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Guidelines for Visitors

This web site shows you detailed procedures that you should follow for your visit. You are strongly encouraged to check this web site constantly and prepare for your visit.

Contact Information Contact Information

  • From Institutions within Japan: To apply/update your visit and travel expense, or to apply Mitaka remote observations, please contact,
    Subaru Telescope Open Use Section, NAOJ at Mitaka, Japan: observers-infodesk_at_naoj.org

  • From Institutions outside of Japan: to apply your visit or to update your applications, please contact,
    Operation Center, Subaru Telescope at Hilo, Hawaii, U.S.A.: openuse_at_naoj.org

  • [Travel Expense Support] (only for researchers belonging to Japanese institutions)

    • Please try to reduce flight ticket cost as much as possible.
    • For travel support by NAOJ, you need to submit your e-ticket or the three documents (Airfare Estimate, Itinerary and Receipt) to Subaru Mitaka Office.
    • You may request advance payment for your travel expense by submitting your request one month before your departure.
    • Please contact observers-infodesk_at_naoj.org if you have any question or if you have difficulty in finding reasonable flight tickets.

By two weeks before your visit By two weeks before your visit

  • Please fill in the Subaru Telescope Visitor Form

    The Subaru Telescope Visitor Form is essential to make travel arrangements such as hotel, rental car, etc. It is important to submit it on time, otherwise, arrangements may not be made as you request.

    • Arriving to Hilo during weekends and holidays
      Subaru Telescope Hilo Base Facility is open from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (M-F).
      The office is closed during weekends and Holidays, and there might be no service available for visitors during that time.
    • Travel itinerary
      For the case of summit observation (only if especially allowed), visitors need to arrive at Hale Pohaku (mid-level facility of Mauna Kea) by the preceding day before the beginning of the observation for acclimatization.

Tips for preparation for your trip

International travelers who are seeking to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program must apply for authorization using the ESTA site below.
NAOJ can reimburse $21 ESTA fee if your travel expense is supported by NAOJ. Please submit a receipt of ESTA application and a copy of credit card statement to Subaru Mitaka Office.

  • Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)
    U.S. Customs and Border Protection

    • If you stay at a hotel, you are responsible for the payment. Please have a credit card valid in the U.S. If you do not have a valid credit card, you may be charged a large amount of deposit upon check-in.
    • If you do not receive travel support from Subaru Telescope, you need to pay for the Hale Pohaku accommodation fee at Subaru Telescope. Only credit cards (Visa, Master, JCB, Diners Club, and Discover) are acceptable.
    • Please make sure with your credit card companies that your credit cards are valid in the U.S. We are reported that a credit card issued in Japan (i.e., other than those mentioned above) was not accepted here.
    • Buying travel insurance is highly recommended since medical costs are fairly expensive in the U.S. Please purchase one or bring a credit card with travel insurance. Visitors are also encouraged to obtain information regarding procedures of medical cost reimbursement and local contact numbers of the insurance company.
      NAOJ purchases the travel insurance for all visitors who go abroad as NAOJ business trip. However, eligible travelers are the resident in Japan only. Please check the website (Japanese only) to apply.

Before your departure from your home Before your departure from your home

  • You will receive your Visitor Form with confirmation numbers. Please check your visitor form again and make sure that all the information is accurate. If you find an error, please contact visitorform_at_naoj.org.

  • If your trip is supported by NAOJ, please check the travel insurance policy sent you via email.

  • Rule of the use of your computer in the facilities

If you are planning to use your computer by connecting LAN in Subaru Telescope facilities, please make sure that your computer is not infected with virus. Make sure that your computer has a valid virus protection as well. Use of WiFi at the summit area is prohibited to avoid interference to radio observation. Please turn off WiFi of all your electronic devices including notebook PCs, tablets, and smartphones.

At your home airport At your home airport

  • Exchanging currency to US dollar before your departure is recommended. There are money exchanges at Honolulu Airport, however, they may be closed upon your arrival or you may forget to exchange.
  • Make sure to check in your baggage all the way to Hilo. By doing so, you may save your time and effort to carry your baggage in the Honolulu Airport.

Arriving at Subaru Telescope Arriving at Subaru Telescope

  • Subaru Telescope Hilo base facility is locked 24 hours a day. Assistance through the intercom is available during the office hours.

Office Hours
8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal and Hawaii State holidays.

  • If you need to pay for the Hale Pohaku accommodation fee, please pay at the Operation Center. We accept credit cards only (Visa, Master, JCB, Discover, and Diners Club).
  • Please let us know if you are planning to stay at Subaru Telescope Hilo office temporarily. The visitor room is available for you.

Notes: If you arrive during weekends or off our office hours, you will need our arrangement to enter the building. Please follow it as instructed.

