Lighthouses of Japan: Mie Prefecture

This page lists lighthouses of the Japanese prefecture of Mie, which faces east on Ise Bay and southeast on the Pacific Ocean southwest of Nagoya. The southern part of Mie includes the eastern coast of the scenic Kii Peninsula (Kii-hantō), which projects southward into the Pacific and is the southernmost coast of Honshū.

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 Honshū there is usually one Coast Guard Section Office in each prefecture, sometimes two; in Mie, because of its lengthy coastline, there are three: at Yokkaichi, Toba, and Owase.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. JCG 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 - Mie
A comprehensive site, although almost entirely in Japanese.
Lighthouse-Japan.com - Mie
This site has excellent photos for many lighthouses in Mie. Note that the lights are listed by the Japanese (JCG) light list numbers.
Lighthouses (Mie Prefecture)
Another comprehensive site for lighthouse photos.
Kiso's Lighthouses
This site has many excellent photos of Japanese lighthouses. Kiso's page for Honshū-Pacific Ocean has many of the photos referenced on this page. Unfortunately, this page is posted on Yahoo Japan, which does not allow us to link directly to the photos. To find a specific photo, look for the JCG light list number in Kiso's Japanese descriptions.
Misty's Japanese Lighthouse Tour - Mie
This site has photos and a few notes in English for lighthouses in all parts of the country.
Lighthouses in Mie Prefecture
Photos available from Wikimedia.
Key Lighthouses
Photos and historical information (in Japanese) posted by the Toba Coast Guard Office.
Fourth Region Lighthouse Information
Photos and information concerning five coastal lights near the entrance to Ise Bay, posted by the Fourth Coast Guard Region Office.
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. Four of the fifty stand in the area covered by this page (Kami Shima, Suga Shima, Anori Saki, and Daio Saki).
Richard Henry Brunton
Wikipedia article on the Scottish engineer who built most of Japan's oldest lighthouses, including the surviving Sugashima Light and the first lighthouse at Anori Saki.
Japan: Modern Lighthouses
Historic postcard views posted by Michel Forand.

Kamijima Light
Kami Shima (Kamijima) Light, Ise Wan, August 2006
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by N yotarou's father

Ise Bay Lighthouses

Yokkaichi City Lighthouses
Note: The industrial city of Yokkaichi is located at the northwest corner of Ise Bay, just west of Nagoya.
* Yokkaichi Inner Basin Breakwater
1937. Inactive since 2009. 7 m (23 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Keishi Mizukami has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. Surrounded by a vastly expanded harbor, this light no longer has any navigational value; it was discontinued at the end of November 2009. Located at the end of a short breakwater at the entrance to the historic inner basin of Yokkaichi harbor. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1874; JCG-2710; ex-Admiralty M6104; ex-NGA 6188.
Yokkaichi East Breakwater North Head
1981. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 16 m (52 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Google has a satellite view. Prior to 1920, the original Yokkaichi Light, a 12 m (39 ft) square concrete tower, was somewhere near this location. Located at the north end of the detached breakwater protecting the harbor of Yokkaichi, an industrial port on the west side of Ise Bay about 30 km (20 mi) southwest of Nagoya. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1876; JCG-2704; Admiralty M6097.6; NGA 6184.
Yokkaichi East Breakwater South Head
1965. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 13 m (43 ft) round cylindrical metal tower with gallery, painted red. Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located at the south end of the detached breakwater protecting the harbor of Yokkaichi. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1875; JCG-2709; Admiralty M6099; NGA 6180.
Yokkaichi Kō (South Breakwater)
1926. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); green light occulting three times every 13 s. 20 m (66 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A Coast Guard photo is at right, and Google has a satellite view. Land has been filled south of the breakwater, so the lighthouse now stands on a right-angle cape formed by this fill. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-1877; JCG-2708; Admiralty M6098; NGA 6176.
Isozu Kō South Breakwater
1961. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical fiberglass tower with gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the south breakwater at Isozu Kō, an industrial harbor on the south side of Yokkaichi. Site and tower closed. JCG-2723; Admiralty M6096; NGA 6192.
Yokkaichi East Breakwater North Head Light
Yokkaichi Kō Light, Yokkaichi, November 2008
Japanese Coast Guard Yokkaichi Office photo

