Lighthouses of Japan: Yamaguchi

This page lists lighthouses of the Japanese prefecture of Yamaguchi, located at the extreme southwestern tip of the main island of Honshū. Yamaguchi has coasts facing south on the Inland Sea and west and northwest on the Sea of Japan. The narrow, twisting Kanmon Strait connects these two seas and barely separates Honshū from Kyūshū. The principal ports in Yamaguchi are Tokuyama on the Inland Sea, Shimonoseki on the Kanmon Strait, and Nagato on the Sea of Japan. Because of its lengthy coastline, Yamaguchi Prefecture has an unusually large number of lighthouses.

In Japanese, the word for a lighthouse is tōdai (or toudai). 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 at least one Coast Guard Section Office in each prefecture, often two or more.

A note on the Sea of Japan/East Sea controversy: The Directory takes no side in any international dispute; it makes use of the terminology, names, and spellings as they currently exist in each area covered. The sea between Japan and Korea is called the Sea of Japan on the pages for Japan and the East Sea on the pages for Korea.

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 - Yamaguchi
A comprehensive site, although almost entirely in Japanese. There's also a page on Lighthouses by R. H. Brunton listing the earliest Western-style Japanese lighthouses.
Lighthouse-Japan.com - Yamaguchi
Excellent photos with notes (in Japanese) for many of the lighthouses.
Kiso's Lighthouses
This site has many excellent photos of Japanese lighthouses.
Misty's Japanese Lighthouse Tour
Photos and a few notes for lighthouses in all parts of the country.
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.
Japanese Lighthouse/Cape Index
Photos of many Japanese lighthouses (identified by JP number) are linked to this page.
Hiroshima Coast Guard Aids to Navigation
Information on aids to navigation posted by the Hiroshima Coast Guard office.

O Iso Light
O Iso Light, Suō-Ōshima
Japanese Coast Guard photo

South Coast (Inland Sea) Lighthouses

Ōshima District (Suō-Ōshima Area) Lighthouses
Note: The municipality of Suō-Ōshima occupies the island of Yashiro Shima at the south end of Hiroshima Bay. One of the largest islands of the Inland Sea, Yashiro Shima is about 30 km (19 mi) in length. It is accessible from the mainland by the Ōshima Bridge, built in 1976, which crosses a strait having one of the fastest and most dangerous tidal currents in Japan. Though the island is in Yamaguchi Prefecture, these lighthouses are maintained by the Hiroshima Coast Guard Office.
O Iso
1937. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white flash every 3 s. 16 m (52 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A larger version of the Coast Guard's photo appears above, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was originally painted with red and black horizontal bands and is still listed that way by NGA, but according to the Coast Guard it has been all white since 1986. The lighthouse stands on a dangerous rock in the narrow channel between Yashiro Shima and the mainland. Located about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) west of the Oshima Bridge. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1647; JP-4799; Admiralty M5636; NGA 9112.
* Kuka Kō
1971. Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); two white flashes every 8 s. 11 m (36 ft) round concrete tower with gallery, centered on a round 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. There is a keeper's house nearby. The Coast Guard also has a page for the light, and Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several photos, but the tower cannot be distinguished in Google's fuzzy satellite view. Kuka is a port on the north side of Yashiro Shima. Located on a promontory northeast of the waterfront of Kuka. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-297; JP-4795; Admiralty M5658; NGA 9100.
* Ihota Kō
1981. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red flash every 4 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical fiberglass tower with lantern. Entire lighthouse is red. Google has a distant satellite view. Located at the end of the inner breakwater mole at Ihota, near the easternmost tip of the island of Yashiro Shima. Appears to be accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. JP-4797; Admiralty M5657; NGA 9108.
Kominase Shima (2)
1968 (heightened in 1991) (station established 1927). Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white flash every 4 s. 15 m (49 ft) 2-stage round cylindrical concrete tower with two galleries on the lower stage; the upper stage is a slender concrete post. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has a distant satellite view of the station. The original light was on a skeletal tower. In 1991, the lantern of the present tower was removed and replaced by the upper stage. Located on the southeastern tip of a small island about 8 km (5 mi) south of the southeastern corner of Yashiro Shima. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-1628; JP-4916; Admiralty M5644; NGA 9148.
Kuka Ko Light
Kuka Kō Light
Japanese Coast Guard photo
* Agenosho Kō (Agenosyoko)
1964. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); continuous red light with a moe intense flash every 5 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire structure covered with red tile. Clouds obscure most of the harbor in Google's distant satellite view. Located at a breakwater of Agenosho Kō, a port on the south side of Yashiro Shima. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1603; JP-4737; Admiralty M5639; NGA 9212.
Shimo-Ninai (Simo-Ninai) Shima
1937. Active; focal plane 118 m (387 ft); four white flashes every 14 s. 12 m (39 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from the front of a 1-story concrete keeper's house. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has a very distant satellite view. Located on the summit of a small island in the south entrance to the channel between Yashiro Shima and the mainland, about 15 km (9 mi) south southeast of Yanai. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-1657; JP-4738; Admiralty M5628; NGA 9216.

