The International Space Station (ISS) orbits Earth at an altitude of approximately 400 kilometres, completing a full circuit of the planet every 90 minutes. This expansive, habitable satellite—developed through the collaboration of the United States, Canada, Europe, Russia, and Japan—houses Kibō (きぼう), meaning hope, Japan’s dedicated experiment module. Kibō, designed and operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), serves as the nation’s primary spaceborne research facility.

The module's pressurised unit, measuring approximately 11 × 4 metres, is a dense network of wires and dials. At its entrance hangs a vivid indigo fabric divider, split into three panels, each bearing one of three hiragana characters spelling its name. Since the facility's activation in June 2008, the divider has become an enduring symbol of Japan’s presence aboard the station. It delineates the threshold between Kibō’s workspace and the rest of the ISS while also carrying the honour of representing Japanese culture in space. Although its role is significant, it remains a humble noren (暖簾).