Kajigamori Observatory

Kajigamori Observatory sits high on Mt. Kajigamori in Ōtoyo-cho, Kochi Prefecture, Japan, part of a mountain lodge and natural park that draws hikers and stargazers alike.

About Kajigamori Observatory

The observatory is attached to the Kajigamori Cottage (also known as Kajigamori Lodge), within the Kajigamori Prefectural Natural Park. It houses a 60-centimetre reflecting telescope, a substantial instrument for a mountain-lodge observatory, giving visitors serious views of the night sky.

Telescopes & research

The main instrument is a 60cm reflector, a large aperture by the standards of a public lodge observatory, used for guided public and group observation sessions rather than professional research. Because reservations are required to use it, sessions tend to be smaller and more personal than at large public observatories, giving visitors more time at the eyepiece.

Location & getting there

Mt. Kajigamori rises to about 1,399 metres in Ōtoyo-cho, Nagaoka District, Kochi Prefecture, on the island of Shikoku. The site can be reached by hiking or by road, and the mountain setting means clearer, darker skies than are typically found in nearby towns, part of why the observatory was built here in the first place.

Visiting Kajigamori Observatory

Use of the telescope requires a reservation in advance, so plan ahead rather than expecting a walk-in visit. The attached cottage/lodge also offers overnight stays for those wanting a full night under the stars on the mountain, making it a practical base for a longer stargazing trip rather than a quick stop.

See your named star from here

With its 60cm reflector and mountain-clear skies, Kajigamori Observatory is exactly the kind of place where the RA/Dec coordinates of a named star become a real, visible point of light. Browse our star-naming packages or find a star's exact position in the catalogue.