Environment Planet Earth Star Sand Shows Nature’s Exquisite Attention to Detail Japan’s handful of star sand beaches have sand like few other places in the world. By Melissa Breyer Melissa Breyer Twitter Editorial Director Hunter College F.I.T., State University of New York Cornell University Melissa Breyer is Treehugger’s editorial director. She is a sustainability expert and author whose work has been published by the New York Times and National Geographic, among others. Learn about our editorial process Updated March 31, 2023 Share Twitter Pinterest Email Tsuneo Yamashita / Getty Images Environment Weather Outdoors Conservation So much imagery comes to mind when considering beaches where the sand takes the shape of stars ... the potential for poetry is a bit unbridled. But perhaps the villagers residing on Japan’s Iriomote Island sum it up best. The star-shaped sands, legend has it, are the children of the North Star and Southern Cross. The descendants of the stars fell from the sky into the ocean of Okinawa, where they were killed by a sea serpent and remain as beautiful star-shaped grains of sand scattered across the beach. TokioMarineLife / Getty Images The Japanese term for the sand is “hoshizuna.” TokioMarineLife / Getty Images However ... science has a different take; the tiny shells are the product of ocean-dwelling one-celled protozoa called Baclogypsina sphaerulata. Their exoskeletons have armlets to assist them in getting around and for storing food. When these little guys die, their shells remain in the sea, and the tide washes them ashore. gyro / Getty Images Three islands in Okinawa – Hatoma, Iriomote, and Taketomi – have beaches that are the lucky recipients of this rare and stellar gift. gyro / Getty Images The star-shaped prizes are mingled in with more mundanely shaped grains of sand. After periods of storm and strong seas, the beach is even more abundant with the stars as they are loosened from the sea grass where they collect. Above is Hoshizuna-no-hama (star sand beach) on Iriomote island in Okinawa. TokioMarineLife / Getty Images While it's no secret that sand comes in infinite shapes and sizes, that nature gives us sand shaped like stars feels a bit extra special. The universe at your fingertips with the sea at your feet? Heaven and Earth together at last.