Tanegashima Space Center

As the home of Japan's largest rocket launch site, Tanegashima is filled with rocket-related sites and items, from supermarkets that also sell space food to observation decks designed for visitors to watch the rockets ascend. In short, the topic of rockets is ubiquitous. Most visitors aim to time their trip to witness the deafening rocket launches that occur every few months from the southern space center. However, with limited launch days, to soothe the hearts of those who miss the launch dates, an official space center open year-round has been established, where the exhibits depict the path out of Earth. Boasting the title of Japan's largest space development base, the Tanegashima Space Center covers an area nearly as vast as 20 Tokyo Disneyland parks, and it is generally impossible (and time-consuming) for visitors to tour the entire site. Tanegashima Space Center (Tanegashima Uchu Center) Address: Masuda, Nakatane, Kumage District, Kagoshima Prefecture