Suzuka City Lighthouses
Note: Located just to the south of Yokkaichi on the west side of Ise Bay, Suzuka is an industrial city noted for its Sharp electronics and Honda automotive factories.
* Suzuka Kō
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); continuous green light with two more intense flashes every 8 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo is available (first lighthouse on the page), and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the short south (main) breakwater of the fishing port in Suzuka. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1712; JCG-2724; Admiralty M6095; NGA 6196.
* Chiyosaki (Chiiyozaki) Kō
1951. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 10 m (33 ft) concrete tower; the light is atop an x-shaped bracket mounted on a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. JANA has a page with a photo, the Coast Guard has a page with a small photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the south (main) breakwater of Chiyosaki in Suzuka. According to JANA, the lighthouse is said to be "designed with an image of Russia," recalling a Russian ship wrecked in Ise Bay in the late 18th century. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1803; JCG-2726; Admiralty M6094; NGA 6204.
* Shiroko (Siroko) Kō South Breakwater
1949. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); green light occulting twice every 6 s. 9 m (30 ft) octagonal concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Another photo is available (second lighthouse on the page), the Coast Guard has a page with a small photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the original south breakwater of Shiroko. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1854; JCG-2727; Admiralty M6093; NGA 6208.
Shiroko (Siroko) Kō Outer Breakwater South Head
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red flash every 3 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post light rising from a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a detached breakwater at the southern end of Shiroko harbor. Accessible only by boat, but there is a good view from shore. ARLHS JPN-1854; JCG-2727.3; Admiralty M6093.5; NGA 6210.

Tsu City Lighthouses
Note: Tsu, the capital of Mie Prefecture, is a port on the central west coast of Ise Bay.
* Nie Saki (Tsu) (2)
1922 (station established 1885). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white light, 4 s on, 4 s off. 8 m (26 ft) square pyramidal concrete tower with gallery mounted on a square tapered stone base; the lantern has been removed. Lighthouse painted white. The Coast Guard has a page for the light, a closeup and another photo are available, Forand has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This light stands on the base of the 1885 wooden lighthouse. Located on the north side of the entrance to the traditional Tsumatsusaka port in Tsu. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1868; JCG-2730; Admiralty M6083; NGA 6216.
Tsu Kō South Breakwater
1988. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); red flash every 3 s. 9 m (30 ft) tapered square masonry tower, painted red. This unusual lighthouse is designed to resemble a Japanese paper-covered lamp stand. A Coast Guard photo is at right, JANA has a page with a photo, a 2010 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the south breakwater of Tsu Kō. Site and tower closed; the breakwater is short and there should be a good view from shore. ARLHS JPN-1866; JCG-2730.3; Admiralty M6085; NGA 6222.
Iguratsu (Iguratu, Tuko Iguratsu, Karasu Kō)
1969. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); green light occulting twice every 6 s. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater sheltering a harbor of the JFE Corporation, a steel works, about 35 km (22 mi) south of Yokkaichi. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1869; JCG-2731; Admiralty M6082; NGA 6224.
Tsu Kō South Breakwater Light
Tsu Kō South Breakwater Light, Tsu
Japanese Coast Guard photo

Taki District Lighthouse
* Ōyodo (Oizu) Kō
1962. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 8 m (26 ft) octagonal concrete post light, attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the north breakwater of Ōyodo harbor in Meiwa, a town between Tsu and Toba on the southwest coast of Ise Bay. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1849; JCG-2740; Admiralty M6074; NGA 6252.

