The First Building of a World Latitude Station
The Former Temporary Latitude Observatory Main Building (Kimura Hisashi Memorial Hall) (旧臨時緯度観測所本館（木村榮記念館）) is the first main building of an observatory of the International Latitude Service of 1900 in Mizusawa Hoshigaokacho, Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on October 27, 2017 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-storey timber building with a tiled roof and a building area of 164 square metres, moved on rollers in 1966, 1967 and 2008; registration number 03-099.
One of Six Stations in the World
The Former Temporary Latitude Observatory Main Building, now the Kimura Hisashi Memorial Hall, was built as the first main building of an observatory opened as one of the six stations of the International Latitude Service worldwide (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
It is a single-storey timber building with a pantiled hipped roof on king-post trusses and clapboarded walls; an L-shaped corridor from the central entrance serves four offices (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes that it conveys the history of the observatory, and registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape.
What to Look For
Look for the hipped roof, the clapboarded walls and the offices along the L-shaped corridor (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is owned by the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (Agency for Cultural Affairs). No official visiting information was found. The three structures are covered together on the Former Temporary Latitude Observatory group page.
Q&A
- When was the Main Building built?
- In 1900 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What was the observatory for?
- It was one of six stations of the International Latitude Service worldwide.
- How is it built?
- In timber with a pantiled hipped roof on king-post trusses.
- Has it been moved?
- Yes, on rollers in 1966, 1967 and 2008.
- When was the Former Temporary Latitude Observatory Main Building (Kimura Hisashi Memorial Hall) registered?
- On October 27, 2017 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Former Temporary Latitude Observatory Main Building (Kimura Hisashi Memorial Hall) (旧臨時緯度観測所本館（木村榮記念館）) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-1 Mizusawa Hoshigaokacho, Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2017/10/27 (Heisei 29) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single storey, tiled roof, 164 m² |
| Owner | National Institutes of Natural Sciences |
| Public Access | No official visiting information |
References
- Former Temporary Latitude Observatory Main Building (Kimura Hisashi Memorial Hall) (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00011841
Last verified: 2026.10.20
