February, 1996
Why did Anamizu City make such a festival? The American astronomer visited there in May, 1889 and published a book about the journey to the "then" remote fishing village and port. About 100 years later the city government decided to commemorate his arrival.
In 1981 Masaaki Miyazaki, a college lecturer in Kanazawa, published the Japanese version of Percival Lowell's Noto : An Unexplored Corner of Japan. The book, describing a foreign tourist's travel in "Lost" Japan, became very popular in the prefecture and was awarded the Kanazawa Civic Literature Prize by the Kanazawa city government, which led to the Anamizu city's decision.
Anamizu is also designated by the Environmental Ministry as "the city which has the most beautiful night skies in Japan", and calls itself "Star City." The people living in the area can still enjoy being with beautiful Nature around them. They want to keep it as it is.
The U.S astronomer's festival features education of younger generations. It's a small event but attendants will be able to spend a happy time in listening to a famous astronomer and watching wonderful stars in clear dark skies.