Toba City Harbor Lighthouses
Note: The city of Toba is located on the west side of the entrance to Ise Bay.
* Kozaki (Kou Saki)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 91 m (299 ft); white light, 4 s on, 4 s off. 8 m (26 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with double gallery, attached to the seaward end of a square 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse painted white. Misty's Tour has a closeup photo, Lighthouse-Japan.com has photos, another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a promontory at the northwestern side of the entrance to the Toba harbor complex in lower Ise Bay. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-278; JCG-2744; Admiralty M6064; NGA 6268.
Omura Shima
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); one long and two short red flashes every 8 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower. Entire lighthouse is red. A distant view from the sea is available, but the light is not seen in Google's fuzzy satellite view. Located at the west end of an island about 1.6 km (1 mi) northeast of Kou Saki. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-2745; Admiralty M6063.6; NGA 6264.
* Toba Kō Range Front
Date unknown (station established 1912). Active; focal plane 43 m (141 ft); continuous red light. 24 m (79 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has excellent photos, a closeup photo is available, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. The range guides ships into the harbor of Toba, which is just inside the west entrance to Ise Bay. Located on a hillside above the northwest corner of Toba harbor. Site status unknown, but the tower is easy to see from nearby. ARLHS JPN-654; JCG-2756; Admiralty M6050; NGA 6276.
* Toba Kō Range Rear
1912. Active; focal plane 59 m (194 ft); red light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 8 m (26 ft) 2-stage octagonal cylindrical tower, upper portion metal and lower portion concrete, attached to the seaward side of a square 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse painted white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has good photos, Misty's Tour has another photo, a closeup is available, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located on heights above Toba. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-653; JCG-2757; Admiralty M6050.1; NGA 6280.
* Toba Kō (Sakate) South Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post light rising from a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. A photo is at right, but the light is not seen in Google's satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater sheltering the terminal for ferries crossing the mouth to Ise Bay from Toba to Irago Saki in Aichi Prefecture. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1851; JCG-2759; Admiralty M6047.6; NGA 6288.
Shimaga Saki (Shima Ga Saki)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); two white flashes every 7 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) cylindrical concrete tower with a cross-shaped cross section, rising from a 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse painted white. Misty's Tour has a good closeup, another photo is available, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view of the cape. Located on a promontory on an island at the southwestern corner of Ise Bay, marking the entrance to the narrow channel of Kabura Strait, between Suga Shima and the mainland. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-1852; JCG-2753; Admiralty M6063; NGA 6292.
Toba Kō Light
Toba Kō South Breakwater Light, Toba, January 2009
Panoramio photo copyright trumpkin; used by permission
Maruyama Saki
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); four green flashes, in a long-short-long-short pattern, every 17 s. 10 m (33 ft) round concrete tower, wider at the top, mounted on a round concrete pier. Entire lighthouse is green. A distant view is available, but the light is not seen in Google's satellite view. Located on a reef about 200 m (220 yd) off Shimaga Saki. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-2752; Admiralty M6047.8; NGA 6304.
Seigan Shima
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9.5 m (31 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) round hourglass-shaped concrete tower, painted black with one red horizontal band. Google has a distant satellite view of the location. Located on a reef in the center of the southern entrance to the Kabura Strait. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-2760; Admiralty M6047.4; NGA 6300.

