Li-Ka Nangoku Hall on 5F of the Li-Ka 19・20 Building in Kagoshima City
Kagoshima Prefecture is located in the south-western region of Japan and hosts astronomical activities involved in many aspects of maser science. One of them is Iriki Observatory in Satsuma Sendai City, which operates the 20-m telescope of VERA and the 1-m optical-infrared telescope. VERA Iriki Station is operated by Kagoshima University with advanced support by Mizusawa VLBI Observatory of NAOJ, which provides great opportunities of collaborative research on maser sources and technical training for the telescope operation led by a young generation such as students in Kagoshima University in Kagoshima City. This IAUS will highly motivate those researchers in Japan.
Li-Ka 19・20, the venue building of this IAUS, has just opened in 2021. The hall can accommodate up to 450 participants (enough room even under the guideline on pandemic prevention) and is fully equipped with modern audio-visual facilities and Wi-Fi. A large foyer in front of the hall is used for coffee/tea breaks and poster exhibition.
The venue is situated next to the JR Kagoshima Central train station, which is directly accessible from the airport in 40 minutes by a public limousine bus. The area is close to the center of downtown and offers plenty of restaurants and accommodations for any price category within a 10-20 minutes walk, or if necessary the city tram, from the venue.
Taking into account possible difficulty in visit to Kagoshima, a form of “hybrid” meeting of on-site and online is also considered.