Lighthouses of Japan: Tōkyō Area

This page lists lighthouses of Tōkyō and Kanagawa prefectures, including the capital city of Tōkyō, the great port of Yokohama, and the naval base of Yokosuka. This metropolitan area faces Tōkyō Bay. To the south, beyond the cape of Kannon Saki, the broader Sagami Bay links Tōkyō Bay to the Pacific Ocean. Note: the Izu and Ogasawara Islands, stretching far into the Pacific south of Tōkyō, are attached administratively to Tōkyō Prefecture. Lighthouses of these islands are listed on a separate page. In Japanese, the word for a lighthouse is tōdai or toudai (灯台). The words saki and misaki are for capes and headlands, shima (also spelled sima or jima) is an island, wan is a bay, and kō is a harbor. Lighthouses in Japan are operated and maintained by the Japanese Coast Guard's Maritime Safety Agency. On Honshu there is usually one Coast Guard Section Office in each prefecture, sometimes two. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. JP numbers are the Japanese Coast Guard's light list numbers. Admiralty numbers are from volume M of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112. General Sources Lighthouses in Japan A comprehensive site, although almost entirely in Japanese. It's easiest to use the pages for the individual prefectures: Tōkyō and Kanagawa. Lighthouse of Japan Another comprehensive site, in Japanese, with pages for each prefecture: Tōkyō | Kanegawa. Misty's Japanese Lighthouse Tour Photos and a few notes for lighthouses in all parts of the country. There are pages for the individual prefectures: Tōkyō and Kanagawa. Lighthouses - Kanagawa Part of a large collection of Japanese lighthouse photos. Kiso's Lighthouses This site has many excellent photos of Japanese lighthouses. Lighthouses in Kanagawa Prefecture Photos available from Wikimedia. Modern Lighthouse Design Posted by the Japan Aids to Navigation Association (JANA), this page links to descriptions and photos of interesting modern lighthouses throughout Japan. The Famous Fifty Lighthouses Photos of the lighthouses voted most famous in Japan, posted by the Eighth Coast Guard Region. One of the fifty (Kannon Saki) stands in the area covered by this page. Japan: Modern Lighthouses Historic postcard images posted by Michel Forand. Leuchttürme Japans und Koreas auf historischen Postkarten Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.

Ohse Saki Light, Tōkyō, April 2010 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Nelson Cunnington

Lighthouses of Tōkyō Prefecture

Tōkyō Harbor Lighthouses

* Tōkyō East Passage (Tōkyō Gate) East Breakwater 1974. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); red light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 16 m (52 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted red. A photo is at right, another photo and a distant view are available, there's a nighttime photo of both East Passage lighthouses, and Google has a satellite view. The Tōkyō Gate Bridge, under construction in the photo at right and completed early in 2012, crosses the harbor entrance adjacent to the East Passage breakwaters; the two lighthouses appear in Wikimedia's photo of the bridge. Located at the end of the east breakwater at the main entrance to Tōkyō harbor. Accessible by walking the breakwater from Wakasu-kaihin Park. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1472; JP-2193; Admiralty M6427.6; NGA 5280. Tōkyō East Passage (Tōkyō Gate) West Breakwater 1976. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); green light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 16 m (52 ft) round white concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo is available, there's a nighttime photo of both East Passage lighthouses, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the detached west breakwater at the main entrance to Tōkyō harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1473; JP-2192; Admiralty M6427.4; NGA 5276. Tōkyō East Passage Detached Breakwater West End Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); red flash every 3 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse painted red. Google has a satellite view. Located at the west end of a detached breakwater within the harbor area, about 1 km (0.6 mi) northwest of the two breakwater lights (previous two entries). Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1471; JP-2189.5; Admiralty M6427.8; NGA 5284.

Tōkyō Gate East Breakwater Light, Tōkyō Harbor, July 2010 Panoramio photo copyright souyas; permission requested

Tōkyō Outside Breakwater

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); red flash every 3 s. 9 m (30 ft) round concrete tower, painted red. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a detached breakwater in the West Passage, about 2 km (1.25 mi) southeast of the east breakwater light (next entry). Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1415; JP-2161.43; Admiralty M6427.04; NGA 5273.

