Getting around
Depending on where you are staying, there are several ways to get to the venue: the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.
From Musashisakai Station, go to Platform #3 on the South side of the station (closest to Starbucks) and take the 91 bus to Tenmondai Mae.
From Mitaka Station, you have two options:
1. Take the Chuo line on Track 4 (make sure you’re not heading toward Tokyo) to Musashisakai Station (1 stop), then follow the instructions above.
2. Take the 51 bus from Platform #5 on the street level of the station for 16 stops to Tenmondai Mae.
From Kichijoji Station, the best way is to either go to Mitaka Station (1 stop West on the Chuo line, away from Tokyo) or Musashisakai Station (2 stops West on the Chuo line) and follow the instructions above.
From Chofu Station, you may take either the 51 bus (Platform 14) or the 91 bus (Platform 13) directly to Tenmondai Mae. These platforms are on the North side of the station.
Once at Tenmondai Mae, you will be right below the main gate of NAOJ. Walk up the hill to the gate. The security guard should be on your right. Before 0830 on the first day, a member of our team will be there to guide you to the registration desk. Please bring a passport or other government ID with you – it’s likely you will not need this, but please bring it just in case.
At registration, you will receive your name tag and an ID card. This will let you into the buildings secured for the Symposium. When you register to get your name badge, give your access card number to the person checking you in. You must return this card when you leave.
The easiest way to get around buses and trains smoothly is to get either a physical Suica card or one on your phone. You must be in Japan to download the app from your app store (either the Suica app or Passmo will work). You can link these directly to your credit card and refill as needed.
If you’d rather get a physical card, you can do so at the airport or major train stations like Tokyo or Shinjuku. Look for black ticket machines with the Suica/IC card logo. You can recharge these cards with cash at every train station.
You can also purchase one-time tickets at the station, but if you plan on exploring Tokyo – or any city in Japan – it’s better to get a card either physically or virtually.
Some train stations now accept credit cards directly, but it isn’t available everywhere, so don’t count on it.
Note that where you tap your card to get on a bus depends on the kind of bus! In Western Tokyo, the Keio buses (the “Blue Bus”) charge you by distance, so tap on in the middle of the bus and tap off at the front when you exit. Odakyu buses (the “Red Bus”) charge a flat fee: tap on at the front where you enter, and tap off in the middle where you exit. This is regional, so if you travel outside of Western Tokyo, watch what the locals do, and you should be fine.
If you’d rather take a taxi, it’s easiest to use apps like GO or S.RIDE. Uber also works, but is less reliable in some places.
ADDRESS:
National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
2-21-1 Osawa Mitaka
Tokyo, Japan
181-8588
PUBLIC TRANSIT:
91 bus (~0 km)
Musashisakai Station (~4 km)
Mitaka Station (~5 km)
Chofu Station (~3 km)
AIRPORT:
Haneda (~40 km)
Narita (~100 km)
Join Us at the Symposium
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