Hateruma Star Observatory
波照間島星空観測タワー24°03′ N 123°48′ EViewpoint
The Hateruma Star Observatory near Takanasaki was Japan's southernmost public observatory and has been closed since July 2022 because of salt and typhoon damage; Taketomi Town has decided to demolish it.
The tower opened in May 1994 beside the southernmost monument, with a 20 cm refracting telescope in its dome and a small planetarium, and for nearly three decades it was where visitors came to see the Southern Cross whole. Salt air and typhoon flooding wore it out, and it closed in July 2022. Surveys of islanders and local businesses in 2023 favoured pulling it down and building elsewhere, and the town has settled on demolition. The Taketomi Town tourism association's listing, last updated on 24 November 2022 and still live in October 2026, marks the tower 休館中, closed.
The sky is still there. Hateruma's low latitude puts the Southern Cross above the horizon from early December to the end of June, and the south coast around the tower has very little artificial light. Go out on a clear, moonless night, keep to the roads, and take a torch for the walk back.
Worth knowing
- Ask at your inn whether anyone runs a night-sky walk while you are on the island; the tower's star guides no longer operate.
FAQ
Quick answers about Hateruma Star Observatoryよくある質問
Is the Hateruma Star Observatory open?
No. The Hateruma Star Observatory has been closed since July 2022, the Taketomi Town tourism association lists it as closed, and the town has decided to demolish it.
When can you see the Southern Cross on Hateruma?
From early December to the end of June. Hateruma's low latitude lifts the Southern Cross clear of the horizon on clear nights in those months.
Can you get to Hateruma Star Observatory by bike?
The tower stands on the south coast near Takanasaki, about 40 minutes by bicycle from the port.
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