Iyo Bay Lighthouses
Note: Iyo Bay (Iyo-nada) is a large open sound lying between the three main Japanese islands of Honshū (to the north), Shikoku (to the southeast), and Kyūshū (to the southwest). Iyo is an old name for Ehime, the Shikoku prefecture adjoining the bay.
Ya Shima
Date unknown (station established 1909). Active; focal plane 61 m (200 ft); white flash every 10 s. 11.5 m (37 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. A Coast Guard photo appears at right, and Google has a distant satellite view. This is an important light, since Ya Shima is the southernmost island of the Bōyo (Hōyo) Islands, the group that includes Suō-Ōshima. East-west ship traffic in the Inland Sea must round this point to continue in either direction. Located on a steep slope at the southern end of the island, a location that appears difficult to access. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-742; JP-4918; Admiralty M5414; NGA 9160.
Hoziro (Hojiro) Shima
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 39 m (128 ft); white flash every 3 s. 7 m (23 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. A view from the sea is available, but Google has only a very distant satellite view. Located atop an islet about 11 km (6.5 mi) west of the Ya Shima lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-135; JP-4919; Admiralty M5412; NGA 9164.

Ya Shima Light; Japanese Coast Guard photo

Kumage District Lighthouses
* Murotsu (Murotu)
1936. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); white or red light depending on direction, 3 s on, 3 s off. 13 m (43 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Kiso has a photo, and another photo is available (note the lighthouse under the bridge on the left). Google has a very distant satellite view. Located on the northeastern point of Naga Shima at Kaminoseki, marking the narrow channel between the island and the mainland, under the Kaminoseki Bridge. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1639; JP-5110; Admiralty M5626; NGA 9436.
Kame Iwa
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); red light, one short and one long red flash every 8 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower wth lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is red. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a rocky reef about 400 m (1/4 mi) off the northern point of Naga Shima. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M5408; NGA 9456.
Maru Iwa
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); red light, one short and one long red flash every 8 s. 11 m (36 ft) concrete post light, attached to a 1-story concrete equipment shelter and mounted on a concrete pier. Entire lighthouse is red. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a reef in the entrance to Hirao harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M5406.5; NGA 9472.
* Murozumi Kō
1949. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 9 m (30 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire structure is white. Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a short breakwater at the tip of a hook-shaped spit sheltering the harbor of Murozumi. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1641; JP-5122; Admiralty M5406; NGA 9484.

Kudamatsu City Lighthouse
Iwa Shima
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); three white flashes every 12 s. 10.5 m (31 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A good photo is available, also a second photo, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse stands atop a rocky islet in the middle of the entrance to Tokuyama Bay, about 10 km (6 mi) south of Kudamatsu. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1620; JP-5143; Admiralty M5400; NGA 9520.

Shūnan (Tokuyama) City Lighthouses
* Kudamatsu (1)
1893. Inactive for many years. Approx. 8 m (26 ft) unpainted square pyramidal stone tower with a stone lantern of traditional form. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. According to a blog, this is the oldest lighthouse of Shūnan. Probably it has been relocated for display. The blog also has photos of a similar beacon, with no lantern, that formerly stood on the Harumi pier; its current location is unclear. Located on the Kudamatsu waterfront in Tokuyama. Site open, tower closed.
* Tokuyama (Tikko Breakwater)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 11 m (36 ft) round white concrete tower with gallery, attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. A photo is available, and Google has a good satellite view. The design of this tower suggests that it may have had a lantern in the past. Located on a short breakwater in the old harbor of Tokuyama. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1666; Admiralty M5404; NGA 9536.
No Shima (Suō Noshima)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 87 m (285 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 19 m (62 ft) square white concrete tower. Kiso has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. No Shima is an inhabited island in Suō Bay about 20 km (13 mi) southwest of Kudamatsu. Located on a summit near the southern tip of the island. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-602; JP-5140; Admiralty M5398.5.2; NGA 9512.

