Stories about people, stories about life.

Hometown stories.

I see it, I see it.

Bingo.

There's a group of people who are captivated by the night sky.

Hello.

Former planetarium employees have launched an initiative to introduce everyone to the wonder of star-filled skies.

2... 1... 0.

Open your eyes.

Members bring a traveling planetarium to schools and hospitals around Japan.

And they organize stargazing events.

It's near the horizon.

I see, it's this way.

I got it wrong.

It's a pillar of support for me.

- Hey there.
- Hey there.

Hey there, Mr. Moon.

What happens when people come together to stare up at the night sky?

The organization behind this initiative is based in Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture.

They go by the name "Star Spinning Village."

In October 2023, they opened this cottage where anyone can view the night sky.

You can see the Milky Way from this room just by turning off the lights.

Takahashi Mariko and Atobe Koichi are the organization's cofounders.

They both used to work at a local planetarium.

They're coming.

This family drove a long way to get here.

Furukawa Yurina is 11 years old.

Hello. Nice to see you.

So happy you're here.

Glad to see you.

Yurina has congenital myopathy, a condition that causes the muscles to gradually weaken.

It is difficult for her to leave the house.

B R E A K

Break. I see. OK, let's take a break.

You're tired.

When we heard this place had opened,

we really wanted to come see it.

Yurina first learned about Star Spinning Village's initiatives a few years ago through an acquaintance.

They provided her with a remote stargazing experience.

Mommy.

- Mommy.
- Yeah?

- Listen.
- Yeah?

I'm an astronaut.

You're an astronaut?

You be an astronaut too.

OK, I'll get into a rocket with you.

Welcome to our first study gathering of 2024.

It's Yurina's birthday.

- That's me.
- Yep, it's your birthday.

I learned about stars with them, and we became friends.

This is the second time Yurina has viewed the night sky with her own eyes.

Her face is so close to it.

Warm, isn't it?

The moon's out.

Really? Where?

There, behind the trees.

Can you see the moon?

Yurina, the moon is over there.

Looking for the moon is keeping us busy.

It's beautiful, isn't it Yurina?

She wants us to hand her something.

The laser pointer?

Let her use it.

Good job.

Can you point at the moon?

Wow. Great job, Yurina.

There's the moon.

- Here it is.
- Very good, Yurina.

Yurina also spotted a star between the leaves.

You see it?

It's an orange star.

It's Arcturus.

Arcturus is a star in the constellation of Boötes.

It gives off a bright orange glow.

Yurina loves to write poems.

She was inspired to write one about this star.

"It's time for Arcturus to go home.

He flashes brightly, and says to me, 'See you again.'"

"The campfire was hot, so I watched from a distance."

"The orange flames shone on Arcturus to see him off."

"Then I also said, 'See you again.'"

Her world has expanded, and she's more familiar with the stars.

When we look up at the stars,

I feel like they're watching over and supporting us.

- Do you see it?
- It's so bright.

This initiative was inspired by something that happened 18 years ago.

Mariko was holding a workshop at the planetarium

where the participants began to share their favorite memories of starry skies.

"My mother and I saw a shooting star from the foot of Mt. Fuji.

We felt that it was my late father."

"A friend standing next to me was blown away by the stars.

I'm blind, so I've never seen stars, but her reaction made me feel like I could."

I think being surrounded by stars gives people a sense of safety.

They help people open up to each other.

Each of us is like an individual star.

And just like stars, connections are woven and spun to give meaning.

In 2016, Star Spinning Village was born.

The organization is supported by donations, grants, and fees from more than 200 members called "Villagers."

Through its numerous activities, it has shared the night sky with over 190,000 participants.

Another family has also traveled a long way to visit the cottage.

Sorry we're late.

Ando Masashi and his 15-year old son, Masaki.

Nice to see you.

Hello.

And Masashi's wife, Akiko.

It's Sachi.

Where should we put her photo?

They lost their daughter Sachi in 2021 when she was 9 years old.

Maybe where she can see us cooking.

Can I put her here?
She'll cook with you.

