Lighthouses of Japan: Ishikawa

This page lists lighthouses of the Japanese prefecture of Ishikawa, located on the western coast of Honshū facing the Sea of Japan. The northern half of Ishikawa is the Noto Peninsula, which projects northward into the Sea of Japan and poses a substantial hazard to navigation. The peninsula is rugged and scenic, very different from the sandy, well-populated shores of the southern half of the prefecture.

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 at least one Coast Guard Section Office in each prefecture, often two or more. In Ishikawa there are two offices, at Kanazawa in the west and Nanao in the east.

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. 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 - Ishikawa
A comprehensive site, although almost entirely in Japanese.
Lighthouse-Japan.com - Ishikawa
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.
Kato's Lighthouses
Photos and notes from all parts of Japan.
Lighthouses (Ishikawa Prefecture)
A comprehensive site for photos of Japanese lighthouses.
Lighthouses in Ishikawa Prefecture
Photos available from Wikimedia.
Ninth Region Lighthouse Location Map
This interactive map links to photos and descriptions (in Japanese) of the major lighthouses of the Ninth Coast Guard Region, including Ishikawa, Toyama, and Niigata Prefectures.
Kanazawa Coast Guard Office - Lighthouses
Information on the Kasa Misaki, Ōno, and Fukūra lighthouses.
The Famous Fifty Lighthouses
Photos of the lighthouses voted most famous in Japan, posted by the Eighth Coast Guard Region. Two of the fifty stand in Ishikawa (Ōno and Rokkō Saki)

Kasa Misaki Light
Kasa Misaki Light, Kaga
Japanese Coast Guard Kanazawa Office photo

Southern Ishikawa Lighthouses

Kaga City Lighthouses
* Kasa Misaki (Hashidate Kō, Hasitate Kō)
1950. Active; focal plane 54 m (177 ft); three white flashes every 13 s. 15 m (49 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. The Coast Guard has the photo above and also a page for the light with a nice view of this beautiful site. Lighthouse-Japan.com also has a page for the lighthouse, and Bing has a distant satellite view. Located at the end of a wooded promontory about 5 km (3 mi) north of Kaga. Accessible by a popular hiking trail about 1 km (0.6 mi) in length. Parking provided. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-234; JCG-1082; Admiralty M7237; NGA 2720.
Hashidate Kō Outer Breakwater
1985. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) round white concrete tower with a flared top. Bing has a distant satellite view. Located on the outermost of a series of short breakwaters at Hashidate. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1214; JCG-1083.5; Admiralty M7237.2; NGA 2732.
Hashidate Kō West Breakwater
1993. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red flash every 4 s. 9 m (30 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. Bing has a distant satellite view. Located at the end of a detached section of the main (west) breakwater of Hashidate. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1212; JCG-1084.5; Admiralty M7238; NGA 2724.
Hashidate Kō Northeast Breakwater
1968. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash every 3 s. 11 m (36 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Bing has a distant satellite view of the location. Located at the west end of a detached breakwater of Hashidate. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1213; JCG-1084; Admiralty M7237.4; NGA 2728.

Komatsu City Lighthouse
* Ataka
1980. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. A 2012 photo is at right, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with fine photos, Misty's Tour has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse guards the entrance to the harbor of Ataka, a suburb of the inland city of Komatsu. Located on the south side of the entrance. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-030; JCG-1087; Admiralty M7236.4; NGA 2736.
Ataka Light
Ataka Light, Komatsu, June 2012
Panoramio Creative Commons photo by paleblue49

Hakusan City Lighthouse
* Mikawa
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white flash every 4 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several good photos, Kato's blog has a good photo, and Bing has a satellite view. Southern Ishikawa is one of the very few places in Japan with a long, straight, level coast and coastal roads parallel to the beach. This lighthouse is beside the Hokuriku Expressway in Mikawa. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-351; JCG-1088; Admiralty M7236; NGA 2740.

