Star Culture Museum, Tea Culture Museum

Get the winter night sky with twinkling stars all to yourself!

An observatory where you can stay overnight and watch the stars shine down on you.

The necessary conditions for viewing a beautiful starry sky are clear air and no lights in the surrounding area. The former Hoshino Village, located in the eastern part of Yame City in an area called Okuyame, is a quiet mountain village surrounded by mountains including the Minoh Mountain Range to the north. The small village, dotted with villages along the Hoshino River, a clear stream flowing through the center of the village, is the best environment for astronomical observation.
Built on a small hill in the center of the village, the "Star Culture Museum" is an observatory where visitors can stay overnight, complete with a hotel. The observatory offers a luxurious experience for those who stay overnight, with nighttime observatory viewing parties and planetarium screenings open only to those staying at the observatory. The observatory is equipped with a 65cm aperture reflecting telescope, the largest in Kyushu at 100cm. The observatory is equipped with a reflecting telescope with a 65cm aperture, the largest in Kyushu, and a 100cm aperture, which not only allows visitors to get a close-up look at the stars in the distant universe, but also to observe the sun during the daytime. The rooftop observatory is a starry night sky above our heads. The sea of starlight that fills your field of vision is an impressive sight that cannot be found in the night sky over the city.

Another specialty of Yame is Yame tea, which is well known throughout the country. Especially in Okuyame, which includes Hoshino Village, cultivation of the high-class gyokuro tea is flourishing, and the name "Yame Traditional Gyokuro" was the first tea in Japan to be certified as a geographical indication and a GI mark that guarantees its quality. The Yame Tea Culture Museum is a place where visitors can learn about the appeal of Yame tea. Inside the museum, there is "Yame Saryo," a restaurant with a menu of dishes that incorporate tea, "Yame Tea Studio," where visitors can try their hand at making powdered green tea using a millstone, and "Yame Tea House," where visitors can take a break while enjoying a cup of tea.
One of the most recommended experiences is the Yame Tea House menu, Shizuku-cha. The fresh aroma, rich sweetness, and mellow umami taste spread to the palate. The first drop of tea, which is a condensation of all the deliciousness of high quality tea leaves, is full of surprises and impressions that will overturn the concept of Japanese tea that you have been casually drinking until now. The taste changes from the second to the third brewing, and you will feel the depth of the tea.

Star Culture Museum - Observatory where you can stay with the stars

Tea Culture Museum - Experience Hoshino's traditional tea