Of course.

Here, I don't even have to ask where to put her photo.

Someone usually does it before I say anything.

Sachi was energetic and curious.

She was diagnosed with leukemia at age 6.

Hello.

While she was in the hospital, a traveling planetarium paid her a visit.

She became an active member of the Star Spinning Village.

Amazing.

Open your eyes.

Wow.

There are the stars right above your heads. So many of them.

It was the best day of my life.

I enjoyed it.

Monoceros was her favorite constellation.

This was her room.

She received this card from the community.

It says, "Merry Christmas, Sachi."

She was overjoyed to get it.

It was a hard time for all of us.

She couldn't have a coming-of-age ceremony or a wedding...

Excuse me.

That's why...

It's pretty cloudy.

Bad weather for introductory stargazing.

Is it visible around this time?

Sachi was looking forward to visiting the cottage someday.

Monoceros should be there, near the horizon.

I see, it's this way.

- I got it wrong.
- It's in the east.

Monoceros' horn is out.

Did you hear that, Sachi?

Can you see it?

There it is.

It's Jupiter.

The weather's good.

While Sachi spent three years fighting her disease, the Andos' daily life was transformed.

Sachi's parents were always by her side,

taking turns to spend the night with her in the hospital.

The family wasn't able to spend much time together.

Masaki was preparing to take his junior high school entrance exams.

I thought, why did Sachi get sick when my exams were coming up?

I was so upset.

I thought God was so unfair.

I was full of anger back then.

Anger and sorrow.

I told Masaki that we were doing everything we could for Sachi,

so he should just keep quiet and study.

That's all I could come up with.

He got upset and said, "I'm doing my best too."

My only response was, "Well, you should do better."

A year after Sachi's death, Akiko was asked to speak about her daughter at Star Spinning Village.

She and her husband began looking through photos of their daughter.

Here, her grandpa came all the way to see her, and took her out to eat.

The two of us would reminisce like that about the old days.

Then, Masaki would chime in from over there.

That way, we were able to relive our happy memories little by little.

Seeing those photos brought us closer together.

It was like looking at stars together.

In November 2023, Masaki paid a visit to Nagano Prefecture.

Using a telescope can be surprisingly hard.

He's studying to become a certified stargazing guide.

He did three days of hands-on training.

I always have it with me.

Now, let's turn our telescope to Saturn.

In two years, we won't see Saturn's rings for a while due to a change in its tilt.

Masaki, can you set the telescope to Jupiter?

I've been in love with stargazing ever since I encountered the community.

I want to share the appeal of the night sky with others.

Just five days ago, Masaki received some terrible news.

His mother Akiko had developed a tumor.

On the last day of the course, Masaki fell ill and had to leave in the middle of a lecture.

Akiko is here to pick him up.

I think he's just tired, especially with the news about me.

I was told I might have ovarian cancer.

If that's the case it can't be helped.

But it hit Masaki hard.

I'm sure it was a shocking week for him.

Well, I did enjoy my time here.

Test results showed that Akiko's tumor was benign.

Hello. I feel much better now.

Thank you.

- How're you doing?
- Great.

It's a relief about your mom.

I'm glad it wasn't cancer.

Masaki will give you an introduction.

Hello, everyone.

On this day, Masaki was guiding visitors at the planetarium.

His father, Masashi, joined in later that day.

Nice to see you again.

I'll do it.

Not right now.

I'll say, "Let's go to space."

And I want you all to do this when I say it.

Ready? Let's go.

Let's go to space.

Amazing. He's so grown up.

It's been three years since Sachi passed away.

What happens when people look up at the stars together?

They seem at peace.

The stars seem to have helped the family reconnect.

You can use colored pens for a lantern-style planetarium.

Masaki plans to make his debut as a stargazing guide this year.

What's inside of this dome-shaped planetarium?

Air.

I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Sachi.

She's my inspiration.

Yurina plans to play the piano to accompany a video of the night sky.

Connections are spun through starry skies.

They make us feel like we're really here in this moment, together.

Everyone is a protagonist, forging their own path.