Mao Goto is a Japanese freelancer who was born in Hayama, Kanagawa prefecture, and raised in Tokyo. Since 2016 she lives in the Taito Ward, home to a lot of Japanese culture hotspots such as Asakusa, Akihabara, and Ueno. She has been interested in the field of English education in Japan and got her Master’s degree in March 2020. A lover of photography, travel, sweets, and cross-stitch. Contact her via Facebook.
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Beautiful stars twinkling above you at night. The starry sky has always fascinated people, and its beauty can be so captivating that you might lose track of time admiring the blanket of stars stretching before your eyes. However, in Japan’s capital, Tokyo, it’s difficult to spot any stars at night due to lit-up highrise buildings, flashing neon signs, and the city’s many streetlights. But even in Tokyo, there are places where it’s possible to enjoy some stargazing: planetariums. Planetariums are very popular because it’s easy to appreciate the star-filled night sky projected inside a dark dome building without having to worry about the weather or light pollution outside. Some planetariums offer live commentary about the constellations and zodiac signs, and some even have special planetarium events. Visit one of these planetariums during your next visit to Tokyo and admire an infinite sky of glittering stars!
1. Konica Minolta Planetarium “Manten”
Konica Minolta Planetarium “Manten” is a planetarium located in Sunshine City, a famous tourist spot in Ikebukuro. The dome is horizontal and has no steps, hence reproducing the position of the stars as seen from the ground in the best possible way and allowing visitors to enjoy a more authentic view. In June 2018, the planetarium was renovated to feature three so-called lawn seats: a high-quality mattress is laid out on the grass and you can enjoy the starry sky while lying down on it, a somewhat nostalgic experience bringing out childhood memories. Or try the “cloud seat”, a fluffy cloud-shaped bed allowing you to star-gaze in ultimate comfort. In addition to the planetarium’s regular programs, there is also a healing planetarium program with aromatic scents and soothing music during the show. If you want to relax while looking at the starry sky, this program is definitely recommended!
Konica Minolta Planetarium “Manten”
| Address | Sunshine City World Import Mart Building (top floor), 3-1-3 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo |
| Opening hours | Weekdays 10:30 am ~ 9:00 pm (during COVID-19, 10:30 am ~ 8:35 pm) Ticket sales hours: 10:00 am ~ 8:00 pm (during COVID-19, 10:00 am ~ 7:55 pm) Store opening hours: 11:30 am ~ 9:00 pm (during COVID-19, 11:30 am ~ 8:45 pm) Weekends and holidays 10:30 am ~ 10:00 pm (during COVID-19, 10:30 am ~ 9:45 pm) Ticket sales hours: 10:00 am ~ 9:00 pm (during COVID-19, 10:00 am ~ 9:00 pm) Store opening hours: 11:30 am ~ 10:00 pm (during COVID-19, 11:30 am ~ 9:50 pm) |
| Telephone | 03-3989-3456 (10:00 am ~ 7:00 pm) |
| Official Website | Konica Minolta “Manten” |
Ticket Information
| Premium Seat (Lawn Seat) | Adult (elementary school students and above) 3,500 yen per lawn seat (up to 2 people per seat) *Healing planetarium program: 3,900 yen |
| Premium Seat (Cloud Seat) | Adult (elementary school students and above) 3,800 yen per cloud seat (up to 2 people per seat) *Healing planetarium program: 4,200 yen |
| Regular Seat | Adult (junior high school and above) 1,500 yen *Healing planetarium program: 1,700 yen Child (4 years and above) 900 yen *Healing planetarium program: 1,700 yen |
2. Konica Minolta Planetarium “Tenku”
Another Konica Minolta planetarium is now available at Solamachi, a shopping mall adjacent to Tokyo Skytree, a major tourist attraction in northeast Tokyo. Konica Minolta Planetarium “Tenku” uses the latest 3D sound system “SOUND DOME®︎” to provide an immersive star-gazing experience. Moreover, the “Crescent Moon Seats”, which are limited to three pairs and are only available at this planetarium, allow you to relax on a large sofa while enjoying the starry sky above you. Healing programs are also shown in the same way as at Konica Minolta Planetarium “Manten”.
