they can move you to tears.
Date Visited: October 2019
Booking an Ishigaki Stargazing Tour
But of course, the ones who know where the best spots to stargaze are are the locals themselves. This is why booking a stargazing tour gives you higher chances of seeing amazing night skies. Yes, you can certainly just look up from wherever you’re at, but you’d probably be somewhere near your hotel at night, and that means the stars have to compete with artificial lights.
The stargazing tour we booked took us to an undisclosed location that aside from a small parking area, had no other lights. In another scenario, this could very well be the premise of a ghastly murder story, but in this case, there was nothing to fear. As soon as we finished the reception procedures, a guide brought my friend and me to where our hammocks were located. They instructed us on how to lie down as we feel our way in the dark. Usually, I’m the clumsy one, but in this case, it was my friend who had a hard time figuring out how to use the hammock. Even the guide couldn’t help but laugh at the situation, all in good spirits.
Introduction to Stars
As soon as everyone had settled down, the program began. A speaker addressed us and began pointing out known stars and constellations with a laser pointer. (Yes, that actually works!) It was my first time seeing the Milky Way with my own eyes, and it certainly took my breath away. Several shooting stars also lined the skies, and I was able to spot six. I’d never seen so many!
The guides handed out a few binoculars at one point and we passed them around. This was pre-Covid, so it was still a safe thing to do. There’s also a huge telescope that you get to peek into at the end of the program.
Sanshin Performance
One of highlights of the tour is where you just lie down and appreciate the stars while a musician performs songs with a sanshin. An old man performed on our tour, and he was directly behind our hammocks so we could hear him clearly. He performed three songs in total, and the experience was indeed a treat! My friend was so moved by the whole experience that she teared up. I, on the other hand, was just so happy to see stars that I was smiling the whole time. Also snickering every now and then because the hammock fiasco still had me in stitches. In fact, it still makes me laugh as I write this.
Photo Session
Anyone who’s had this wonderful experience would want to capture the moment in some way or form. I tried, but regular DSLRs and phone cameras couldn’t capture the magic at all. It’s a good thing the tour takes souvenir photos!
The photo session is done as the time as the lecture. The guides go to the guests one by one and lead them to the photo area, which is just beside hammock area. A professional photographer takes the photos with rather large equipment, and you have to hold your pose for 20 seconds for the photo to process properly. You can check out the tour operator’s Instagram to see what kinds of poses people have made in the past.
Timing Matters
Stars are most visible when the skies are clear. We were lucky enough that a storm had just passed when we joined the tour, so we were able to see clear skies and bright stars. While visibility can only be predicted to an extent, the tour operator does their best to let guests know which days would likely be clearest. Make sure to check the calendar on their website for optimal viewing dates!
Tour Operator Information
Nagareboshi no Oka (流れ星の丘、ながれぼし の おか)
Official Website (Japanese only)
Instagram