Kanazawa City Lighthouses
Kanazawa Kō West Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red flash every 4 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. Bing has a satellite view. Located near but not at the end of the west breakwater of Kanazawa. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-1220; JCG-1089; Admiralty M7234; NGA 2744.
* Kanazawa Kō East Breakwater
1976. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Bing has a satellite view. Located near at the end of the original east breakwater of Kanazawa. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1219; JCG-1090; Admiralty M7234.4; NGA 2748.
* Ōno (Kanazawa)
1934. Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); white flash every 10 s. 26 m (85 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from the landward end of a large 1-story Coast Guard office building. The lighthouse is white. A Coast Guard photo is at right, Lighthouses of Japan also has a page for the lighthouse, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several photos, a 2009 photo is available, and Google has a good satellite view. According to the Coast Guard page, post lights were used at the harbor entrance as early as 1884. Ōno is the seaport associated with the city of Kanazawa; it is both an industrial port and a large fishing port. The lighthouse is on the south side of the harbor entrance, behind a bridge that carries traffic onto an island in the entrance. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-461; JCG-1091; Admiralty M7232; NGA 2752.
* Ōno East Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); green flash every 3 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) round hourglass-shaped concrete tower. Entire lighthouse is white. Bing has a satellite view. Located on a corner of the quay on the east side of the entrance to Ōno. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1228; JCG-1094; Admiralty M7232.4; NGA 2764.

Kahoku City Lighthouse
* Shiroo
Date unknown (station established 1914). Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); two white flashes every 7 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment building. Lighthouse covered with tiles colored white with light blue trim. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several photos, Misty's Tour has a nighttime photo, and Bing has a satellite view. A Shinto shrine is adjacent to the lighthouse. This lighthouse is not located on a cape or at a harbor; it is on a bluff about 300 m (1/5 mi) north of the Noto Expressway's interchange with highway 56 in Kahoku. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-584; JCG-1095; Admiralty M7230; NGA 2768.
Ōno Light
Open house at Ōno Light, Kanazawa
Japanese Coast Guard Kanazawa Office photo

Noto Peninsula Lighthouses

Note: The remaining lighthouses of Ishikawa Prefecture are on the thumb-shaped Noto Peninsula (Noto-Hantō), which projects almost 100 km (60 mi) northward into the Sea of Japan.
Kashima District Lighthouses
* Taki Kō Breakwater
Date unknown (station established 1930). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouses of Japan also has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the main (west) breakwater at Takimachi. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-619; JCG-1096; Admiralty M7225; NGA 2772.
* Taki Saki
1966. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); white light occulting twice every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower, attached to a small 1-story concrete equipment shed. The lighthouse is white except for a broad light blue band at the base. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with good photos, Misty's Tour has a closeup photo, another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a promontory just north of Taki and about 20 km (13 mi) north of Takamatsu. Accessible by a short walking path. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-620; JCG-1098; Admiralty M7224; NGA 2780.

Hakui District Lighthouses
* Fukūra (Hukura) (3)
1950 (station established 1905). Active; focal plane 28 m (92 ft); white flash every 12 s. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is white. A Coast Guard photo is at right, Lighthouses of Japan also has a page for the lighthouse, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with excellent photos, Misty's Tour has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a bluff near Fukūra; accessible by a short walk. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1211; JCG-1101; Admiralty M7220; NGA 2792.

Fukura Light
Fukūra Light, Fukūra
Japanese Coast Guard Kanazawa Office photo

* Fukūra (Hukura) (1)
1876. Inactive since 1905. 5 m (17 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern. Lighthouse painted white. A photo is at right, a 2010 closeup and another photo are available, and Google has a satellite view. This diminutive tower is a very rare survivor from the earliest days of Western-style lighthouses in Japan. It has been preserved in Fukūra village but has been reconstructed several times, most recently in 1938. Site open, tower closed.
* Fukūra Kō (Mo Saki) Range Rear
1950. Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); continuous red light. 9 m (30 ft) white concrete post light attached to a square 1-story white concrete equipment building. The light is provided by two vertical neon tubes. Google has a satellite view. The front light (ARLHS JPN-1223, JCG-1102) is on a similar 13 m (43 ft) post but without the equipment building; it is across the street, 90 m (295 ft) due west of the rear light. Located on a bluff above the harbor, a short distance north of the main lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. JCG-1103; Admiralty M7221.1; NGA 2808.
Togi Kō
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 9 m (30 ft) white concrete post attached to a square 1-story white concrete equipment building. A distant view is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a detached breakwater at Togi, a small port about halfway between the Fukūra and Ama Saki lighthouses. Accessible only by boat. ARLHS JPN-1233; JCG-1104; Admiralty M7216; NGA 2816.
* Kazanasi Kō
1952. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 9.5 m (31 ft) white concrete post light attached to a square 1-story white concrete equipment building. Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the south (main) breakwater of Kazanasi harbor, about 2 km (1.2 mi) southwest of the Togi lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1221; JCG-1106; Admiralty M7214; NGA 2812.
Old Fukura LIght
Old Fukura Lighthouse, Fukura, August 2006
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by 柑橘類
* Ama Saki
1953. Active; focal plane 28 m (92 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several photos, Misty's Tour has additional photos, another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Ama Saki, the westernmost point of the Noto Peninsula, is a high promontory about 25 km (15 mi) north of Hakui. Located on the point of the cape. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-016; JCG-1107; Admiralty M7213; NGA 2820.
* Noto Akasaki Kō
1976. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green flash every 3 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) white concrete post light attached to a square 1-story white concrete equipment building. The lighthouse (like the breakwater) has a distinct lean caused by an earthquake. Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located at the end of the main breakwater at Akasaki, about 1 km (0.6 mi) north of Ama Saki. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1226; JCG-1108; Admiralty M7212.4; NGA 2824.

