Sogakudai Observatory
Overview
The Sogakudai Observatory is about twenty minutes by car from the Akankohan Eco Museum Center on National Highway Route 241, the road leading to the town of Teshikaga. At an altitude of 740 m along, Sogakudai means “two mountains observatory” and offers views of both Mt. Oakan (in front) and Mt. Meakan (behind and to the left). There is thick forest below the observatory.
From the observatory, Mt. Oakan and Mt. Meakan resemble a couple, standing side by side as husband and wife, which is the origin of their names in Japanese.
Sogakudai is surrounded by a forest of Yezo spruce and Erman’s birch. The view is particularly good in autumn and winter (approximately October to March) when the foliage is less dense.