A Former Space Museum with Observatory Dome in Ito City
This unique property in Ito City, Shizuoka Prefecture, originally constructed as a space museum, offers a rare opportunity to own a building with an astronomical observatory dome. The seller initially purchased this as a second home and investment property but now needs to sell due to relocation plans to another villa area. A one-month grace period after purchase is requested for the removal of remaining belongings.
The building features an elevator that stops on every floor from the 1st floor, allowing for separate leasing of each level to different tenants. The second floor has an additional entrance from the roadside, providing independent access. The property has a history of diverse commercial uses: the 1st floor operated as a jazz bar, the 2nd floor as a vacation rental, the 3rd floor as a steakhouse, and the 4th floor as a beer garden. The second floor is fully equipped for residential use with a bath, kitchen, living room, and bedroom, making it possible to live on the 2nd floor while leasing out the 1st, 3rd, and 4th floors. In such a scenario, elevator access to the 2nd floor can be canceled.
The property's most distinctive feature is its astronomical observatory dome, making it ideal as a vacation home for astronomy enthusiasts. While the telescope has been removed and the dome mechanism currently requires adjustment, the reinforced concrete structure beneath the dome was specifically designed to support large telescopes when built as a space museum, ensuring substantial load-bearing capacity. Recent improvements include exterior wall and rooftop waterproofing work completed after the building was acquired.
Parking is available around the building with space for 3-4 vehicles, plus an additional dedicated parking space for one car. The location offers excellent accessibility, situated on a main thoroughfare leading to Mount Omuro and Cactus Park, with numerous restaurants, cafes, and various museums in the immediate vicinity. This positioning makes the property ideally suited for business purposes as well. Transportation access is convenient, being approximately 10 minutes by car from Izu-Kogen Station and 5 minutes by car from Grand Bal Park toward Mount Omuro.
The property details include a 370㎡ land parcel with a 4-story reinforced concrete building totaling 440㎡ of floor space distributed as follows: 1st floor 156㎡, 2nd floor 124㎡, 3rd floor 132㎡, and 4th floor 29㎡. The sale is for the land with existing building in its current condition.
The Ito area of Shizuoka Prefecture is renowned for its natural hot springs and stunning coastal scenery along the Izu Peninsula. An interesting historical fact about the region is that it was a favorite retreat for famous authors like Yasunari Kawabata, who found inspiration in its tranquil beauty. The closest major landmark is Mount Omuro, an extinct volcanic cone that offers panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding landscape, and serves as a popular tourist destination for its unique grassy surface and chairlift ride to the summit.
