미나이 아소 루나 오브저버토리 오베르주 모리 노 아틀리에

This was the highlight of my first ever solo trip. I was anxious about booking this place because I don't speak any Japanese and was worried I would have trouble finding the hotel since it's in a small town in the mountains away from main cities but as soon as I left the train station, I realised I didn't have to worry at all! The staff at Luna Observatory spoke wonderful English (much better than my terribly Japanese) and were incredibly friendly and helpful. Definitely stay for two nights so you can enjoy the stargazing tour and dinner, as well as having a lovely base to return to after exploring the town. The observatory star gazing and planetarium were incredibly interactive and portions were in English to include travellers from other countries! The stargazing in the field with hot drinks and campfire was one of the best things I've ever done. The Luna Observatory staff are all dedicated to their mission of spreading access to astronomy to as many people as possible and I hope they continue to be successful in their endeavours! The accommodation is styled like a European cottage and is quite romantic. I stayed in the annexe and had no trouble travelling to and from the main building even at night. The bed was comfortable and the ammenities provided are eco-friendly. The staff were amazing and the inn also employs people of different abilities which made me love the place even more. You could really tell everyone was passionate about their job and astronomy. They also had a great little gift shop and I bought quite a few knick knacks to remember my stay as well as some bath salts to use in the bath on my second night after a big day of exploring Takamori. If you like walks and shrines, you can easily walk from the hotel to Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu shrine in around 2 hours, and find stumble upon some other shrines and cafes along the way. I cannot wait to come back and this has become a must do for each time I visit Japan.