H3 rocket launch at the Tanegashima Space Center ©JAXA

At the Space Science and Technology Museum at the Tanegashima Space Center, visitors enjoy learning about the history of the space program and the latest technology. Take a picture that looks like you are floating weightless on the space station at the museum’s photo spot. ©JAXA

Located at the south of the Japanese archipelago, off the southern coast of Kagoshima Prefecture, Tanegashima Island is about a 40-minute plane trip from Kagoshima Airport. A high-speed boat journey takes about an hour and a half. Blessed with a mild climate and stunning natural environment, the island is home to the Tanegashima Space Center, a frontline base for Japan’s space program.

Against the backdrop of the turquoise sea, visitors from across Japan gather on launch days to catch sight of soaring rockets, climbing with a roar and flash into the sky. There is a reason why this space center, boasting the most beautiful rocket launch site in the world, was built in the south of Japan. When a rocket is launched in an easterly direction, the kinetic energy of the Earth's rotational speed adds to the speed of the rocket. The closer to the equator, the faster the Earth's rotation, and the greater the force transmitted to the rocket. At 30 degrees north latitude, Tanegashima is relatively close to the equator, and it has vast areas of open land, and for these reasons, the island was selected as Japan's gateway to space.

Looking back centuries, Tanegashima was the site of an event that catapulted the island to the forefront of Japanese history. The Portuguese who drifted ashore of this island in the 16th century introduced firearms to Japan, significantly impacting the country during its Warring States period. Teppo Matsuri, a festival that commemorates the arrival of firearms with participants dressed in period costume test-firing guns, is still held every year. Tanebasami scissors, which came into Japan along with the guns, are mid-point shears with the pivot positioned halfway between the handle and the blades. Prized for their exceptional sharpness and convenient ambidextrous design, these scissors have become a traditional craft for which Tanegashima is well known. In the 17th century, cultivation of the sweet potato, which was introduced by way of the continent, began. Improvements have yielded the Annou Imo, a variety of sweet potato enjoyed for its high sugar content and creamy texture. Tanegashima is also known for confections that make the most of the variety’s full-bodied sweetness.

Teppo Festival celebrates the arrival of firearms to Japan. (Photo: Tanegashima Tourism Association / Tanegashima Firearms Preservation Society)

Tanebasami scissors are individually hand-forged by master blacksmiths. (Left: Teppokan (Firearms Museum), Right: MATHERuBA Co., Ltd.)