Hōfu City Lighthouse
Mitaziri Nakanoseki Kō
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); red flash every 3 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) round concrete tower attached to a small equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. A distant view from nearby mountains is available, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a detached breakwater outside the entrance to Hōfu harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty M5396; NGA 9577.
* Nakanoseki (Nakano Saki)
1932. Active; focal plane 66 m (217 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 12 m (39 ft) square concrete post light attached to a 1-story concrete equipment building. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several photos, and the light pokes through the trees in Google's satellite view. Located on a densely-forested promontory on the west side of the entrance to Hōfu harbor. Accessible by a hiking trail. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1643; JP-5193; Admiralty M5394; NGA 9584.

Yamaguchi City Lighthouses
* Kusayama Saki
1982. Active; focal plane 128 m (420 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 12 m (39 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several photos, Kiso has a closeup photo, another photo is available, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a high promontory jutting into Suō Bay about 15 km (9 mi) south of Ogori. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-313; JP-5201; Admiralty M5390; NGA 9608.
* Aio Kō (South Breakwater)
1976. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); red light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire structure is red. Google has a distant satellite view. Located at the end of the south (main) breakwater of Aio harbor. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1605; JP-5204; Admiralty M5390.45; NGA 9616.

Ube City Lighthouses
Kamega Se
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 4 s. 14 m (46 ft) round white tower. No photo available, and the light is not seen in Google's satellite view. Located on a shoal about 2 km (1.25 mi) south of Ube Airport. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M5386; NGA 9636.
Motoyama
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); white flash every 3 s. 15 m (49 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a square concrete pier. Lighthouse painted white with one black horizontal band. Kiso has a photo, but the lighthouse is not seen in Google's satellite view. Located in Suō Bay about 5 km (3 mi) offshore south of Ube. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1637; JP-5212; Admiralty M5387; NGA 9648.

Shimonoseki City Lighthouses

North Side Kanmon Strait (Kanmon-kaikyō) Lighthouses
Note: The Kanmon Strait is the narrow passage separating the southwestern tip of Honshū from the northern tip of Kyūshū. Since 1973, the two great islands have been joined by the Kanmonkyō Bridge, which crosses the narrowest point of the strait from Shimonoseki, Honshū, to Kitakyūshū. The twisting strait has strong tidal currents and is not easy to navigate.
Manzyu (Manju) Shima
1934. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white flash every 4 s. 16 m (52 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo is available, the Coast Guard has the closer photo at right, a page for the lighthouse is available, and Google has a satellite view. Manzyu Shima is a small, wooded island on the north side of the eastern entrance to Kanmon Strait, about 8 km (5 mi) northeast of Shimonoseki. Located on the southern shore of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-330; JP-5401; Admiralty M5360; NGA 9762.
Shimonoseki Range Rear
1901. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); continuous yellow light. 5 m (17 ft) round cast iron tower with gallery; an arrow-shaped daymark surrounds the light. Another photo and a third photo are available. The range guides westbound ships passing Shimonoseki. The front light is a small skeletal tower at the waterline. Michel Forand has a historic postcard view of the front light. Located in Shimonoseki one block from the waterfront. Site open, tower closed. JP-5424; Admiralty M5356.1; NGA 9782.