Kami Shima, Suga Shima, and Tōshi Shima Lighthouses
Note: Kami Shima, Suga Shima, and Tōshi Shima are islands east of Toba in the entrance to Ise Bay; all of them are administered by Toba City. The islands are popular resort destinations, with ferry service frequently from Toba.
* Kami Shima (2)
1968 (station established 1910). Active; focal plane 114 m (374 ft); three white flashes every 30 s. 11 m (36 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, centered on a 1-story square concrete equipment building. 4th order Fresnel lens in use. Entire lighthouse covered with white ceramic tile. A photo is at the top of this page, Lighthouse-Japan.com has closeup photos, the Toba Coast Guard Office has a page with good photos, the Coast Guard Fourth Region also has a page for the light, the Eighth Region has an aerial photo in the Famous Fifty collection, and Google has a satellite view. The present light replaced a cast iron tower. Kami Shima is an island in the center of the entrance to Ise Bay, so this lighthouse functions as the landfall light for the bay. Located on the high ridge at the east end of the island. Ferry transportation to the island is available from Toba, and according to the Coast Guard it is 30 minute (steeply uphill!) walk to the light station. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-215; JCG-2504; Admiralty M6021; NGA 5824.
* Tōshi Kō South Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green light, 3 s on, 1 s off. 8.5 m (28 ft) round concrete tower, flared at the top, attached to a small 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. A closeup photo and a view from the harbor are available, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located at the end of the south breakwater of Toshi harbor, at the east end of the island. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1864; JCG-2747; Admiralty M6058; NGA 6312.
* Suga Shima (2)
1873 (Richard Henry Brunton). Active; focal plane 55 m (180 ft); white flash every 4 s. 10 m (33 ft) round old-style brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. The original 1-story brick keeper's house has been dismantled and rebuilt at Meiji Mura (Meiji Village), a privately-owned historic theme park in Inuyama, about 20 km (13 mi) north of Nagoya. The Toba Coast Guard office has a page with the photo at right, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page of photos, Misty's Tour has another photo, another photo is available, and Google has a distant satellite view. This venerable light was the first brick Western-style lighthouse built in Japan. It replaced a wooden Edo-era lighthouse, according to the Coast Guard Fourth Region's page for the station. Suga Shima is an island, 4 km (2.5 mi) long, obstructing the western entrance to Ise Bay. The island is accessible by ferry from Toba. Located at the northeastern tip of the island, said to be a 20 minute walk from the ferry. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-596; JCG-2750; Admiralty M6048; NGA 6328.
Sugashima Kō North Breakwater
1985. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) post light rising from a round 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has a distant satellite view of the pier. Located at the end of the north breakwater at the harbor on Suga Shima. Probably accessible by walking the pier. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-1859; JCG-2750.5; Admiralty M6048.5; NGA 6320.
Sugashima Kō South Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 8.5 m (28 ft) post light rising from a round 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has a distant satellite view of the location. Located at the west end of the detached south breakwater at the harbor on Suga Shima. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. JCG-2751; Admiralty M6049; NGA 6324.

Suga Shima Light, Ise Wan
Japanese Coast Guard Toba Office photo

Pacific Coast Lighthouses

Toba City South Coast Lighthouses
* Izika (Ijika)
1962. Active; focal plane 38 m (125 ft); two white flashes every 7 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) slender octagonal concrete tower rising from a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Stacey Salamon has a closeup photo, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a photo, a 2011 closeup is available, Misty's Tour has another photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located in a hotel parking lot on a promontory at Izika, a seaside town about 10 km (6 mi) southeast of Toba. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-195; JCG-2764; Admiralty M6046; NGA 6336.
* Yoroi Saki
1963. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 9.5 m (31 ft) slender octagonal concrete tower rising from a 1-story concrete equipment room. Lighthouse-Japan.com has several good photos, Misty's Tour has additional closeup photos, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse appears to be a copy of the Izika lighthouse. Located on a sharp promontory sheltering the fishing port of Kusaki. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-760; JCG-2766; Admiralty M6045; NGA 6344.

