There is a place where you can literally walk through the stars, or rather on the stars. We are talking about the incredible Japanese beach of Hoshizuna, which is located on the island of Iriomote, second by extension among those belonging to the prefecture of Okinawa. Here the grains of sand have a decidedly out of the ordinary shape that reminds you very much that of the stars.
“Hoshizuna-no-Hamama” (ie “or” stars-shaped sand “): with this term the Japanese have renamed this very particular sand, which intrigues tourists who visit the pristine island, which has about 2 thousand inhabitants.
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Precisely for this peculiarity of the coast, in addition to the crystal clear sea and wild nature, it has become one of the main attractions of the place. For those who visit these lands it is undoubtedly an unmissable stop.
A beach of stars ☆. Wonder of shells in Okinawa, A 「星砂の浜」 /Hoshizuna no Hama /. A show to say the least wonderful ~
Posted by Japan Mon Amour on Thursday, September 9, 2021
“Stellata beach”: what does this fascinating phenomenon originate from?
But why does sand have such an unusual appearance in this place? In reality, it is not a question of real grains of sand, but of tiny exoskeletons now empty of Sphaerular Baculogypsinmarine protozoa belonging to the species of foraminiferi.
These extraordinary creatures, at five or six points, have very small dimensions of a couple of millimeters and live attached to the algae of the oceans, in particular in the peaceful one. When they die, the calcium carbonate coating is dragged to the shore by the currents, where it mixes with the sand and pebbles.
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Although Iriomote beach is the best known for the presence of these microorganisms, it is possible to admire this phenomenon also in some coasts of the island of Taketomi, always in the prefecture of Okinawa, where there are special signs that indicate the presence of these tiny stars.
The island of Iriomote can be reached by ferry from Ishigaki, one of the main islands of the Yaeyama archipelago. From Ishigaki daily ferries start and, once you arrive in Iriomote, you can move with buses or renting a car or a bike.
The best time to visit Hoshizuna beach is between April and October, when the climatic conditions are optimal and the sea is particularly transparent. But be careful of the season of the fans, which runs from June to September.
Iriomote is also famous for hosting the very rare Iriomote cat, an endemic subspecies that lives only here. It is so elusive that many local inhabitants have never seen it!
Remember: collecting the grains of “starry sand” is prohibited, as well as ethically incorrect. They are fragile and rare elements, part of a delicate ecosystem. Every year, the ecosystem suffers damage precisely because of the tourists who take it via champions.
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