Manzyu Shima Light; Japanese Coast Guard photo
* Sotohama (Kannonzaki) East Breakwater (2?)
Date unknown (1997? station established 1913). Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); red flash every 4 s. 6 m (20 ft) round concrete tower with gallery. Lighthouse covered with red ceramic tiles. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several photos, Kiso's photo shows both breakwater lighthouses, the light is in the background of the photo at right, and Google has a satellite view. It's not clear if this is a new structure or a refurbished version of the original lighthouse. Located on the west breakwater of a small craft basin about 1.5 km (1 mi) southwest of the Kanmonkyo Bridge. Accessible by walking the pier; it's an easy walk from the nearby public aquarium. Site open, tower closed. JP-5425; Admiralty M5353; NGA 9786.
* Sotohama (Kannonzaki) West Breakwater
1997. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); green flash every 4 s. 6 m (20 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is covered with white and gray ceramic tiles; lantern painted black. A photo is at right, JANA has a page with a great photo, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several photos, another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the west breakwater of a small craft basin about 1.5 km (1 mi) southwest of the Kanmonkyo Bridge. Accessible by walking the pier; it's only a few steps from the Shimonoseki Marine Science Museum. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-816; JP-5425.1; Admiralty M5352; NGA 9788.
Shimonoseki Kō (Hananocho Breakwater)
2008 (?). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); red flash every 5 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is red. The light is on the right in a photo of the city's waterfront (click on the photo for enlargement), and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater for the Hananocho harbor. Admiralty M5351; NGA 9794.
* Hikoshima Range Front
2002. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); continuous yellow light. 26 m (85 ft) round concrete tower with triangular topmark and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo is available, a second photo shows both range lights, and Google has a good satellite view. This range replaced the Ganryu Shima lighthouse (see below). Located on the shore of the strait about 4 km (2.5 mi) southwest of the Kanmonkyo Bridge. Site appears open, tower closed. JP-5431.1; Admiralty M5439; NGA 9799.
Hikoshima Range Rear
2002. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); continuous yellow light. 13 m (46 ft) concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. A closeup photo is available, a second photo shows both range lights, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a wooded bluff 90 m (300 ft) southwest of the front light. Site status unknown. JP-5431.2; Admiralty M5439.1; NGA 9799.5.
Sotohama West Breakwater Light
Sotohama West Breakwater Light, August 2009
Panoramio photo copyright shita; permission requested
#Ganryu Shima
Date unknown. Demolished in 2003. This was a 17 m (56 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Kiso has photos (near the bottom of the page), and Google has a satellite view of the small square concrete platform on which the lighthouse stood. The lighthouse became redundant with the activation of the Hikoshima range lights (previous entries), so it was demolished in January 2003. Located at the tip of a headland a short distance south of the Hikishima lighthouses. Site status unknown. ex-JP-5431; ex-Admiralty F5350.
Kanenotsuru (Kanenoturu) Misaki
1871 (relocated here in 1920). Inactive since 2000. 8.5 m (28 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery. The tower is unpainted; lantern painted white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with two photos, Kiso has a photo, a 2008 closeup is available, and Google has a satellite view. This small lighthouse stands on the extreme southwestern tip of Honshū, on the inside of a right-angle bend in the Kanmon Strait. Ships rounding this point are guided now by buoys and by range lights on the south (Kyūshū) side of the strait, making this light obsolete. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-805; ex-JP-5441; ex-Admiralty F5342.
* Daiba (Daiga) Hana
1900. Inactive since 2009. 11 m (36 ft) round brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with excellent photos, Misty's Tour has a photo, and Google has a good satellite view. This lighthouse marks the north side of the entrance to the Kanmon Strait from the Sea of Japan. It stands on an island, separated from the mainland by a narrow channel but accessible by bridge. However, there is a large warehouse district behind the lighthouse and the tower may not be easy to locate. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1607; JP-5530; Admiralty M5335.6; NGA 9920.
* Mutsure (Muture) Shima
1872 (Richard Henry Brunton). Active; focal plane 28 m (92 ft); white flash every 10 s. 11 m (36 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a semicircular keeper's cottage. The lighthouse is unpainted granite; lantern painted white. A Coast Guard photo is at right, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with good photos, Misty's Tour has a photo, a closeup is available, and Google has a satellite view. This historic light is one of the oldest active Japanese lighthouses, inaugurated January 1, 1872. The emperor Meiji visited the lighthouse on June 12, 1872. It marks the approach to Kanmon Strait, which is from the north and not from the west. Located at the northeastern point of Mutsure Shima, about 3 km (2 mi) north of Daiba Hana. The island is apparently accessible by passenger ferry, and the lighthouse is only a short walk from the harbor. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-384; JP-5537; Admiralty M5334; NGA 9944.