Tōkyō West Passage East Breakwater 1975. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); red light occulting once every 4 s. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted red. A photo is available, and Google has a good satellite view. Located at the end of a breakwater on the east side of the west entrance to Tōkyō harbor. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-1474; JP-2161; Admiralty M6427.19; NGA 5272. Tōkyō West Passage West Breakwater 1981. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); two green flashes every 5 s. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted white. Mitsunori Nishida has a nighttime photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a breakwater on the east side of the west entrance to Tōkyō harbor. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-1476; JP-2160; Admiralty M6427.17; NGA 5268. Tōkyō City Lighthouses * Chiyoda (Kudan) 1871. Inactive for many years. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) 2-stage rubblestone tower with lantern and double gallery. The lower half of the tower is square and tapered, while the upper half is octagonal cylindrical. Otota Dana's photo is at right, Nelson Cunnington has a 2007 photo, Wikipedia has a photo, there's another closeup, Michel Forand has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse was built shortly after the Meiji Restoration (1866-69) restored the power of the Emperor and ushered in the start of the modernization of Japan. In other words, this is one of the first lighthouses built by Japanese in the modern era. According the Japanese text accompanying the photos, each stone is inscribed with the name of the feudal clan that contributed that stone. The lighthouse is located just north of Kitanomaru Park, in the Kudankita district within the Chiyoda ward of central Tōkyō, which also includes the Imperial Palace and the other principal buildings of the Japanese government. Shawn Hebrank, who visited in early 2010, reports that the lighthouse is not on any tourist maps, so some local knowledge is needed to find it. Site open, tower closed. * Anori Saki (2) (relocated) 1873 (Richard Henry Brunton). Inactive since 1948. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) old-style octagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Originally built in Mie Prefecture south of Nagoya, this is the oldest surviving Western-style wooden lighthouse in Japan and the only survivor of several wooden towers designed by Brunton. Forand has a postcard view of the lighthouse at its original site. Replaced by a modern concrete lighthouse in 1948, it was later disassembled and rebuilt at the Museum of Maritime Science in the Odiaba district of Tōkyō, a neighborhood on several artificial islands in Tōkyō Bay that has become popular for its restaurants and other tourist attractions. Owner/site manager: Museum of Maritime Science (Fune-no-Kagakukan). Site open, tower closed.

Chiyoda Light, Tōkyō, February 2010 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Otota Dana

* Lightship Tōkyō (lantern)

1947. Decommissioned 1968. The mast and gallery, with light, is on display outside the Museum of Maritime Science in the Odiaba district of Tōkyō. The museum has a photo (link near the bottom of the page), and Google has a satellite view. Owner/site manager: Museum of Maritime Science (Fune-no-Kagakukan). Site open, tower closed.

* Ohse Saki (1) (relocated) 1879. Reactivated; focal plane unknown; flashing light, alternately red and white. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. The original 3rd order Fresnel lens remains in use. Nelson Cunnington's photo is at the top of this page, Rob Johnson has a photo, Misty's Tour has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Prefabricated in France, this lighthouse was built at the west end of Fukue Shima in Nagasaki Prefecture, at the far southwestern corner of Japan. Gunfire from a U.S. submarine shot the lantern roof off in 1945, but the lens was miraculously unharmed. In 1971 the light was replaced by a modern concrete lighthouse. The old lighthouse has been relocated to the Museum of Maritime Science in the Odiaba district of Tōkyō. Owner/site manager: Museum of Maritime Science (Fune-no-Kagakukan). Site open, tower closed. Haneda Area Lighthouses Tōkyō 1968. Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 32 m (105 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, standing on a square platform supported by numerous concrete piles. Lighthouse painted white. Also on the platform is a circular harbor control building. A photo is at right, Lighthouse of Japan has a page with good photos, a 2009 photo and a 2011 photo are available, JANA has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. Built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the modern Japanese lighthouse service, this lighthouse replaced the former lightship Tōkyō. Located in Tōkyō Bay about 4 km (2.5 mi) southeast of the city's outermost artificial islands. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-664; JP-2159; Admiralty M6427; NGA 5264.

