Ayabe observatory
Satellite imagery: Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics
Ayabe observatory, known locally as "Pao," is the Ayabe City Astronomical Observatory in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.
About Ayabe observatory
The observatory's main instrument is a 95 centimetre reflecting telescope with a 3.1-metre focal length, one of the largest such telescopes in Japan, used for observing galaxies and planets.
Location & getting there
Ayabe observatory sits in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, and is reachable on foot in about five minutes from the Sato bus stop on the Aya Bus Shinoda Sakuragaoka line, which runs from JR Ayabe Station.
Visiting Ayabe observatory
The observatory is open to the public for a 200 yen admission fee. It operates Tuesday to Thursday from 9:00 to 16:30, and Friday to Sunday from 9:00 to 21:30, giving evening visitors a chance to look through its large reflector after dark.
See your named star from here
With one of Japan's largest public telescopes and extended evening hours, Ayabe observatory is a genuinely good place to try to spot a named star. Name a star or check the catalogue for its coordinates before your visit.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check Google Maps for current times before you travel.
