A Room with a Sliding Roof
The Former Temporary Latitude Observatory Visual Zenith Telescope Room (旧臨時緯度観測所眼視天頂儀室) is an observing room for a zenith telescope with an opening roof of 1899 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 steel building with a sheet-iron roof and a building area of 15 square metres, with a stone telescope pier; registration number 03-100.
A Roof that Slides Open
The Former Temporary Latitude Observatory Visual Zenith Telescope Room is a single-storey steel building with a gabled sheet-iron roof that slides along rails to open the top for observing (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Its walls are iron louvres meant to circulate the air, and a stone pier for the zenith telescope stands at the centre (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes that it is a rare facility built for the International Latitude Service, and registered it as a structure that would not be easy to reproduce.
What to Look For
Look for the roof that slides on rails, the iron louvred walls and the stone telescope pier (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 Zenith Telescope Room built?
- In 1899 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How does the roof work?
- It slides along rails to open the top for observing.
- What are the walls made of?
- Iron louvres to circulate the air.
- What is inside?
- A stone pier for the zenith telescope.
- When was the Former Temporary Latitude Observatory Visual Zenith Telescope Room registered?
- On October 27, 2017 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Former Temporary Latitude Observatory Visual Zenith Telescope Room (旧臨時緯度観測所眼視天頂儀室) |
|---|---|
| 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 | Steel, single storey, sheet-iron roof, 15 m², stone telescope pier |
| Owner | National Institutes of Natural Sciences |
| Public Access | No official visiting information |
References
- Former Temporary Latitude Observatory Visual Zenith Telescope Room (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00011842
Last verified: 2026.10.20