Konica Minolta Planetarium “Tenku”
| Address | Tokyo Skytree Town East Yard 7F, 1-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida-ku, Tokyo |
| Opening hours | Weekdays 10:30 am ~ 10:00 pm (during COVID-19, 10:30am ~ 9:00 pm) Ticket sales hours: 10:30 am ~ 9:00 pm (during COVID-19, 10:30 am ~ 8:00 pm) Store opening hours: 10:30 am ~ 9:00 pm (during COVID-19, 10:30 am ~ 8:00 pm) Weekends and holidays 9:30 am ~ 10:00 pm (during COVID-19, 9:30 am ~ 9:00 pm) Ticket sales hours: 9:30 am ~ 9:00 pm (during COVID-19, 9:30 am ~ 7:40 pm) Store opening hours: 9:30 am ~ 9:00 pm (during COVID-19, 9:30 am ~ 7:40 pm) |
| Telephone | 03-5610-3043 (10:00 am ~ 7:00 pm) |
| Official Website | Konica Minolta Planetarium “Tenku” |
Ticket Information
| Premium Seat (Crescent Moon Seat) | Adult (elementary school students and above) 4,000 yen per crescent moon seat (up to 2 people per seat) *Healing planetarium program: 4,400 yen |
| Regular Seat | Adult (junior high school and above)1,500 yen *Healing planetarium program: 1,700 yen Child (4 years and above) 900 yen *Healing planetarium program: 1,700 yen |
3. Konica Minolta PLANETARIA TOKYO
Just a one-minute walk from JR Yurakucho Station, this Konica Minolta planetarium is located inside Yurakucho Marion. The planetarium is divided into two venues, DOME1 and DOME2. DOME1 has a floor-to-ceiling screen, creating an unprecedented immersive experience. In DOME2, there are 6 premium seats, so-called “Galaxy Seats”, which are designed to provide sublime seating comfort as if you were floating in space. You can choose between paired and single seats.
Konica Minolta PLANETARIA TOKYO
| Address | Yurakucho Marion 9F, 2-5-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo |
| Opening hours | Weekdays, weekends and holidays 10:30 am ~ 10:00 pm (during COVID-19, 10:30 am ~ 9:30 pm) Ticket sales hours: 10:30 am ~ 9:00 pm (during COVID-19, 10:30 am ~ 8:40 pm) Store & café opening hours: 10:30 am ~ 9:30 pm (during COVID-19, shop opens from 10:30 am to 8:40 pm, café opens from 10:30 am to 8:00 pm) |
| Telephone | 03-6269-9952 (10:00 am ~ 7:00 pm) |
| Official Website | Konica Minolta PLANETARIA TOKYO |
Ticket Information
| Premium Seat (Galaxy Seat) | Adult (elementary school students and above) 4,200 yen per galaxy seat (up to 2 people per seat) Single seat: 2,100 *Healing planetarium program: 4,600 yen. Single seat: 2,300 yen |
| Regular Seat | Adult (junior high school and above) 1,600 yen *Healing planetarium program: 1,800 yen Child (4 years and above) 1,000 yen *Healing planetarium program: 1,800 yen |
4. Tamarokuto Science Center
Tama Science Museum is home to the “Science Egg” planetarium dome, known as one of the world’s largest tilting planetariums with a diameter of 27.5 meters. A screen covers the inside of the dome entirely, allowing you to immerse yourself completely in the star-watching experience. The star projector used in this planetarium is capable of projecting more than 140 million stars, the largest number of stars to be projected in any planetarium. Of course, there are also permanent exhibitions at this science museum which you can experience in addition to the starry sky.
Tamarokuto Science Center
| Address | 5-10-64, Shibakubo-cho, Nishitokyo-shi, Tokyo |
| Opening hours | 9:30 am ~ 5:00 pm (Last admission: 4:00 pm) *The museum is closed every Monday, the day after national holidays and New Year’s Holidays (12/28 ~ 1/3) |
| Telephone | 042-469-6100 |
| Official Website | Tamarokuto Science Center *Check out the official website for current ticket prices |
5. PLANETARIUM Starry Café (Temporarily Closed)
Haneda Airport is the gateway to the skies of Tokyo, and there is also a planetarium here where you can enjoy the twinkling sky. Normally, no food or drinks are allowed inside planetariums in Japan, but surprisingly, this planetarium has an adjacent café and allows you to bring food and drinks from here into the planetarium dome. This is a full-fledged planetarium that can project a sky of around 40 million stars, and you can enjoy delicious gourmet food and drinks under the mesmerizing sky. The planetarium is currently closed temporarily, but when it reopens, we highly recommend a visit to this romantic café.
PLANETARIUM Starry Café (temporarily closed)
| Address | Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport), Terminal 3, 5F TOKYO POP TOWN 50 |
| Opening hours | 7:00 am ~ 11:00 pm *Café space is open from 7:00 am to 11:00 am |
| Telephone | 03-6428-0694 |
| Official Website | PLANETARIUM Starry Café |
Ticket Information
| Entrance fee (food and drinks not included) | Adult (junior high school year and above) 520 yen Child (2 years old and above) 310 yen |
Which of these 5 Tokyo planetariums would you like to visit the most? Some of them are located in shopping malls or very close to convenient train stations, making them a perfect destination for a day out. Also, some planetariums sell tickets online, so be sure to check out their official websites. Even though the real deal cannot easily be seen in Tokyo with all its flashing lights, we hope you will enjoy the twinkling blanket of stars at one of the city’s planetariums!
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