This Astronomical Observatory of Ayabe Pao is located in the north from the central part of the city. This facility boasts its reflecting telescope with a clear aperture of 95 cm in diameter. This facility was built in here in 1995 for the purpose of education. It is open from 9:00 to 16:30 from Tuesday to Thursday and 9:00 to 21:30 from Friday to Sinday. Closed on Mondays and day after national holidays. Once a year they open this facility until midnight for special observation day. There are many objects for scientific study on display as well as items presented by locals for visitors to enjoy. Friendly staffs are always happy to guides you through the facility and show you to the top floor where the telescope is set. Please notice that there is a meteorite of iron placed right in the center of its first floor which you are allowed to touch and lift. The entrance fee is 200 yen per adult. ( Trans-word+ TGM Kyoto Guide )

First, I was surprised at how cheap the admission was😳 The staff were kind and explained things carefully. They also showed us a 15-minute video in the Hi-Vision Theater. It's nice that you can touch and play with things in the exhibition rooms too~ We were also able to observe sunspots with the 95 cm telescope🔭. The staff's explanations were easy to understand, and it got me interested. It's a one-day ticket, so you can come and go freely, and apparently you can also observe the stars at night. You can do crafts, there are lots of books for kids, it was fun. I knew that on the moon you'd weigh 1/6 when you step on the scale, but on Venus... on Mars... and so on, it was fun how it displayed your weight.

+3

I think we arrived just after 8 pm. We drove up the slope from central Ayabe. The area where the observatory is located is quite dark, but it's ideal for stargazing. What I recommend here is the mini planetarium where you can set the date, location, season and so on yourself. It actually gave me a bit of an idea of what it's like when the staff operate it. We watched the staff's top-recommended video. The content is for kids, but it's interesting even for adults. It explained stars, supernova explosions, the sun, Vega, Altair and more. The exhibits are aimed at kids and I think they were made quite a while ago, but I think they're a good starting point for learning earth science. There was a game where you collect space junk (debris?!) and a corner where you can try pedaling a bicycle. The building is compact, but fun! When I went, there were no other visitors. You buy tickets at the reception. The price is very reasonable. The staff explained things enthusiastically and kindly. Payment is cash only; credit cards and electronic payments can't be used. On the Sunday I went, they were open until 9:30 pm.

+3

Every single staff member was kind, and their explanations were thorough. There are crafts and devices that tickle your intellectual curiosity; it's a place not just kids but adults can truly enjoy. Even visiting the observatory during the day, there were stars you could see, like Vega, and we could see the sun.

+3

We went on a holiday before Obon during the kids' summer vacation. Since you can make all kinds of crafts, my kid happily made things. With exhibits about space, a mini theater, hands-on spaces and so on, I think kids up to about elementary school age can enjoy it. The staff were truly kind and attentive, and they boosted the appeal of this facility. By the way, because of the closing time, the various craft activities close at 3 pm, so be careful! I didn't try it, but it seems you can also do stargazing activities at night.

+2