Dear Diary, 

As you know, I typically got to bed at either 9pm or 4am. Pretty much no inbetween, so I was thrilled to pull an all-nighter at Hoshizora Park and stargaze until the stars went home. Ready with a blanket, tons of candy, and the app Star Walk 2, I made the trek to Ibara, home of Japan’s one and only denim factory, a medieval village, and of course, Hoshizora Park.

The reason I wanted to visit this town so badly is because of the stargazing opportunities at Hoshizora Park. The park  is famous for its crystal clear skies and limited light pollution. Its located 500 meters above sea level in the Bisei mountains and is renowned around the world for its views. But, the first stop of the night was the observatory, a sleek, futuristic building that looked like it could launch into space at any moment. I spent some time chatting with the staff, who were as passionate about stars as I am about ghost stories. They even let me peek through one of the big telescopes to get a closer look at Venus. 

After the observatory, I headed to the planetarium for the last show of the night. Settling into a comfortable seat, I looked up as the dome ceiling came alive with stars. The stories behind the constellations were fascinating and it felt like a personal tour through the myths and legends of the night sky. It was a crash course on what to look out for in real life. 

The sun had set, but it was still light enough to scope out the best seat in the park to lay out my blanket, shovel down Kasugai gummies, and wait for the real show - the stars. As I settled in, the sky above me transformed into a sea of diamonds. The Milky Way stretched across the sky, a shimmering band that was surreal. I felt a sense of connection to the universe, as if the stars were reaching out to tell their stories. One of the highlights of the night was when I spotted a shooting star. It streaked across the sky in a brilliant flash, and I quickly made a wish, feeling like a little kid again. 

I left when the sky was just barely fading from black to blue and started my tired journey back to Tokyo. 

Xoxo, 

Maria