🇯🇵Japan, Kagoshima, Minamitane
Where Japan's space center meets stunning tropical beaches
字麻津, Kukinaga, Minamitane, Kumage District, Kagoshima 891-3703, Japan
Japan's largest rocket launch facility. Renowned as the world's most beautiful launch site.
This is the hub of Japan's space development. The facility has launched large rockets including the H2, and functions as one of the world's premier launch sites thanks to its location facing the Pacific Ocean.
At the Space Science and Technology Museum, visitors can see actual rockets, robots, and space station-related exhibits while learning about the history of Japan's space development.
3355 Kukinaga, Minamitane, Kumage District, Kagoshima 891-3703, Japan
A massive rock formation that resembles an elephant drinking water
Elephant Drinking Rock is an oddly-shaped rock formation that stands along the coastline of Minami-Tane Town. Its name comes from its striking resemblance to an elephant bending its front legs to drink water—a shape carved by centuries of wind and rain erosion.
3367 Kukinaga, Minamitane, Kumage District, Kagoshima 891-3703, Japan
Beach adjacent to Tanegashima Space Center. Prime spot for viewing rocket launches from the sea.
This beach sits right next to Tanegashima Space Center, offering a rare vantage point to witness rocket launches from the ocean. It's a unique landscape where the serene tropical waters and cutting-edge space industry coexist in the same space.
817-24 Hirayama, Minamitane, Kumage District, Kagoshima 891-3702, Japan
Sea cave only accessible at low tide. Spacious enough to seat a thousand people.
A sea cave that emerges only at low tide. It's characterized by a vast space large enough to seat a thousand people, with impressive rock faces carved by waves over many years. Visitation is limited to specific days depending on the tidal cycle.