Tōkyō Light, Tōkyō Bay Japanese Coast Guard photo

* Tōkyō Kokusai Kūkō (Tōkyō International Airport, Haneda)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 46 m (151 ft); flash every 8.6 s, alternately green and white. Square pyramidal steel skeletal tower mounted atop an 8-story airport hotel. The Directory usually doesn't include aviation lights, but this one seems to be accepted widely as a navigational light as well. Located at the airport in Haneda, on the south side of Tōkyō adjacent to Tōkyō Bay. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-831; JP-2158; Admiralty M6426; NGA 5256.

Lighthouses of Kanagawa Prefecture

Kawasaki City Lighthouses

Kaze no Tō 1997. Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); three white flashes, two short followed by one long, every 10 s. Approx. 24 m (79 ft) sail-like structure, one of two, built on a large round platform. Google has a satellite view. Kaze no Tō (the Tower of Wind) is the ventilation tower for the tunnel portion of the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line (Tōkyō Wan Akua Rain), a bridge-tunnel crossing of Tokyo Bay joining Kawasaki on the south side of Tokyo to Kisarazu in Chiba prefecture. The platform is located over the center of the 9.6 km (6 mi) tunnel section, the world's longest underwater tunnel for autos. Located about 4.5 km (2.8 mi) southeast of the Kawasaki waterfront. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M6421; NGA 5241. Higasi Ogishima Breakwater North End Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash every 4 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery, painted white. The Coast Guard has a photo (3/4 the way down the page), a very distant photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the northeast end of a very long detached breakwater on the northeast side of Yokohama. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1399; Admiralty M6421.8; NGA 5246. Higasi Ogishima Breakwater South End Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 16 m (52 ft) tower with lantern and gallery, painted red. A Coast Guard photo is at right, a photo taken from the base of the lighthouse is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the southwest end of a very long detached breakwater on the northeast side of Yokohama. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1400; Admiralty M6419.2; NGA 5244.

Higasi Ogishima Breakwater South End Light Japanese Coast Guard Yokohama Office photo

Yokohama City Lighthouses

Yokohama Daikoku Breakwater East Head Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); green flash every 4 s. 16 m (52 ft) white tower with lantern and gallery. A 2010 photo is available, and Google has a good satellite view. Located at the end of a breakwater extending from the northeast end of the Daikoku Pier. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1396; Admiralty M6401.6; NGA 5176. * Yokohama Daikoku Breakwater West Head Date unknown. Active; focal plane 23m (75 ft); red light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 23 m (75 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted red. Located on the south end of the Daikoku breakwater, which is now the outermost breakwater for Yokohama's inner harbor (the Daikoku breakwater is outside the Outer Breakwater). Lighthouse-Japan has good photos, a closeup and a view along the pier are available, and Google has a satellite view. Accessible by walking the pier. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1397; JP-2128; Admiralty M6401.5; NGA 5180. Yokohama North Outer Breakwater South Head 1939. Active(?); focal plane 20 m (66 ft); two red flashes every 8 s. 24 m (79 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a square 2-story service building or keeper's house. The lantern has a conical "dunce cap" roof. Lighthouse painted red. A photoby Klaus Ottes is at right, a spectacular photo of fireworks over the lighthouse is available, Lighthouse-Japan.com has excellent photos, Misty's Tour has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. There is a photo showing the lighthouse in September 2009 just outside the Yokohama Bay Bridge; a view of the lighthouse from the bridge is also available. Located at the south end of the north outer breakwater of Yokohama Inner Harbor. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1418; JP-2117; Admiralty M6406; NGA 5184. Yokohama North Inner Breakwater 1896. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); red light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 15 m (49 ft) hexagonal pyramidal cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a hexagonal concrete (?) base. Entire lighthouse painted red. Naoki Watanabe has a 2008 photo, and Google has a satellite view. This unusual and historic lighthouse and its twin (next entry) were designed by the British engineer H.S. Palmer. Lighthouse-Japan.com has good photos of both lighthouses. A historic postcard view posted by Klaus Huelse shows both lighthouses resting on iron pilings; the present concrete base was added either shortly before or following the 1923 earthquake. Located on a detached breakwater in the inner harbor of Yokohama. Accessible only by boat, but there should be good views from shore. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1417; JP-2121; Admiralty M6411; NGA 5200.