Wajima City Mainland Lighthouses
* Saruyama Misaki
1920. Active; focal plane 219 m (719 ft); four white flashes every 20 s. 17 m (56 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a large square 1-story keeper's house. Entire lighthouse is white. A Coast Guard photo is at right, Lighthouses of Japan also has a page for the lighthouse, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with good photos, a nice 2007 photo is available, Misty's Tour has additional photos, and Google has a good satellite view. Cape Saruyama is the "joint" of the thumb-shaped Noto Peninsula, where the trend of the land changes from north to northeast. Located on the point of the cape 8 km (5 mi) southwest of Wajima. Accessible by a hiking trail. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-538; JCG-1109; Admiralty M7212; NGA 2828.
Tatsuga Saki (Wajima)
1965. Active; focal plane 66 m (217 ft); white flash every 15 s. 11 m (36 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern, gallery, and a semicircular equipment shelter surrounding half of the base. The lighthouse is white except for the blue band at the base. Lighthouses of Japan also has a page for the lighthouse, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with good photos, a 2008 closeup is available, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is built atop a precipitous rocky ridge. Located on a promontory on the west side of the harbor of Wajima. Site and tower closed, although the lighthouse can be viewed from the base of the ridge. ARLHS JPN-634; JCG-1110; Admiralty M7204; NGA 2836.
* Wajima (Wazima) Kō (Breakwater No. 1)
Date unknown (station established 1927). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); red flash every 3 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is red. Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located at the end of the original west breakwater of Wajima. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1238; JCG-1112; Admiralty M7206; NGA 2840.
Saruyama Misaki Light
Saruyama Misaki Light, Wajima
Japanese Coast Guard Ninth Region photo

Nanatsu Shima and Hegura Shima Lighthouses
Note: Nanatsu Shima and Hegura (Hekura) Shima are small islands in the Sea of Japan off the northern end of the Noto Peninsula. Nanatsu Shima is uninhabited and closed to the public as a bird sanctuary. Hegura Shima has a small settlement of abalone divers and is popular as a remote getaway during the summer and as one of Asia's best locations for birding. Boat transportation to the islands can be secured in Wajima. The islands are administered as part of Wajima City.
Nanatsu (Nanatu) Shima
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 66 m (217 ft); white flash every 5 s. 7.5 m (25 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several photos, and Misty's Tour has another photo, but the island is only a blur in Google's satellite view. Located on the highest point of the island, about 20 km (13 mi) northeast of Wajima. Accessible only by boat, but the island is normally closed to visitors; passenger ferries to Hegura Shima pass close to the island. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-402; JCG-1115; Admiralty M7202; NGA 2852.
* Hegura (Hukura) Shima (1)
1931. Inactive. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) round concrete tower with gallery; lantern removed. Lighthouse painted white. This tower stands close to the newer tower (next entry); it is seen in the Coast Guard's photo and the fourth photo of Lighthouse-Japan.com's page.
*** Hegura (Hukura) Shima (2)
Date unknown (station established 1931). Active; focal plane 43 m (141 ft); two white flashes every 28 s. 33.5 m (110 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a small 1-story keeper's house. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo is at right, Lighthouses of Japan also has a page for the lighthouse, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with excellent photos, and Misty's Tour has additional photos, but Google has only a very distant satellite view of the island. This tall lighthouse is the principal landmark and attraction of the island, which is barely 2 km (1.2 mi) in diameter. Located near the center of the island. Site open, tower reported open for a short time each afternoon in season. ARLHS JPN-102; JCG-1116; Admiralty M7200; NGA 2856.
Hegurashima Kō South (No. 1) Breakwater
1959. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green flash every 3 s. 10 m (33 ft) white concrete post light attached to a square 1-story white concrete equipment building. Located at the east end of the original south breakwater protecting the entrance to the harbor of Hegura Shima. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1215; JCG-1117; Admiralty M7201; NGA 2860.
Hegura Shima Light
Hegura Shima Light, Wajima, June 2006
Flickr Creative Commons photo by tsuda
Hegurashima Kō (South Outer Breakwater)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green flash every 5 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) white concrete post light attached to a square 1-story white concrete equipment building. Located at the east end of the detached south outer breakwater protecting the entrance to the harbor of Hegura Shima. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-1217; JCG-1118.5; Admiralty M7201.6; NGA 2868.
Hegurashima Kō North (No. 2) Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red flash every 3 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is red. Located at the west end of the original north breakwater protecting the entrance to the harbor of Hegura Shima. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-1216; JCG-1118; Admiralty M7201.4; NGA 2864.

