Pension Cosmos no Yakata

Good service and good food.

A hidden gem.

If you love the stars, this place is perfect. My son had a great time using a professional telescope in a private cabin. The staff were incredibly friendly and used translation software to explain things and help us despite the language barrier. On the guided tour of the large telescopes, thick clouds didn’t stop them from trying hard to show us Vega, Arcturus, star clusters, and more. They put so much effort into communicating with us, I joked their hair must have turned gray! A few things to know: this isn’t a professional hotel, so the accommodation isn’t luxurious. Since the pandemic, you need to bring your own towels, toothbrush, and dinner. It’s a dark-sky location, so encountering some insects in summer is understandable. Be sure to arrive early, as they offer tutorials on using the telescopes.

Pension Cosmos sits 400 meters above sea level, deep in the mountains and quite remote, so going by car is best. You can walk straight to the nearby Tottori-Sachi Observatory for a visit. The lodging options are log cabins, with Japanese-style and Western-style rooms as well as double rooms with showers. At night, you can fall asleep under a sky full of stars. Dinner includes a special barbecue with premium steak.