Yokohama North Outer Breakwater South Head Light, February 2010; Flickr Creative Commons photo by Klaus Ottes

* Yokohama South Inner Breakwater (relocated) 1896. Inactive since 1958(?). 15 m (49 ft) octagonal pyramidal cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A photo is at right, a closeup and a more distant view are available, Forand has a postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was built at the end of the south breakwater; in Huelse's postcard view we see it at the far right. On 14 April 1958, the departing Cunard liner Caronia collided with the end of the breakwater, knocking the lighthouse over. Following this disaster, the lighthouse was salvaged and relocated to the end of a nearby pier. (It was replaced at the original location by a post light seen in another satellite view.) Since 1961 the historic liner Hikawa Maru has been berthed at the pier. Located at the end of a short wharf on the south side of Yokohama's inner harbor. Site open, ship open daily, tower closed. Site manager: NYK Line (NYK Hikawa Maru). Yokohama Lumber Basin Breakwater 1938. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); green light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 9 m (30 ft) post light mounted on a 1-story equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has a satellite view. Located at the elbow of a breakwater protecting a basin just west of the Yokohama Harbor Bridge. Site and tower closed. JP-2118; Admiralty M6413; NGA 5192. *** Yokohama Marine Tower 1961. Inactive since January 2008. 106 m (348 ft) round steel skeletal tower topped by a multistory round observation building. The outer skeleton of the tower is silver and the inner structure is olive brown. At night, the tower is (or was) bathed in lights with the same color pattern. A 2009 daytime photo is available, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several photos, Wikipedia also has a page with several photos, and Google has a satellite view. The tower is one of the best known tourist attractions of Yokohama. It was billed as the world's tallest lighthouse and often recognized as such, but this depends on one's definition of a lighthouse: the Perry Monument in Lake Erie, Ohio, is 107 m (351 ft) tall. A commercial venture, the tower went out of business in December 2006. The City of Yokohama took over the tower, renovated it, and reopened it in May 2009. Originally the lower half of the tower was painted green and the upper half red, but the city engineers decided that was too garish. Located at the foot of the Yamashita Pier on the south side of the Yokohama Inner Harbor. Site open, tower open daily. Owner/site manager: City of Yokohama. ARLHS JPN-1419; JP-2119; Admiralty M6400; NGA 5196. Yokohama South Outer Breakwater 1939. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); two red flashes every 8 s. 24 m (79 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a square 2-story service building or keeper's house. The lantern has a conical "dunce cap" roof. Lighthouse painted white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has good photos, Maeda Ichiro has a good 2008 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the north end of the south outer breakwater of Yokohama Inner Harbor; only fragments reamin of this breakwater, which is now just outside the Yokohama Harbor Bridge. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1420; JP-2116; Admiralty M6402; NGA 5188.

Yokohama South Breakwater Light, May 2007 Flickr Creative Commons photo by naitokz

Honmoku Breakwater

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); green light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 22 m (72 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A good photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The detached Honmoku Breakwater is at the southeast corner of Yokohama harbor, opposite the Daikoku Breakwater West Head Light. Located at the north end of the breakwater. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1401; JP-2113; Admiralty M6401.4; NGA 5172.

Kanazawa East Breakwater (Negishi Wan)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 11 m (36 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. No photo available, but Google has a distant satellite view. Kanazawa is a district on the south side of Yokohama; its harbor is much used by pleasure craft. Located at the end of the breakwater of Kanazawa. Site and tower probably closed. ARLHS JPN-1403; Admiralty M6380; NGA 5144.

