Photography During General Visits
Photography and filming during a general visit to the NAOJ Nobeyama Radio Observatory are welcome and do not require advance application or permission, provided that they are conducted within the designated visitor route, during visiting hours, and without occupying space or obstructing other visitors.
Photos and videos taken during a general visit may be used freely, including for commercial purposes and on monetized social media platforms.
If other visitors appear in your photos or videos, please respect their privacy by blurring their faces or obtaining their permission before publishing the images.
If your photography or filming falls outside the scope of a general visit—for example, outside the visitor route, outside visiting hours, while occupying space, or with assistance from observatory staff—please follow the procedures described in Other Types of Photography and Filming below.
Other Types of Photography and Filming (Media and Commercial)
Photography and filming outside the scope of a general visit—including activities outside the visitor route, outside visiting hours, while occupying space, or requiring assistance from observatory staff—require advance application.
To ensure the safety of photographers and visitors, and to coordinate with observatory operations, an observatory staff member will accompany the photography or filming session.
Media Coverage
The observatory is happy to support photography and filming intended to introduce our research achievements, facilities, or activities, provided that the resulting photos or videos will be published or distributed through news or other media outlets.
If you are planning media coverage, please contact our Public Relations Office at nro-nroweb@nao.ac.jp.
Commercial Photography and Filming
Photography and filming that do not fall under General Visit Photography or Media Coverage are administered by Minamimaki Village under an agreement between the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) and Minamimaki Village.
For details, please see the Commercial Photography section of the INTO-ARCS website, a Minamimaki Village program related to the Nobeyama Radio Observatory.
Photography and Filming Categories
| General Visit Photography | Media Coverage | Commercial Photography & Filming | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permitted locations | Visitor route only | No restrictions* | No restrictions* |
| Exclusive use of space for photography | Not permitted | Permitted | Permitted |
| Permitted hours | Visiting hours only | No restrictions* | No restrictions* |
| Use of photos/videos | No restrictions | News and media distribution – TV, radio, – internet, – newspapers, magazines, books, etc. | No restrictions |
| Purpose | No restrictions | Must include – coverage of the observatory’s research, – facilities, – or activities (e.g. – what we do and – why the observatory is located in Nobeyama) | No restrictions |
| Administered by | – | Nobeyama Radio Observatory | Minamimaki Village |
| Fee | Free | Free | Fee required |
*Subject to prior application and coordination with the observatory.