Mutsure Shima Light
Japanese Coast Guard photo

West Coast (Sea of Japan) Lighthouses
Kurumi Se
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 12 m (39 ft) round hourglass-shaped concrete tower with gallery, painted black with one red horizontal band. A photo is available, but Google has only a fuzzy satellite view of the islet. Located on a tiny island about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) west of Fukue. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M5330; NGA 1540.
Hutsaoi (Hutaoi, Futaoi) Shima
1912. Active; focal plane 104 m (341 ft); three white flashes every 30 s. 15 m (49 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story concrete keeper's house. Entire lighthouse is white. A 2007 closeup and another photo are available, and Google has a very distant satellite view. Hutsaoi Shima is an inhabited island about 6 km (3.5 mi) off the mainland and about 16 km (10 mi) north northwest of Daiba Hana and the entrance to the Kanmon Strait. The light here is an important guide for ships approaching the strait, especially from the north. In 1951 the lighthouse was the first in Japan to be powered by wind, but it was converted to regular electric power after lines were brought to the station in 1967. Located at the southwestern tip of the island, which is accessible by ferry. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-147; JP-0704; Admiralty M5322; NGA 1548.
* Kottoi
1912. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); white or red light depending on direction, occulting once every 8 s. 6 m (20 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several photos, another good closeup is available, and Google has a satellite view. This is the westernmost lighthouse on the mainland of Honshū. Located on a bluff on the north side of the entrance to Kottoi, a small town about 35 km (22 mi) west of Nagato. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-291; JP-0709; Admiralty M7399; NGA 1564.
**** Tsuno (Tuno) Shima
1876 (Richard Henry Brunton). Active; focal plane 45 m (148 ft); white flash every 5 s. 30 m (98 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery. The tower is unpainted gray stone; lantern painted white. Adjoining keeper's house and other light station buildings. A is at right, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with good photos, another good photo is available, and Google has a satellite view of the station. This handsome lighthouse is the last of the lighthouses built in Japan by the British engineer Richard Henry Brunton. One of the country's best-known and most-visited lighthouses, it is the only Yamaguchi lighthouse on the Eighth Coast Guard District's well-known Famous Fifty Lighthouses list. It marks the "top of the toe" of Honshū, a place where the trend of the coastline shifts from north-south to east-west. The island, Tsuno Shima, is connected to the mainland by an exceptionally scenic bridge. Located at the western tip of the island. Site open, tower open for climbing daily. ARLHS JPN-693; JP-0715; Admiralty M7397; NGA 1568.
Nagato Ise
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); white flash every 3 s. 13 m (43 ft) round tapered concrete tower with gallery, mounted on a round concrete pier. Entire lighthouse is white. A small photo is available, the light is barely visible at the left edge of a photo of the bay, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a skerry in the northern entrance to the strait separating Tsuno Shima from the mainland. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1642; JP-0714; Admiralty M7396; NGA 1584.

Tsuno Shima Light, May 2006
anonymous Creative Commons photo

North Coast (Sea of Japan) Lighthouses

Nagato City Lighthouses
Hon-Yuya (Funa Se)
1976.Active; focal plane 95 m (312 ft); continuous white spotlight. The light illuminates the Funa Se reef about 800 m (1/2 mi) south southwest. 11 m (36 ft) concrete post light with a large, square lantern room. Entire lighthouse is white. Another photo and a third photo are available, and Google has a satellite view. Erroneously listed as "Yuya Ko" in NGA. Located on the north side of Yuya Bay about 1 km (0.6 mi) east of the Tawara Shima lighthouse (next entry). Accessible, but local guidance is needed. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-766; JP-0724; Admiralty M7394.2; NGA 1596.
Yuya Kō (Tawara Shima, Yuya Wan)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 39 m (128 ft); white light occulting twice every 10 s. 10 m (33 ft) round concrete tower rising from a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. A closeup photo and a 2008 view from the sea are available, there is a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse stands at the summit of a small island (Tawara Shima) sheltering Yuya harbor. The island is connected tenuously to the mainland by a series of stepping stones that can be crossed at low tide, but some local knowledge is probably needed to do this safely. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1683; JP-0719; Admiralty M7394; NGA 1600.
* Nagato Kawaziri Misaki
1929. Active; focal plane 70 m (230 ft); white light occulting once every 6 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post light rising from a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo is at right, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with photos, another closeup is available, and Google has a distant satellite view. Despite its small size, this is an important light for navigation along this dangerous coast. Located on a sharp headland about 15 km (9 mi) west northwest of Nagato. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-395; JP-0725; Admiralty M7392; NGA 1604.
* Ima Misaki
1959. Active; focal plane 75 m (246 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 7 m (23 ft) concrete post light rising from a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Another photo is available, and Google has a very distant satellite view. Located on a promontory marking the west side of the entrance to Nagato Wan (bay). Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-162; JP-0738; Admiralty M7388; NGA 1620.
Kawaziri Misaki Light
Nagato Kawaziri Misaki Light
anonymous Panoramio Creative Commons photo
* Shiobana (Siobana, Ushiobata) Hana (2)
Date unknown (station established 1894). Active; focal plane 104 m (341 ft); white light, 4 s on, 4 s off. 9 m (30 ft) round concrete tower rising from a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. The tower is not seen in Google's distant satellite view. Located on a high promontory jutting into the Sea of Japan about 13 km (8 mi) northeast of Nagato. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-571; JP-0744; Admiralty M7377; NGA 1628.

