Saji Observatory

Saji Observatory is a public astronomical facility in Saji, Tottori, Japan, built to give visitors access to one of the country's largest telescopes under some of its darkest rural skies.

About Saji Observatory

Operated as a public astronomy park by the town of Tottori, Saji Observatory centres on a 103-centimetre telescope, one of the largest instruments open to the public in Japan. The observatory was purpose-built to counter light pollution, sited away from city glow so both casual visitors and researchers can get genuinely dark skies.

History

The observatory opened in July 1994. Its research contributions are commemorated in the sky itself: asteroid 8738 Saji was discovered by astronomers at the facility and later named in its honour, and the observatory holds its own Minor Planet Center observatory code, 867, reflecting its role in tracking asteroids and other small bodies.

Telescopes & research

The centrepiece 103 cm telescope is large enough for detailed planetary and deep-sky observation, and has been used for both public stargazing sessions and asteroid-tracking work, bridging outreach and research in a single facility.

Location & getting there

Saji Observatory is set in the hills of Saji, in Tottori Prefecture on Japan's Sea of Japan coast - a rural area chosen specifically for its low light pollution and steady, clear-sky conditions.

Visiting Saji Observatory

The observatory welcomes the public daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., making it accessible for both daytime visits and evening observing sessions. Check the official Tottori city website before travelling, as hours and telescope-viewing sessions can vary.

See your named star from here

With a 103 cm telescope and genuinely dark skies, Saji Observatory is a serious option for anyone hoping to see more than the naked eye reveals. If you've named a star with us, check its coordinates in our catalogue and ask staff here whether it's worth a look through the big telescope on a given night.