Yokosuka City Lighthouses

Yokosuka Northeast Breakwater

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); red flash every 3 s. 18 m (59 ft) square concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted red, attached to a cluster of 1- and 2-story concrete buildings. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Yokosuka, at the southwest corner of Tōkyō Bay south of Yokohama, is a major base for the Japanese and U.S. navies. The detached breakwater protects the harbor from waves driven down the bay by northerly winds. Much of the breakwater is below the water surface, but the lighthouse is built on a large concrete pier at the eastern end. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1345; Admiralty M6372; NGA 5132.

Yokosuka Yoshikura West Breakwater Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 11 m (36 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a breakwater on the north side of Yokosuka's commercial harbor, east of the naval base. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-1422; Admiralty M6377; NGA 5140. Yokosuka Otsu Wan West Breakwater Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the west breakwater of Yokosuka's downtown harbor. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-1413; Admiralty M6377.25; NGA 5142. * Toumyou Misaki (replica) 1989 replica of 1648 lighthouse. 7 m (23 ft) square wood tower with lantern, braced by four wood timbers, mounted on a square rubblestone base. No photo available. This lighthouse is a replica of a tower built by the Edo Shogunate to mark the entrance to Yokosuka harbor. The tower displayed a rape seed oil lamp, and it is said that it was operated every night without fail for more than 220 years, until after it had been replaced by the Kannon Saki lighthouse. Located on the north side of the Kannon Saki promontory, a short distance east of the Yokosuka harbor. Site open, tower closed. **** Kannon Saki (Kannonzaki) (3) 1925 (station established 1869). Active; focal plane 56 m (184 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 19 m (62 ft) octagonal cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. The station includes a 1-story keeper's house and a 2-story maritime traffic control center for Tōkyō Bay. A photo is at right, a 2010 photo is available, the Coast Guard has a photo, Lighthouses of Japan site has a good photo, Wikimedia has a photo, Forand has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This was Japan's first western-style light station, inaugurated on New Years Day 1869. The original lighthouse, a 1-story brick keeper's house with a short brick light tower centered on the roof, was built by French engineers directed by François Léon Berny. This historic structure was destroyed by the great Tōkyō earthquake of 1 September 1923; it was replaced by a temporary wood lighthouse and then by the present lighthouse. Commanding a sweeping view of the mouth of Tōkyō Bay, the light station is a well known and popular tourist attraction. The Coast Guard and City of Yokosuka maintain a museum of lighthouse history on site, including lenses and other equipment from lighthouses in the area. Located on a promontory projecting into lower Tōkyō Bay opposite Futtsu, about 7 km (4.5 mi) east of Yokosuka harbor. Accessible by road, parking provided. Site open, museum and tower open daily except Mondays. ARLHS JPN-227; JP-2030; Admiralty M6360; NGA 5076.

Kannon Saki Light, Yokosuka, October 2005 Flickr Creative Commons photo by alde

Ashika Shima Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white flash every 3 s. 14 m (46 ft) broadly conical and tapered round concrete (?) tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted black, lantern white. A 2007 closeup photo is available, Randy Lane has a view from the sea, Lighthouses of Japan has a good photo, Forand has a historic postcard image showing the lighthouse without its present lantern, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse stands on a dangerous rock about 1.5 km (1 mi) southeast of Kurihama harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-028; JP-2019; Admiralty M6355; NGA 5056. Miura District Lighthouses * Tsurugi (Turugi) Saki (2) 1925 (station established 1871). Active; focal plane 41 m (135 ft); two white flashes followed by one green flash every 30 s. 17 m (56 ft) octagonal cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Edmund Yeo's photo is at right, Jannell Lambert has another good closeup photo, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several photos, Misty's Tour has several additional photos, and Google has a satellite view. Said to be Japan's fourth oldest modern light station, this lighthouse and the Nojima Saki lighthouse in Chiba prefecture frame the entrance to Tōkyō Bay. The original lighthouse was destroyed by the great Tōkyō earthquake of September 1, 1923. Located at the southeastern corner of the Miura Peninsula, marking the west entrance to Tōkyō Bay, about 13 km (8 mi) south of Yokosuka. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-698; JP-2018; Admiralty M6354; NGA 5044. * Awa Saki 1962. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white flash every 4 s. 11 m (36 ft) hourglass-shaped concrete tower, painted white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has good photos, a 2007 photo is available, Wikimedia has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the eastern point of Zyōga Shima, an island lying just off the southwestern tip of the Miura Peninsula. Apparently accessible by a short hike, since the eastern end of the island is a public park. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1395; JP-2401; Admiralty M6347; NGA 5364.