Subaru Telescope base facility at Hilo

  • The room 204 is the visitor room located on the second floor. Two Linux PC, a printer and a telephone are in the room. Each desk in the room is equipped with a power outlet and a LAN cable. Please let us know upon the registration if you want to use the room.
  • Meeting rooms and Staff Lounge are in the facility. There are refrigerator, microwave, toaster, and hot water available at the Staff Lounge.
  • There is no food available for purchase in the facility. A cafeteria in Imiloa Astronomy Center and another cafeteria in University of Hawaii at Hilo are within walking distance (5 to 10 minute walk). No grocery store is within walking distance. There is a convenience store "Seven Eleven." on the way from the airport to the facility.
  • Smoking is prohibited in the base facility at Hilo except for a designate smoking area and in the summit facility and Hale Pohaku inside the building. See a poster placed in the visitor room for details.

For visitors who participate the remote observation

  • The Remote Observation room is room 208 located on the second floor of the Subaru Telescope Hilo Base facility.
  • Please make enough time for the preparation so that you can start your observation on time.
  • You are responsible for your transportation between your hotel and the Hilo base facility.
  • Meal service is not provided. Please prepare your own food. There are refrigerator, microwave, toaster, and hot water available at the Staff Lounge next to the Remote Observation room.

About the use of computers at the Subaru Telescope

Subaru Telescope is requesting users and visiting observers not to use Subaru and IfA/UH network to download copyrighted material without proper authorization. Subaru and IfA/UH network includes but not limited to network at Subaru's Hilo facility, at Subaru's summit facility and at Hale Pohaku facility and at Hale Pohaku Subaru office. Downloading copyrighted material without proper authorization is generally illegal and subject to hefty fines, criminal or civil lawsuit, and would destroy organization's credibility.

For your safe stay

The Subaru Telescope aims to make the safest and comfortable work environment by following the safety regulations of the government of both Japan and the U.S. We established our own safety manual and practice safety programs.

You may have mountain sickness since the summit observation is conducted at the altitude 4,200m. Please read Safety Advisory for Visitors to Subaru Telescope before your summit work.

Keeping the telescope and other instruments in good condition is important for the observatory. In order to protect the telescope, changing the angle of the telescope or closing the dome due to the bad weather such as high humidity or heavy wind may be inevitable. These decisions are made by the operators.

Arriving at Hale Pohaku

All doors at Hale Pohaku are locked with combination locks. We will inform you the combination number with Hale Pohaku reservation confirmation notice. Upon arrival, please find a check-in sheet and your room key on the front desk located on your left side from the building entrance. Please fill in the sheet and drop it in the Key Drop box.

The Subaru Telescope office in Hale Pohaku is located on the right side of the hallway from the front desk, the first door on your right. This door is also locked with a combination number. We also inform you the number. Please write down your name and your room number on the white board in the office. This office is a general office for both visitors and Subaru Telescope staffs. Please be aware that the office may be overcrowded and may not be efficient. Please keep desks tidy and make them available for others if you are not using them.

There are three buildings for visitors at Hale Pohaku (Dorm B, C, and D). The directory is located at the next to the front desk. The Hale Pohaku is a non-smoking facility.

Cost for Hale Pohaku includes three meals and a night snack per night. The first meal after checking in is a dinner, and last meal is a lunch before checking out. To have your meal, please sign your name and check "resident box" on the sheet at the cafeteria. If you wish to have a night snack, please fill in the request form on the salad bar table and submit it to the box by 3:00 p.m. The night snack should be ready by dinner, and it should be in the refrigerator in the cafeteria.

Cafeteria Hours
Breakfast: 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Lunch: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Dinner: 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

There are a library, TV room, pool tables, and laundry room in the Hale Pohaku.

The cold weather gear is available for rental at $6. When you rent it at Hale Pohaku, please inform the Operation Center and pay for it at Subaru Telescope Hilo Base facility before you leave from Hilo. We accept credit card (VISA, Master, Discover, or Diners Club).

Please read here the information about Hale Pohaku.

Transportation between the Hale Pohaku to the summit

Observatory staff provides transportation between the Hale Pohaku to the summit. However, if you prefer driving to the summit by themselves, please contact Subaru Telescope ahead of time. Special arrangements are required if visitors drive their personal vehicle/rental vehicles.

Arriving at the summit

As mentioned in the safety guidelines, please follow the instruction provided by the shift leader. Please ask operators who is in charge as a shift leader. Use of WiFi at the summit area is prohibited to avoid interference to radio observation. Please turn off WiFi of all your electronic devices including notebook PCs, tablets, and smartphones.

Online information regarding weather condition

Before leaving the Subaru Telescope...

Checkout from the Hale Pohaku

Please drop your key in the Key Drop box at the front desk. This is all you need to do for check out.

At Hilo Base facility

If you receive a card key for the Hilo Base facility, please return it to the Operation Center. If you could not pay for the Hale Pohaku accommodation fee the day you checked in, please make a payment at the Operation Center as well.

Subaru Seminar

Subaru Telescope holds "Subaru Seminar" to introduce your research to our staffs. We welcome your presentation.