Himawari Satellite Day

What Is Himawari Satellite Day?

Every July 14th is "Himawari Satellite Day" (ひまわりの日, Himawari no Hi) in Japan. On July 14, 1977, Japan's first geostationary meteorological satellite — named "Himawari" (ひまわり, "Sunflower") — was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard an American Delta rocket. The Himawari satellite represented a transformative leap in Japan's weather forecasting capability, providing continuous imagery of cloud cover and weather systems across East Asia and the Western Pacific from its position 36,000 kilometers above the equator.

The Himawari Satellite Series

The original Himawari of 1977 was Japan's first geostationary weather satellite. It was followed by a series of increasingly advanced successors: Himawari 2 through 5 (1981–1995), Himawari 6 and 7 (launched 2005 and 2006 as the multi-purpose MTSAT satellites), and the current generation, Himawari-8 (launched 2014, operational 2015) and Himawari-9 (launched 2016). Himawari-8 and 9 represent a quantum leap in capability: they capture full-disk images of the Earth every 10 minutes (and targeted regional images every 2.5 minutes), in 16 spectral bands, at resolution up to 500 meters — making them among the most capable weather satellites ever flown.

Himawari and Typhoon Warnings

For Japan — where roughly 25 typhoons form in the region each year and around a dozen come close to the country — the ability to track tropical cyclones from their formation through their entire lifecycle has been transformative. Himawari imagery allows the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue typhoon track and intensity forecasts days in advance, supporting evacuations and preparations.

The "Sunflower" That Watches the Earth

The nickname "Himawari" (sunflower) comes from the flower, which is said to turn to follow the sun. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the name expresses that the satellite always watches the Earth from the same direction and goes around once a day along with it. Early satellites of Japan's National Space Development Agency (NASDA) were given flower names. "Himawari" was a nickname for satellites 1 through 7 and became the official name from Himawari-8 onward.

Fun Facts

• Real-time imagery: Himawari-8 and 9 imagery is freely available online in near-real-time, and the satellite's cloud imagery has become familiar to millions of Japanese television viewers who see it daily on weather broadcasts.
• Real sunflowers: Sunflowers track the sun only while young, from sprout to bud; once in bloom, most flower heads stay facing east.
• Global data sharing: Japan shares Himawari data with meteorological agencies across Asia and the Pacific, making it a cornerstone of regional weather monitoring infrastructure.