SPACE PORT Kii is Japan’s first privately operated rocket launch site, located on the Uragami Peninsula in the Tahara area of Kushimoto Town, Wakayama Prefecture. Part of the facility extends into the neighboring Uragami area of Nachikatsuura Town.
Facing the vast Pacific Ocean, the site takes advantage of its remote coastal location and the open sea to the south and east. It represents a new chapter in Japan’s space industry, where private companies are taking an increasingly important role in the development and launch of rockets and satellites.
The name “SPACE PORT Kii” expresses the idea of a new gateway connecting Earth and space. The word “Port” suggests a gateway or harbor, while “Kii” refers to the Kii Peninsula. The site is intended to become a kind of “key” to the future of space transportation.
Until relatively recently, space development was often associated with large-scale national programs and government agencies. SPACE PORT Kii offers a different vision: a privately operated spaceport designed to support a growing commercial space industry and the increasing demand for small satellite launches.
Building a rocket launch site requires exceptionally strict geographical and safety conditions. One important requirement is having open space in the direction of launch, with as little land or populated area as possible. A location with a relatively small surrounding population also makes it easier to establish the safety zones required during launches.
Kushimoto is located at the southernmost point of Honshu, Japan’s largest main island. To the south and southeast lies the vast Pacific Ocean, providing an ideal open launch corridor.
The location also offered an important logistical advantage. Rockets could be transported overland from the company’s manufacturing facility in Tomioka, Gunma Prefecture, making it possible to connect the launch site with the rocket production base.
Perhaps equally important was the strong support of local residents and municipal governments. The understanding and cooperation of the local community played a major role in making the project possible. In March 2019, the area was officially selected as the planned site for the launch facility.
SPACE PORT Kii is operated by SPACE ONE CO., LTD., a Japanese private space company established in July 2018.
The company was founded with investment from major Japanese corporations and financial institutions, including Canon Electronics, IHI Aerospace, Shimizu Corporation, and Development Bank of Japan. Kiyo Bank later joined the group of investors.
Space One aims to provide space transportation services that are among the fastest and most frequent in the world, with the goal of shortening the time between signing a launch contract and actually sending a satellite into space.
Traditional large rockets have often been used for government missions, scientific research, and other large-scale projects. For companies developing small satellites, however, finding a launch opportunity at the desired time can be difficult.
Space One’s business model is designed to address this challenge by providing a flexible commercial launch service specifically suited to small satellites. The company has envisioned a future with frequent launches, potentially reaching around 20 launches per year as its operations develop.
The rocket designed to launch from SPACE PORT Kii is called KAIROS.
The name is derived from “Kii-based Advanced & Instant ROcket System.” It also evokes Kairos, the ancient Greek personification associated with the right moment or opportunity. The name therefore reflects the company’s ambition to respond quickly to launch opportunities and make time a competitive advantage.
KAIROS was developed primarily for launching small satellites. Rather than relying on the traditional model of launching a small number of large payloads, the concept focuses on providing frequent and flexible launches for small satellites.
KAIROS is approximately 18 meters long and weighs around 23 tons, making it relatively small compared with many conventional orbital rockets.
It uses a three-stage configuration based primarily on solid-fuel propulsion, together with a liquid-fuel engine used for orbital adjustment. The use of solid propellant is intended to simplify preparation and shorten the time required to prepare for launch.
The system has been designed with speed and automation in mind. The company has stated that, under its planned operational model, a launch could potentially take place only a few days after receiving a satellite for launch.
Launch control is also highly automated. Systems are designed to assist with critical GO/NO-GO decisions and emergency procedures, including automated responses in situations where a launch must be terminated.
These technologies are intended to reduce the manpower and time required for each mission and ultimately support a high-frequency commercial launch service.
KAIROS’s journey has also demonstrated how difficult orbital spaceflight remains.
The first KAIROS launch took place in March 2024, followed by the second launch in December of the same year and the third in March 2026. None of these missions achieved the intended successful outcome, and development and improvement efforts continue.
Failures are not unusual in the history of rocket development. Space programs around the world have advanced through repeated testing, setbacks, investigation, redesign, and renewed attempts.
