Star Week: A Perfect August Tradition

Today, August 7th, marks the end of a week-long Star Week スター・ウィーク in Japan. It is very fitting that it falls on the August date (7th) of the Star Festival or Tanabata. It is a commemorative week to encourage people to look up at the night sky! 

The idea was first proposed in 1995 by Junichi Watanabe of the National Astronomical Observatory, the idea grew from a simple question: if Bird Week can help people appreciate nature, why not create a week for the stars too?

The timing is intentional. Early August arrives just after the rainy season, when the weather stabilizes and summer vacation makes a little late‑night stargazing feel wonderfully possible. 

 More than 200 observatories and science museums across Japan host special events, encouraging everyone to experience the vast beauty of the night sky. 

Photo: Milky Way Illumination in Shizuoka Prefecture