Okayama Astronomical Museum (岡山天文博物館)

Flow of the course

About this spot

A museum on the theme of astronomy, on Mt. Chikurinji (竹林寺山) in Asakuchi City. It stands on a mountain that is home to one of Japan's leading observatories, and inside you can watch the starry sky projected in the planetarium and observe the sun through a telescope. Talking about stars in broad daylight, and being able to see the surface of the sun on top of that, is an experience children remember vividly. The exhibits introduce how the universe works and the history of observation in accessible terms, so no specialist knowledge is needed to enjoy them. Being up on a mountain, the road there and back also looks out over the Seto Inland Sea.

Tips

Check the admission fee, planetarium screening times, whether solar observation is running and the closing days with the official information in advance. Screenings run to set times, so timing your arrival to match shortens the wait. Solar observation depends on the weather and may not be held on cloudy or rainy days. You drive up a mountain road, so take precautions in advance for children prone to car sickness. It is cooler on the mountain than in town, so a light layer is reassuring.

Best time to visit

About 1 hour 45 minutes. Timing your visit to a planetarium screening is the efficient approach

Access & map

〒719-0232 岡山県浅口市鴨方町本庄３０３７−５