For Japan’s emerging private space industry, the KAIROS program represents an important challenge. Its development is being closely watched as an example of Japan’s effort to establish a commercially competitive space transportation business.
SPACE PORT Kii is not only an industrial facility. It has also attracted attention as a new tourism resource for Kushimoto.
Parts of the launch complex, including the main control-related structures, can be seen from National Route 42. Their futuristic appearance creates a striking contrast with the traditional coastal scenery of southern Wakayama.
Nearby attractions include the scenic Arasufune Coast and Tahara Coast, where visitors can enjoy dramatic ocean views. The combination of advanced space technology and the wild natural landscape of the Pacific coast creates a distinctive atmosphere that is difficult to find elsewhere in Japan.
For visitors interested in science and technology, seeing a modern rocket launch facility surrounded by the rugged landscapes of the Kii Peninsula offers a memorable travel experience.
In April 2025, Kushimoto opened a new space-themed interactive facility called Sora-Miru. The facility was created by renovating the former Koza Branch Office and is based on the concept of “bringing space closer to everyone.”
Designed for both children and adults, Sora-Miru offers visitors an accessible introduction to rockets, space exploration, and the technology behind modern launches.
Exhibits include the Rocket Tower, where visitors can experience the excitement of a rocket launch; the Space Worker experience, which allows visitors to imagine themselves wearing an astronaut-style uniform; and the Rocket See-Through Scope, which introduces the internal structure of the KAIROS rocket.
One of Sora-Miru’s main attractions is its Space Theater on the third floor.
Using high-resolution 8K video and powerful surround sound, the theater recreates the excitement of a rocket launch. The huge screen and immersive sound make visitors feel as though they are standing close to the launch site.
The experience also features spectacular images of Kushimoto’s coastline and natural landscapes, connecting the story of space exploration with the unique environment of the town itself.
Sora-Miru also includes the Koza Satellite Office, a community and regional exchange facility where local residents, tourists, businesses, and other visitors can meet and interact.
This combination of advanced technology and local community development is one of the facility’s most distinctive features. Rather than simply presenting space exploration as a distant scientific subject, Sora-Miru shows how the development of a space industry can contribute to the future of a rural coastal community.
Kushimoto has long been known for its dramatic coastline, rich marine environment, historic sites, and position at the southernmost point of Honshu. The arrival of SPACE PORT Kii has added an entirely new dimension to the town’s identity.
Today, Kushimoto is increasingly attracting attention as a “town of space” as well as a destination for nature and coastal tourism.
Rocket and satellite technologies have applications far beyond space exploration. Small satellites can support areas such as communications, disaster management, weather observation, agriculture, logistics, and environmental monitoring.
SPACE PORT Kii therefore represents not only a launch site but also a potential foundation for new industries and technologies that may influence everyday life in the future.
One of the most fascinating aspects of SPACE PORT Kii is the contrast between its setting and its purpose. The facility stands amid the beautiful natural landscapes of the Kii Peninsula, facing the enormous Pacific Ocean, while its mission looks far beyond Earth.
Visitors can enjoy the rugged coastline, blue ocean, forests, and traditional communities of southern Wakayama while also encountering one of Japan’s most ambitious examples of private space development.
SPACE PORT Kii represents a place where the natural beauty of Kushimoto and humanity’s dreams of space come together. A visit here offers more than a glimpse of a rocket launch facility—it provides an opportunity to think about the future of technology, regional development, and Japan’s growing role in the commercial space industry.
The SPACE PORT Kii area and Sora-Miru can be incorporated into a sightseeing trip around Kushimoto.
Sora-Miru is approximately a five-minute walk from JR Koza Station, making it particularly convenient for travelers using public transportation.
For visitors exploring Kushimoto by car, the rocket launch site and surrounding coastal viewpoints can be combined with the area’s many scenic and cultural attractions.
A trip to Kushimoto offers a rare opportunity to experience two very different sides of Japan at once: the timeless beauty of the Pacific coast and the cutting-edge world of private space exploration.