Suzu City Lighthouses
Noto Kura Saki
1956. Active; focal plane 70 m (230 ft); two white flashes every 7 s. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with good photos, Misty's Tour has evening photos, and Google has a very distant satellite view. Located atop a steep promontory near the northern end of the Noto Peninsula, about 13 km (8 mi) northwest of Suzu. (The coastal highway tunnels under this headland.) Accessible by a hiking trail. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-433; JCG-1120; Admiralty M7198; NGA 2872.
Takaya Kō
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); red flash every 3 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery. Entire lighthouse is red. A closeup photo is available, and Google has a very distant satellite view. Located at the end of the main (west) breakwater at Takaya, a small fishing port at the northern end of the Noto Peninsula. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1231; JCG-1121; Admiralty M7195.9; NGA 2876.
Yome Guri
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two white flashes every 8 s. 13 m (43 ft) white tower. No photo available, and Google's satellite view shows nothing at the location, but the Nanao Coast Guard Office has posted engineering drawings of the light (pdf document). Located on a dangerous shoal in the Sea of Japan about 17 km (10.5 mi) north of the Noto Peninsula. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1239; JCG-1119; Admiralty M7199; NGA 2884.
* Rokkō (Rokugo) Saki
1883. Active; focal plane 48 m (157 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 12 m (39 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a semicircular stone keeper's house. The original 1st order Fresnel lens is in use. Entire lighthouse painted white. A photo is at right, the Lighthouses of Japan site has a page with several photos taken inside and outside of the lighthouse, Lighthouse-Japan.com also has a page with several good photos, an excellent closeup is available, Misty's Tour has additional photos, and Google has a satellite view. This historic and picturesque lighthouse stands on the extreme northeastern tip of the Noto Peninsula., with a spectacular view of the sea on all sides. Located about 10 km (6 mi) northeast of Suzu. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-510; JCG-1123; Admiralty M7196; NGA 2888.
#Noroshi (Norosi) Kō (1)
Date unknown. Relocated, the new light being active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. Originally this was a 9.5 m (31 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery. Entire lighthouse is red. Google's satellite view shows that the light has been moved to the end of a new detached breakwater; no photo of the new light is available. Located at the end of the main (west) breakwater at Noroshi, a small fishing port at the northern end of the Noto Peninsula. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-430; JCG-1122; Admiralty M7195.8; NGA 2892.
Himeshima Guri
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white flash every 4 s. 13 m (43 ft) round concrete tower with gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Located on a rocky reef a short distance offshore from Zike about 3 km (32 mi) southeast of the Rokkō Saki light. Kato has photos, a 2008 photo is available, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Accessible only by boat, but easily viewed from shore. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-119; JCG-1201; Admiralty M7195; NGA 2896.
Rokko Saki Light
Rokkō Saki Light, Suzu, April 2006
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Qurren
* Ai Saki
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); continuous white spotlight. 8.5 m (28 ft) square cylindrical white concrete skeletal tower with enclosed upper and lower portions. A closeup photo is available (almost halfway down the page), and Google has a satellite view. The light illuminates a reef (Gyozya Guri) about 560 m (1/3 mi) to the east. Located atop a steep bluff at Jike, about 5 km (3 mi) southeast of Rokkō Saki. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-768; JCG-1202; Admiralty M7195; NGA 2896.
* Nagate Saki
1961. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 16 m (52 ft) round concrete tower. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several photos, Misty's Tour has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse has an unusual design. Located in the surf at the southeastern corner of the end of the Noto Peninsula, about 8 km (5 mi) east of Suzu. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-394; JCG-1203; Admiralty M7194; NGA 2904.