Tsurugi Saki Light, Miura, July 2009 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Edmund Yeo

* Zyōga (Jyoga, Jouga, Joga) Shima (3) 1926 (station established 1870). Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); white flash every 15 s. 12 m (39 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story keeper's house. Entire lighthouse painted white. A photo is at right, Misty's Tour has additional photos, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a good page for the lighthouse, a closeup is available, Forand has a postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse was destroyed by the great Tōkyō earthquake of September 1, 1923; it was replaced by a temporary wood lighthouse and then by the present lighthouse. Located at the western tip of Zyōga Shima, where it marks the eastern entrance to Sagami Bay. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-203; JP-2407; Admiralty M6343; NGA 5368. * Misaki Kō East Entrance South Breakwater Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post light attached to a 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has a satellite view. Misaki Kō ("Cape Harbor") is the harbor sheltered behind Zyōga Shima, at the southwestern corner of the Miura Peninsula. Located at the end of the breakwater on the south (Zyōga Shima) side of the entrance. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1407; JP-2404; Admiralty M6349; NGA 5380. Misaki Kō West Entrance South Breakwater (I Shima) Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); three red flashes every 12 s. 12 m (39 ft) round concrete tower with flared top. Entire lighthouse is red. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with good photos, Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a detached breakwater on the south (Zyōga Shima) side of the entrance. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1402; JP-2408; Admiralty M6344; NGA 5372.

Zyōga Shima Light, Miura, January 2008 Wikimedia public domain photo by nobrand

Misaki Kō West Entrance North Breakwater

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 11 m (33 ft) round concrete tower with flared top. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with good photos, Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater on the north (mainland) side of the entrance. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1406; JP-2410; Admiralty M6345; NGA 5376.

* Moroiso Saki

1944. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white light, 4 s on, 4 s off. 19 m (59 ft) square hourglass-shaped concrete tower with gallery, attached to a small concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Misty's Tour has a photo, Kiso also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a point of land facing Sagami Bay about 3 km (2 mi) northwest of Misaki Kō. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1408; JP-2412; Admiralty M6342; NGA 5384.

Kamegisho (Kamegi Kō)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); nine quick white flashes every 15 s. 14 m (46 ft) square concrete tower, painted yellow with one black horizontal band. The light is not seen in Google's distant satellite view. Located on a shoal about 1.5 km (1 mi) off Kamegi. Accessible only by boat, but there is a distant view from shore. Site open, tower closed. JP-2413; Admiralty M6338; NGA 5388.

* Nagai Kō

1980. Active; focal plane 9.5 m (31 ft); red light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 8 m (26 ft) concrete post light attached to a 1-story square concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is red. Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the south (main) breakwater of Nagai, on the west side of the Miura peninsula. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. JP-2414; Admiralty M6339; NGA 5392.

Sashima Kō Entrance (Naka Se)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green flash every 3 s. 13 m (43 ft) concrete post light with gallery and a round equipment shelter under the gallery. Entire lighthouse is green. Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a shoal about 180 m (600 ft) off the end of the main breakwater at Sashima. Accessible only by boat, but there is a good view from shore. Site open, tower closed. JP-2415; Admiralty M6340; NGA 5396.

Hayama

1944. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white flash every 3 s. 11 m (36 ft) round concrete tower with gallery, mounted on a concrete pier. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has a satellite view. Listed as Hayama Ko by NGA, this lighthouse guides vessels in a narrow passage through a dangerous reef. Located about 1200 m (3/4 mi) south of the Hayama yacht harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-095; JP-2415.5; Admiralty M6336; NGA 5398.