Shima City Lighthouses
*** Anori Saki (3)
1948 (modern station established 1873). Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); white flash every 15 s. 13 m (43 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a small equipment room. Entire lighthouse painted white. A photo is at right, the Toba Coast Guard Office has a page with several photos, a 2011 photo is available, Atsushi Yokoyama has a 2007 photo, Lighthouse-Japan.com has fine photos, Misty's Tour has additional photos, and Google has a satellite view. Lights were shown here as early as 1681, according to the Coast Guard Fourth Region page for the station. The 1873 lighthouse, an octagonal wooden tower, was moved several times to escape erosion of the point; after the present lighthouse was built the old tower was relocated to the Museum of Maritime Science in Tokyo. Forand has a postcard view of the old lighthouse. A lighthouse musuem, near the tower, has historical exhibits including a 1/3 model of the 1873 light. Located on a sharp, east-facing promontory on the south side of the entrance to Matoya Bay about 12 km (7.5 mi) south of the Ise Bay entrance. Site open, museum open daily except Tuesdays, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-021; JCG-2769; Admiralty M6042; NGA 6356.
Anori Saki Light
Anori Saki Light, Shima, October 2008
Panoramio Creative Commons photo by しいね
Anori Kō West Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); red flash every 4 s. 9 m (30 ft) round concrete tower with flared top, covered with red ceramic tile. Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the west breakwater of a small harbor inside Anori Saki. Accessible by walking the pier. Site and tower closed. JCG-2772; Admiralty M6042.46; NGA 6364.
* Nakira Kō (Inner Breakwater)
1928. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green flash every 3 s. 9 m (30 ft) round strongly conical concrete tower, painted white. Google has a satellite view. Since the harbor has been extended greatly by new breakwaters, this light has little navigational value now. It is retained as a historic beacon. Located on a short pier at Nakira, a harbor in the lee of Daio Saki. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1838; JCG-2780; Admiralty M6038; NGA 6376.
* Nakira Kō Outer Breakwater
1996. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); green light occulting once every 4 s. 11 m (36 ft) round concrete tower attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the extended east (main) brealwater at Nakira. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1839; JCG-2780.1; Admiralty M6038.2; NGA 6378.
* Daio Saki (Daiozaki)
1927. Active; focal plane 46 m (151 ft); flash every 15 s, alternately red and white; in addition a continuous red light is shown over rocks to the southwest. 23 m (75 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 2-story concrete keeper's house. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo is at right, the Toba Coast Guard Office has a page for the light station, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a good closeup photo, Misty's Tour has photos, Wikimedia has several photos, a good closeup is available, the Coast Guard Eighth Region has an aerial photo in the Famous Fifty collection, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse was built after the Japanese Navy cruiser Otawa wrecked on nearby reefs. It was damaged during World War II and again by a typhoon in 1959, but was restored in 1978. Located on a sharp, east-pointing promontory about 30 km (20 mi) south of Toba. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-053; JCG-2781; Admiralty M6036; NGA 6384.
Daiozaki Light
Daio Saki (Daiozaki) Light, Shima, February 2010
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Tamago Moffle
* Mugi Saki
1975. Active; focal plane 28 m (92 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. The Toba Coast Guard Office has a page including the photo at right, Lighthouse-Japan.com has outstanding photos of this lighthouse, and another closeup is available, but clouds veil the lighthouse in Google's satellite view. Located on a south-pointing promontory about 6 km (3.5 mi) southwest of Daio Saki. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-376; JCG-2785; Admiralty M6034.2; NGA 6396.
Iwai Misaki
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); continuous white light. 18 m (59 ft) round white concrete tower with three galleries connected by external galleries. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located in heavy forest above the southwesternmost tip of the hook-shaped Goza peninsula, which shelters Ago Bay. Site status unknown. JCG-2793; Admiralty M6033.46; NGA 6416.
Goza Saki
1971. Active; focal plane 98 m (322 ft); white flash every 10 s. 14 m (46 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. A Coast Guard photo is below right, Lighthouse-Japan.com has photos, a closeup is available, the Toba Coast Guard Office has a page for the station, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the heights at the end of the Goza peninsula. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-074; JCG-2794; Admiralty M6032.7; NGA 6420.

Mugi Saki Light, Shima
Japanese Coast Guard Toba Office photo
Yotorinose (Yotori No Se)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) round concrete tower, flared at the top, painted black with a red horizontal band. The light is faintly visible in Google's satellite view. Located on a reef in the entrance to a small boat harbor on the north (protected) sdie of the Goza peninsula. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-2801; Admiralty M6033.31; NGA 6428.
Hamashima (Hamajima) Kō
1955. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white flash every 4 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) round cylindrical white concrete tower with gallery. A closeup is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on Yatori Shima, a small island at the entrance to Hamashima harbor; the islet is connected to land by a breakwater. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-1810; JCG-2796; Admiralty M6033; NGA 6440.

