Luna Observatory Auberge Mori No Atelier

The people here made our family stay especially memorable. The team patiently answered all our questions, and little touches like English handouts and explanations made astronomy feel easy to follow. We were grateful that, across our multiple nights, the staff varied the observations and gave us more detailed explanations in English. Meeting the gracious, genuine owner was a pleasure too. The astronomy program was the highlight. Two astrophysicists and a geologist sincerely did their best to tell the story of the stars in English, and their enthusiasm for the cosmos was inspiring. We used Kyushu’s second-largest telescope and the largest binoculars, watched a planetarium show, then went outside for stargazing by a bonfire with hot chocolate. We had fun looking for planets, stars, galaxies and shooting stars, and learned to spot Betelgeuse in the Winter Triangle, the Great Square of Pegasus in autumn, and Deneb in the Summer Triangle. Our cabin-style room was cozy, warm and tucked into nature, a lovely place to settle in before a night of stargazing. Half-board was included, and the food was beautifully presented and delicious, with local ingredients, especially Aso beef. We even took home lovely souvenirs, including a wonderfully fluffy night-sky blanket we adore. Minami Aso Luna Hotel gave us one of our most enriching and magical stargazing experiences. We’d highly recommend it, especially for families with kids.

The guides made the night unforgettable. The three PhD staff, two astrophysicists and a geologist, connected the stars with the area’s volcanic activity and wildlife. We lay back and watched constellations rise over the horizon, and I finished the evening with stars in my eyes, literally and figuratively. It’s a great place to bring kids. The grounds and building have the feel of a vintage astronomical observatory, while the rooms and shared spaces were spotless.

The bathroom was a letdown. It smelled strongly of moldy water, and I’m pretty sure there was mold on the walls and mildew in the room. The astronomy experience itself was unique and really cool, and I’d still recommend the place. The several PhDs in astrophysics who work there were knowledgeable and friendly, and it all felt quite magical. I do wish they set an age limit for the telescope and planetarium sessions. Two very rowdy kids screamed and talked the whole time, ran around near the telescope, disrupted the planetarium show, and kept demanding extra turns at the telescope. One was so young I’m not sure he could see through it. Their parents behaved badly, but staff kept allowing it too.

The sky was beautiful on that cold November night, and the evening program was educational. The hotel stay, though, disappointed me. We had a maisonette with a kitchen, but there were no glasses, pans, plates, or anything else to use. The bathroom smelled of urine when we arrived, and there was mold. There were signs everywhere listing rules about what not to do and use. The staff were helpful, but it gave me the impression that the people behind the project don’t care much about the guest experience.