* Hayama Kō (2)

2001 (station established 1913). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); red light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 8 m (26 ft) wedge-shaped tower, designed to resemble a yacht under sail. Entire lighthouse painted red. A closeup photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater of the yacht harbor at Hayama. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. JP-2415.55.

Eno Shima (Fujisawa City) Lighthouses

*** Eno Shima (Yenoshima) (2) 2003 (station established 1951). Active; focal plane 107 m (351 ft); white flash every 10 s. 60 m (197 ft) round steel skeletal tower, wider at the top than at the bottom, with a lantern atop a large circular observation area. The tubular outer framework of the tower is white. At night, the tower is bathed in lights of changing colors. Closeup photos by day and night are available, Misty's Tour has photos, and Google has a satellite view. There is also a closeup photo (taken in 2000) of the original lighthouse, which was very different but equally remarkable in appearance. Eno Shima, a triangular island just off the coast near Fujisawa, is famous in Japanese folklore and is considered the perfect spot for viewing the sunset behind Mount Fuji. The island is connected to the mainland by a bridge and is a very well known tourist attraction. The tower is located at the highest point of the island, near the center. Site open, tower open daily. Site manager: Enoshima Lighthouse Observation Tower. ARLHS JPN-059; JP-2416; Admiralty M6332; NGA 5404. * Syonan (Shonan) Kō 1964. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); green light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 18 m (59 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. The lantern has a conical "dunce cap" roof like those of two similar lights in Yokohama harbor. Manabu Shimohira's photo is at right, Lighthouse-Japan.com has good photos, Misty's Tour has a photo, JANA has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse was built as part of the development of Syonan harbor as a yachting venue for the 1964 Olympics hosted by Tōkyō. Located at the end of a pier on the southeastern tip of Eno Shima. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-607; JP-2417; Admiralty M6333; NGA 5400. Naka District Lighthouses * Ōiso Kō (2) 2011. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); continuous green light with a more intense flash every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) square concrete tower with gallery; the tower is wider at the top than at the bottom. Entire lighthouse is white, with the name of the town in large blue Latin letters on the sides. When the breakwater was extended, the town chose to build this new lighthouse rather than move or duplicate the old one. Located at the end of the south (main) breakwater at Ōiso. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. JP-2419; Admiralty M6328; NGA 5412. * Ōiso Kō (1) 1941. Inactive (?) since 2011. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post light attached to a 1-story square concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse has not been removed. Located at the original end of the south (main) breakwater at Ōiso. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1412.

Syonan Kō Light, August 2005 Creative Commons photo by Manabu Shimohira

Odawara City Lighthouse

Odawara (Odawara Kō South Breakwater)

1960. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); green light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 12 m (39 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower. The lighthouse is painted white with black bands at the top and bottom and seven fine gray horizontal lines; there's also a metal "hanger" at the top. A photo is at right, Lighthouse-Japan.com has good photos, a 2008 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The north breakwater light is similar but much shorter. This unusual lighthouse is designed to resemble a traditional chochin (paper lantern). Odawara is famous as the origin of these lanterns, used widely in Japan since the 17th century. The lighthouse was relocated in 1999, when the breakwater was extended. Located at the end of the main breakwater protecting the small harbor of Odawara, on the northwest shore of Sagami Bay; Site and tower closed, but there are excellent views of the lighthouse from the waterfront. ARLHS JPN-1411; JP-2421; Admiralty M6326; NGA 5420.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

• Yokohama Lighthouse Department (1870s?-?). This training and experimental lighthouse was adjacent to the offices of the lighthouse administration.
• Yokohama Hatoba (?-?).

Notable faux lighthouses:

• Yokohama Bayside Marina has a well known faux lighthouse; it may be active but it is not listed as an aid to navigation. Google has a good satellite view.

Adjoining pages: East: Ibaraki and Chiba | South: Shizuoka

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Posted September 25, 2006. Checked and revised July 22, 2012. Lighthouses: 47, lightships: 1. Site copyright 2012 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.