Stargazing Party: Watch the “Subaru” from the Heart of SUBARU
Sustainability Journal
Stargazing Party: Watch the “Subaru” from the Heart of SUBARU
On November 30, 2024, SUBARU's Tokyo Office held a stargazing party called “Watch the 'Subaru' from the Heart of SUBARU.” This event was initiated in response to a request from Mitaka City as it looked to create opportunities for locals to enjoy the starry skies casually. With the cooperation of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, we brought this event to life by opening the Tokyo Office's employee parking lot to the public. The event's name incorporates the concept that we want to watch “Subaru,” the Japanese name for the Pleiades six-star cluster, from the heart of where SUBARU employees work. This makes it a unique SUBARU event, reflecting how much we value our communities. This was the second such event, after the first in 2023, and was attended by 103 locals.
On the day of the event, the Director of the Public Relations Center of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan gave a lecture on astronomy, explaining the Pleiades star cluster from which we derived the SUBARU company name, and the appeals of stargazing in an easy-to-understand manner. Participants then gazed into the starry sky themselves with telescopes and binoculars provided in the employee parking lot. Thanks to the fine weather on that particular evening, participants were able to clearly see the Pleiades star cluster, Saturn, and other celestial bodies near to the Earth. Comments from the participants included expressions of enjoyment about participating in a stargazing event in their hometown, an unexpected pleasure of being able to see the stars in Tokyo's Mitaka area, and appreciation for a precious moment spent with family.
The event proved to be extremely popular, with a flood of applications as soon as they were opened; the number of applicants outnumbered the slots available by around four to one. Many participants expressed their hope that the event will be held again next year, and it was an opportunity for SUBARU to build new relationships with the local community. Looking ahead, we will continue to hold events and interact with our communities to build strong, positive relationships. By proposing new activities beyond just this event, we also aim to be a company that actively contributes to the local community.