Watarai District Lighthouses
Taso Saki
1951. Active; focal plane 97 m (318 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 12 m (39 ft) slender round concrete tower, rising from a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a closeup, another closeup is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a high promontory separating Ago Bay from Gokasho Bay. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-628; JCG-2806; Admiralty M6032; NGA 6448.
Mie Shima (Miesima)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 67 m (220 ft); white flash every 5 s. 7 m (23 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower rising from a 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is white. No photo available, and the island is only a blur in Google's satellite view. Located atop Mie Shima, a steep, rocky island about 6 km (3.5 mi) southeast of Yoshizu. Accessible only by boat and nearly inaccessible. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-348; JCG-2818; Admiralty M6027.4; NGA 6492.
Goza Saki Light
Goza Saki Light, Shima
Japanese Coast Guard photo
* Yoshizu (Yosizu)
1952. Active; focal plane 62 m (203 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 10 m (33 ft) hexagonal white concrete tower with gallery. A closeup photo is available, Misty's Tour has a twilight photo of the light in action, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a wooded promontory on the west side of the harbor entrance at Yoshizu. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-763; JCG-2822; Admiralty M6027; NGA 6512.
* Hoza Kō (Houza Ura)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 41 m (135 ft); continuous light, white, red or green depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) square cylindrical white concrete tower, wider at the top. The lights are shown through a square opening near the top. A closeup is available, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located atop a wooded bluff, marking the entrance to Hoza harbor about 4 km (2.5 mi) south of Yoshizu. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1814; JCG-2824; Admiralty M6026.4; NGA 6516.
* Kowaura (Kowa)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white light, 4 s on, 4 s off. 8.5 m (28 ft) round hourglass-shaped white concrete tower. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a steep point of land on the east side of the entrance to Kowaura harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1825; JCG-2825; Admiralty M6026.3; NGA 6520.
* Nishiki Kō West Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. A distant view is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the end of a breakwater pier at Nishiki. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1841; JCG-2829.5; Admiralty M6025.7; NGA 6537.
* Nishiki
1946. Active; focal plane 44 m (144 ft); white light, 4 s on, 4 s off. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with double gallery, attached to a small equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. A closeup is available, and Misty's Tour has additional photos, but trees hide the lighthouse in Google's satellite view. Located on a headland above the west side of the entrance to Nishiki harbor, about 5 km (3 mi) east of Nagashima. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-418; JCG-2829; Admiralty M6025; NGA 6524.

Kitamuro District Lighthouses
Nagashima (O Lsi)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 9 m (30 ft) round hourglass-shaped white concrete tower with gallery. Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a rock on the east side of the entrance to Nagashima Wan. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1845; JCG-2833; Admiralty M6023.8; NGA 6544.
Nagashima Kō
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 11 m (36 ft) round concrete tower, flared at the top and attached to a small 1-story equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. A very distant view is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the main breakwater of Nagashima harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-393; JCG-2836; Admiralty M6024; NGA 6552.
Nagashima Oshima
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 98 m (322 ft); three white flashes every 18 s. 9 m (30 ft) round white concrete tower with double gallery, rising from a small square concrete equipment room. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located atop a small island about 4 km (2.5 mi) south of the Nagashima light. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-388; JCG-2832; Admiralty M6022; NGA 6548.
* Shimakatsu (Simakatu)
1963. Active; focal plane 53 m (174 ft); white flash every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) round concrete tower, rising from a 1-story square concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. A closeup is available, and a Google satellite view probably shows the location of this light. Located on the promontory on the north side of a ragged peninsula that shelters the east side of Owase Wan, about 8 km (5 mi) northeast of Owase. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-559; JCG-2839; Admiralty M6022.2; NGA 6568.

