Photograph night scenes and the starry skies in the Seto Inland Sea at spots recommended by a professional astrophotographer! You'll want to share these outstanding night views with somebody. While enjoying various night scenes unique to Kurashiki, including its factories, starry skies, and towers, You won't want to miss the combination of the Great Seto Bridge and the starry skies viewed from the peak of Mt. Washu! Welcoming as its guide Kazuhisa Mishima, curator of Life Park Kurashiki Science Center, this tour features planetarium views of the starry skies from Mt. Washu and tips on astrophotography using SLR cameras. Following the lecture, proceed to recommended spots on Mt. Washu to photograph the starry skies to your heart's content, amid luxuriant views that fuse natural light with manmade structures. After taking photos, view them with each other in the Hoshinohikari no Sumiwatari cafe inside the Kurashiki Observatory—Japan's first privately owned observatory.

• Days of Week

• Duration

  hours

• Highlight #1

  【Stargazing】 Guide Mishima will describe the stars while showing the stars visible from Mt. Washu on the night of the tour in the planetarium.

• Highlight #2

  【Learning about the starry skies】 A lecture will cover subjects such as basic astrophotography techniques and camera settings, including how to focus your camera on the actual stars that you saw in the planetarium. Note: The photo lecture is intended for beginning photographers.

• Highlight #3

  【Photographing the starry skies】 You will photograph night views of the Seto Inland Sea and the starry skies from spots recommended by a professional astrophotographer.

• Highlight #4

  【Understanding history】 The exhibits in the Sumiji Hara/Minoru Honda Memorial Hall at the Kurashiki Observatory include the telescope used by Minoru Honda, a comet hunter who discovered numerous comets and uncharted stars in Kurashiki, and some of his valuable scientific materials.

• Highlight #5

  【Sharing the starry skies】 Share your photos with everybody else.

• Add-ons

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    [Price]

    Free

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    [Price]

    Adult (ages 20+)JPY 100

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    [Price]

    Per-BookingJPY 100

• What's Included

  • Transportation (South Exit of Kurashiki Station ⇒ Kurashiki Life Park ⇒ Mt. Washu parking lot ⇒ Kurashiki Observatory)
  • Rental cameras, SD cards, and tripods
  • Light meal
  • Coffee in the Hoshinohikari no Sumiwatari cafe

• Requirements

  • This tour includes a lecture on basic night photographic techniques using SLR cameras. It is intended for beginning photographers.

• Restrictions

  • The tour will be cancelled in the event of rain.
  • Please refrain from participating if you have a fever of 37.5 degrees or higher on the day or if you are not feeling well.

• What to Bring

  • You will walk on an unlighted mountain road to the phot spot. Please wear footwear comfortable for walking.
  • Photography will take place out of doors. Please be prepared for temperatures on the night of the event.

• Additional Info

  • Simple food and beverages will be served. Please let us know in advance if you are unable to eat any foods due to allergies, religious reasons, or other considerations.
  • This guided tour will be conducted with measures to prevent the spread of infectious disease. Please wear a mask and use hand sanitizer regularly.
  • Costs of participation will be collected on the day of the event.
  • The tour is planned to end at around 10:00 pm. If arriving by public transit, be sure to check to make sure that return transit will be available.
  • The arrival and departure times at each location and the ending time of the tour may vary with traffic conditions.
  • We are planning to take pictures of this monitor tour for our website and promotional purposes. Depending on the material, your face may be reflected, so if you are concerned, please let us know in advance.

• Cancellation Policies

  0%

  2 days before to 17:00

  50%

  1 day before to 17:00

  After 17:00, 1 day before

  100%

  Participation Date