Hagi City and Abu District Lighthouses
Hagi Ai Shima
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 56 m (184 ft); two white flashes every 21 s. 10 m (33 ft) semicircular cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo and another photo are available, but the tower is not conspicuous in Google's distant satellite view. Located near the northern tip of Ai Shima, a small island about 15 km (9 mi) northwest of Hagi. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. JP-0756; Admiralty M7378; NGA 1632.
Hagi Kō (Kistsune Shima)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white flash every 5 s. 7 m (23 ft) concrete post light with gallery rising from a round concrete equipment shelter. A photo and a second photo are available, but Google has only a fuzzy satellite view. Located on Kistsune Shima, which is not an island but a peninsula connected to the north end of Hagi by a narrow isthmus. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-1626; JP-0767; Admiralty M7362; NGA 1696.
* Toraga Saki
1959. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); white flash every 4 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post light rising from a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with photos, another closeup is available, but the tower is not visible in Google's distant satellite view. Located at the tip of a peninsula protecting the north side of Hagi Wan. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-832; JP-0771; Admiralty M7361; NGA 1692.
Koshigahama (Hagi Gyoko) (2?)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); continuous red light with two more intense flashes every 6 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post light rising from a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is red. Tavis Allen has a photo, but the light is not seen in Google's distant satellite view. Located on an islet just offshore on the east side of the entrance to Koshigahama, about 5 km (3 mi) northeast of Hagi. Accessible only by boat, but visible from the coastal highway. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1614; Admiralty M7361.2; NGA 1726.
Ohira Se
1976. Active; focal plane 140 m (459 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 13 m (43 ft) concrete post light attached to a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. The light is not seen in Google's distant satellite view. Located on a high promontory in a wild area about 8 km (5 mi) northwest of Abu. Accessible by walking a service road, but local knowledge is required to find this lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. JP-0775; Admiralty M7360.6; NGA 1736.
Kōyama Misaki South
1985. Active; focal plane 115 m (377 ft); continuous white light. 11 m (36 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with a large concrete lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several good photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. Kōyama Misaki is a prominent cape about 20 km (13 mi) west of Masuda. Located atop a summit on the south side of the cape, about 1 km (0.6 mi) southwest of the main lighthouse (next entry). Site status unknown, but the tower can be seen from the road leading to the Koyama Misaki lighthouse. JP-778.5; Admiralty M7359.5.
* Kōyama Misaki
1951. Active; focal plane 93 m (305 ft); white flash every 15 s. 12 m (39 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story concrete keeper's house. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with excellent photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located at the tip of Kōyama Misaki, about 20 km (13 mi) west of Masuda. Accessible by a narrow, twisting road (reported open to the public) followed by a short hike up the service road to the lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-277; JP-0778; Admiralty M7359; NGA 1784.
Ezaki (Esaki) Kō (Ryukin Saki)
1959. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white light occulting once every 8 s. 9 m (30 ft) round concrete tower with gallery rising from a round 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on the east side of the entrance to a fjord leading to the harbor of Ezaki. Accessible by a hiking trail. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1608; JP-0782; Admiralty M7358; NGA 1788.

Mishima Lighthouses
Note: Mishima (Mi Shima) is a small island located in the Sea of Japan about 50 km (30 mi) northwest of Hagi. The island is famous for its cattle, which produce the highly prized and very expensive Mishima beef. The island is accessible by ferry from Hagi.
* Mi Shima (South)
1934. Active; focal plane 81 m (266 ft); white flash every 4 s. 14 m (46 ft) concrete post light rising from a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. An adjoining 1-story building, perhaps a former keeper's house, appears to house communications equipment. Kiso has a photo, but Google's fuzzy satellite view has no detail in this area. Located on heights at the south end of the island. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-346; JP-0729; Admiralty M7370; NGA 1748.
* Mi Shima North
1963. Active; focal plane 57 m (187 ft); two white flashes every 30 s. 14 m (46 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 2-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is white. Kiso has a photo, but Google's fuzzy satellite view has no detail in this area. Located at the north end of the island. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1633; JP-0737; Admiralty M7368; NGA 1764.

Mi Shima North Light; Japanese Coast Guard photo

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Shimane | East: Hiroshima | South: Northern Kyūshū

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Posted January 25, 2007. Checked and revised October 16, 2011. Lighthouses: 52. Site copyright 2011 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.