Owase City Lighthouses
Onaso Hana
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 60 m (197 ft); three white flashes every 12 s. 8 m (26 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, rising from a 1-story square concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located atop a very sharp promontory on the north side of the entrance to Owase Wan and the harbor of Owase. Site status unknown, but it appears to be very difficult to reach. ARLHS JPN-1846; JCG-2843; Admiralty M6012; NGA 6580.
Owase (Owashi) Kō Detached (No. 2) Breakwater
Date unknown (station established 1931). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post light attached to a 1-story square concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has a satellite view. Located at the north end of a detached breakwater protecting the waterfront of Owase. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-2852; Admiralty M6017; NGA 6608.
Togashira Shima (Owase)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 129 m (423 ft); white flash every 4 s. 11 m (36 ft) round concrete tower, rising from a 1-story square concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on a very steep slope on a small island at the south side of the entrance to Owase Wan and the harbor of Owase. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower probably closed. ARLHS JPN-1862; JCG-2842; Admiralty M6011; NGA 6620.
* Kuki Kō (Kutsu Saki)
1965. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 9 m (30 ft) round white concrete tower, rising from a 1-story square building. The building is the normal size for a lighthouse equipment room, but apparently it is a small Shinto shrine. This information and another photo are found on the Misty's Lighthouse Tour site. Lighthouse-Japan.com also has good photos, a 2012 closeup is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a wooded promontory on the south side of the Kuki harbor entrance, about 8 km (5 mi) southeast of Owase. Accessible by a hike of about 30 minutes. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-299; JCG-2856; Admiralty M6010.4; NGA 6624.
** Miki Saki
1928. Active; focal plane 149 m (489 ft); three white flashes every 30 s. 14 m (46 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a small 1-story keeper's house. Entire lighthouse is white. This historic light is the best known and most visited lighthouse of the southern Mie coast. A Coast Guard photo is at right, Lighthouse-Japan has excellent photos, Misty's Tour also has photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a long, rugged peninsula about 15 km (9 mi) southeast of Owase. Accessible by paved road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-352; JCG-2859; Admiralty M6010; NGA 6668.
* Kosugi Hana
1959. Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); white flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) octagonal cylindrical concrete tower, rising from a 1-story square concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a good closeup, Misty's Tour also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a long peninsula projecting into Kosugi Wan about 5 km (3 mi) east of Kosugi. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-290; JCG-2860; Admiralty M6009.5; NGA 6652.
Miki Saki Light
Miki Saki Light, Owase
Japanese Coast Guard Owase Office photo

Kumano City Lighthouses
* Niki Shima (Nikijima)
1953. Active; focal plane 45 m (148 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 12 m (39 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with double gallery, rising from a 1-story square concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo is at right, Lighthouse-Japan.com has good photos, and Google has a satellite view. Niki Shima is called an island, but in fact it is connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. Located at the southwestern point of the "island," off highway 311 about 15 km (9 mi) northeast of Kumano. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-409; JCG-2865; Admiralty M6009; NGA 6632.
* Ino Hana
1958. Active; focal plane 84 m (276 ft); two white flashes every 7 s. 11 m (36 ft) octagonal cylindrical concrete tower, rising from a 1-story octagonal concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has photos, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse marks the approach to the harbor of Kumano. Located at the tip of a peninsula about 6 km (4 mi) east of Kumano. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-170; JCG-2868; Admiralty M6008.5; NGA 6640.

Minamimuro District Lighthouse
Udono Kō North Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); green flash every 3 s. 11 m (36 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Udono is a port town on the north side of the Kumano River, which forms the border between Mie and Wakayama Prefectures. Located at the north end of a detached breakwater sheltering the harbor of Udono. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1871; JCG-2869.8; Admiralty M6007.5; NGA 6678.
Nigi Shima Light
Niki Shima Light, Kumano, August 2011
Panoramio Creative Commons photo by satsueisya

Information available on lost lighthouses:

  • Yokkaichi (1886-?), waterfront of Yokkaichi.

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: East: Nagoya Area | West: Wakayama

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Posted November 5, 2006. Checked and revised August 18, 2012. Lighthouses: 58. Site copyright 2012 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.