Qibla · Chiba
Qibla direction in Yachiyo
To face the Kaaba in Yachiyo, turn to 293.3° measured clockwise from true north, which is north-west (23.3° north of west). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 9,509 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Yachiyo should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Yachiyo as a needle at 293.3°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 293°. A traditional magnetic compass also works, provided you allow for the local difference between magnetic and true north.
Find the Qibla with your phone
How to face the Qibla in Yachiyo
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 23.3° towards north: the result is the bearing of 293.3°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at west would leave you about 23° off.
The scholars distinguish two cases: the one who sees the Kaaba aims at the building itself, while the one who cannot see it, as anywhere in Yachiyo, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of a local mosque is a quick way to confirm the result. If you travel or move house, check the angle again, since it changes from place to place.
Why a flat map shows a different direction
This is a place where maps mislead badly: a straight line on a flat map from Yachiyo to Mecca points to 260.7° (west), a full 32.5° away from the true Qibla of 293.3° (north-west). The map line keeps one compass heading and is 373 km longer than the great-circle route. Because the Earth is a sphere, the shortest way to Mecca from Yachiyo first heads north-west, and that is the direction to face.
The value of 293.3° is the direction in which the shortest route from 35.7353° N, 140.1245° E sets off towards the Kaaba at 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E. Every accurate Qibla calculator, and the plans of well-oriented mosques, arrive at the same angle for this point.
Distance from Yachiyo to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 9,509 km from Yachiyo as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 9,324 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 11 h 41 min, although most pilgrims from Yachiyo connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Yachiyo run 6 hours ahead of Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Yachiyo rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Yachiyo
On 53 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Yachiyo while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in June (30 days); for example, on 1 June 2027 it happens at 18:15 local time.
On 276 days the sun stands exactly opposite the Qibla: then the shadow of any vertical object, a pole, a door frame or a plumb line, points straight towards Mecca. This is most frequent in March (31 days), for instance on 15 February 2027 at 07:20.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | — |
| 15 January 2027 | — | — |
| 1 February 2027 | — | — |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 07:20 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 07:42 |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 08:04 |
| 1 April 2027 | — | 08:29 |
| 15 April 2027 | — | 08:49 |
| 1 May 2027 | — | 09:12 |
| 15 May 2027 | — | 09:31 |
| 1 June 2027 | 18:15 | 09:50 |
| 15 June 2027 | 18:10 | 10:00 |
| 1 July 2027 | 18:15 | 10:03 |
| 15 July 2027 | 18:26 | 09:56 |
| 1 August 2027 | — | 09:37 |
| 15 August 2027 | — | 09:15 |
| 1 September 2027 | — | 08:43 |
| 15 September 2027 | — | 08:15 |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 07:41 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 07:13 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 06:42 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | — |
| 1 December 2027 | — | — |
| 15 December 2027 | — | — |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Yachiyo: at 18:18 and 18:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Yachiyo compared with other cities
The Qibla here is practically the same as in Tokyo (293.0°), and Mecca is 34 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Chiba (15 km), prays towards 293.3°, the same bearing to the tenth of a degree.
Across the 154 cities in Japan on this site, the Qibla ranges from 288.1° in Sasebo to 295.3° in Kushiro, a spread of 7.2°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Japan.
Qibla in cities near Yachiyo
Qibla in Yachiyo: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Yachiyo?
It is 293.3° from true north, which is north-west: 23.3° north of west.
How far is Yachiyo from Mecca?
9,509 km in a straight line over the globe, and 9,324 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Yachiyo?
On 53 days of 2027 the sun stands in the Qibla direction; the table on this page gives the exact time for the 1st and 15th of each month.
Why is the Qibla in Yachiyo not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 260.7°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Yachiyo at 293.3°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 293.3° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.