Campuses and Observatories

The campuses of the Department of Astronomical Science are NAOJ campuses and NAOJ observatories. NAOJ offers astronomers nationwide joint usage of research facilities including observational facilities such as the Subaru Telescope and NAOJ Nobeyama radio telescopes, as well as supercomputers. The domestic campuses are Mitaka Campus, NAOJ Nobeyama, Mizusawa Campus, the Gravitational Wave Project Office Kamioka Branch, and the VERA Stations. However, our campuses are not just in Japan. We also have the Subaru Telescope in Hawai`i and many students belonging to the Department of Astronomical Science stay there long-term for research.

Campuses and Observatories

• Mitaka Campus
• Subaru Telescope
• NAOJ Nobeyama
• Mizusawa Campus
• Gravitational Wave Project Office Kamioka Branch
• The seven VLBI Stations

Mitaka Campus

Mitaka Campus is the headquarters of NAOJ (National Astronomical Observatory of Japan) in Mitaka, Tokyo. Our institute promotes astronomical research in Japan and holds regular events and open campus as an open research institute.

Address: 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo, 181-8588, JAPAN

Subaru Telescope

Subaru Telescope consists of the Summit Facility near the summit of Maunakea at an altitude of 4,200 m and the Hiro Base Facility where research projects, development, and administration are conducted.

Hilo Base Facility
Address: 650 North A`ohoku Place, Hilo, Hawai`i 96720 U.S.A.
(Note.) There is no public transportation to the Hilo Base Facility.

NAOJ Nobeyama

NAOJ Nobeyama is located in the Nobeyama highlands in Nagano. Leading-edge observational instruments, including the Nobeyama 45-m Radio Telescope, the Nobeyama Millimeter Array, and the Nobeyama Radioheliograph have been established here to pursue various research themes related to the Universe.

Address: Nobeyama, Minamimakimura, Minamisaku, Nagano 384-1305, Japan

Mizusawa Campus

The RISE Project and Mizusawa VLBI Observatory, which includes multiple projects, are involved in research activities at Mizusawa Campus.

Address: 2-12, Hoshigaoka, Mizusawa, Oshu, Iwate 023-0861, Japan

Gravitational Wave Project Office Kamioka Branch

The gravitational wave detector KAGRA is now undergoing upgrades in the town of Kamioka in Hida City, Gifu Prefecture, where the Kamioka Branch is located. Once the upgrades are completed, KAGRA will observe gravitational waves emitted from high energy astronomical events such as collisions of black holes in coordination with other large gravitational wave detectors around the world to extend our understanding of the Universe.

Address: 238 Higashimozumi, Kamioka-cho, Hida, Gifu, 506-1205, Japan

The seven VLBI Stations

• VERA Mizusawa Station
  Address: 2-12, Hoshigaoka, Mizusawa, Oshu, Iwate 023-0861, Japan
  Access
• Ibaraki Station
  Address: 608-1, Ishitaki, Takahagi, Ibaraki 318-0022, Japan
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• Yamaguchi Station
  Address: 123, Nihonakago, Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi 753-0302, Japan
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• VERA Iriki Station
  Address: 4018-3, Uranomyo, Iriki, Satsumasendai, Kagoshima 895-1402, Japan
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• Kagoshima Station
  Address: Hirakawa-cho, Kagoshima, Kagoshima 891-0133, Japan
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• VERA Ogasawara Station
  Address: Asahiyama, Chichi-jima, Ogasawara, Tokyo 100-2101, Japan
  Access
• VERA Ishigakijima Station
  Address: 2389-1, Tonoshirotakeda, Ishigaki, Okinawa 907-0004, Japan
  Access