In a country whose cultural roots are highly tied to nature, increased light pollution and suburban encroachment on dark sites has led a number of amateurs to go the CCD route along with computer controlled telescopes for virtually all observations. For many amateurs here, "dark adaptation" has become an adjustment on their computer monitor.

A perhaps extreme case in "automation" is the work of Masakatsu Aoki. After only five months of searching for supernovas, he found his first on July 28, 1996. This was followed by a second discovery on August 17th... and a third and fourth on December 15th. Making that many discoveries in that short of a time frame seems remarkable. But how does he do it? As a representative of the ERUDE (Japanese katakana spelling) corporation, he has access to the best in CCD equipment and computer facilities (he refers to it as his "light" equipment). Attaching to a Mikage 43 cm f/6 reflector, he searches in what might be called a "methodical shotgun" fashion. Aoki limits his search to galaxies greater than 2' in diameter and brighter than magnitude 14. On a given night, he estimates that his equipment (using pre-programmed coordinates) can automatically photograph from 350 to 400 target galaxies. He indicates that he captured more than 12,215 images last year encompassing the ones in which new super novae were discovered.

In marked contrast is the working method of Shunji Sasaki. Having to travel some distance from his home in Namisaki, he discovered his third supernova just before dawn on December 19, 199g. Sasaki uses medium format negatives rather than CCD equipment. He attaches a Nikon FM2 loaded with TMAX 400 (Black and White) to his Takahashi MT-200 (focal reducer to f/4.8) and searches particular areas that "he just likes"; the area of Bootes (NGC 5673 to be exact) was where he found SN 1996cc in December. He insists that he just doesn't want to use CCD equipment because "you only get a monitor, not the sky". "I'm going to just stay with my present method as long as I can" he told the Tenmon Guide interviewer. He further explained that feeling close to "the sky" was most important; "I calm down when I watch the stars" he said, but also expressed concern that if light pollution gets much worse, he will have to seriously consider purchasing CCD equipment.

The actual record holder for supernova discovery in Japan is held by Reiki Kushida. Using cooled CCD equipment with a 40 cm reflector, she discovered her sixth supernova at Yatsugatake Nanroku Observatory on January 14, 1997. Of perhaps equal interest are the activities of Reiki and her husband Yoshio. The true husband and wife team, Reiki and Yoshio bought a plot of land (about 6600 square meters) in Yatsugatake and built what they called "Hoshi no Mura" (Star Village). Fully dedicated amateurs, they built facilities for star party guests and further subdivided the land into 12 sections for lease to amateur groups from other parts of Japan. According to the Kushida's, each clear weekend now sees twelve domes "opened to the sky".

While such activities may not be heavy on the theoretical end of things, professional astronomers (as has been so often the case in Japan and elsewhere) can certainly appreciate the data gathering skills of these amateurs... three different conditions of observation... three different methods... three different sensitivities to the night sky.