Kurashiki Observatory, known as Japan's first public observatory, will celebrate its 100th anniversary this November.
Since opening, the facility has inspired approximately 300 other observatories to be built across Japan, serving both professional astronomers and night-sky enthusiasts.
Located in Okayama Prefecture in western Japan, the area is renowned for its clear skies and low light pollution. Over the past century, it has not only been a destination for the public to explore the universe but also contributed to important scientific research.
The 100th-anniversary ceremony is expected to draw scientists, researchers and locals, honoring the observatory's enduring legacy in Japanese citizen astronomy.