Hōsu District Lighthouses
* [Noto Aka Saki]
1966. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white light occulting twice every 6 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) white concrete post mounted on a round concrete base. A photo is available, but Google has only a fuzzy satellite view of the location. This small light is in an accessible and very scenic location. Located at the tip of a promontory about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) east of Matsunami. Site open (parking provided), tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1224; JCG-1207; Admiralty M7189.6; NGA 2924.
* [Noto Joga (Jo-Ga) Saki]
1970. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white flash every 4 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) white concrete post rising from a small equipment shelter. Google has only a fuzzy satellite view of the location. This light is near a campground and is accessible by a short hiking trail. Located at the tip of a promontory about 3 km (1.8 mi) southeast of Matsunami. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1225; JCG-1208; Admiralty M7189.4; NGA 2928.
Ogi Kō (Tsukomo Wan) North Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); two red flashes every 5 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is red. Kato has a fuzzy photo of both breakwater lights (third photo on the page), but Google has only a very distant satellite view. Note that NGA has confused the two breakwaters in its listings. Located at the end of the detached north breakwater of Ogi harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-1211; Admiralty M7189; NGA 2932.
* Ogi Kō (Tsukomo Wan) South Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); green flash every 4 s. 8.5 m (38 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is white. Kato has a fuzzy photo of both breakwater lights (third photo on the page), but Google has only a very distant satellite view. Located at the end of the south breakwater of Ogi harbor. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-688; JCG-1210; Admiralty M7188.2; NGA 2936.
* Inuyama (Noto Ogi Kō)
1950. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); two white flashes every 18 s. 14 m (46 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a rectangular 1-story equipment building. Entire lighthouse is white. The Lighthouses of Japan site has a page for the lighthouse, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several photos, Misty's Tour has a closeup photo, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. This lighthouse is unusual among Japanese harbor lighthouses in being located in the center of the town of Inuyama. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1218; JCG-1213; Admiralty M7188; NGA 2944.
Ushitsu (Usitsu, Usetsu) East (No. 2) Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is red. Located at the end of the east breakwater of Ushitsu harbor. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-1236; JCG-1219; Admiralty M7186.2; NGA 2968.
* Ushitsu (Usitsu, Usetsu)
1963. Active; focal plane 38 m (125 ft); three white flashes every 13 s. 10.5 m (35 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with gallery, rising from a square 1-story equipment building. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several photos, Misty's Tour has two photos, and Google has a very distant satellite view. Located on a hillside above the west side of the harbor of Ushitsu. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-728; JCG-1216; Admiralty M7185; NGA 2960.
Ukawa Kō
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post rising from a conical concrete base. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo is available (#1220, 3/4 the way down the page), but Google has only a very distant satellite view. Located on a sharp elbow of the breakwater of Ukawa harbor. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1235; JCG-1220; Admiralty M7184; NGA 2972.
Inuyama Light
Inuyama Light, Inuyama
Japanese Coast Guard Ninth Region photo
* Anamizu
1966. Active; focal plane 49 m (161 ft); white flash every 3 s. 11 m (36 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with gallery, rising from a square 1-story equipment building. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with photos, Misty's Tour has another photo, and Google has a fuzzy and distant satellite view. This light is very similar to the Ushitsu lighthouse. Located in Anamizu, a sheltered port town on the east side of the Noto Peninsula. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-020; JCG-1221; Admiralty M7183; NGA 2976.

Nanao City Lighthouses
Enome Kō East (No. 1) Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); two red flashes every 5 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is red. A very distant view is available (click on the photo for enlargement), but Google has only a very distant satellite view. Located at the end of the east (main) breakwater of Enome harbor, near the northeastern point of Noto Shima. Site status unknown. JCG-1223; Admiralty M7173; NGA 2984.
* Katsuo (Kato) Saki
1976. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); continuous white spotlight. 9 m (29 ft) concrete post, attached to a small equipment shelter and carrying a large square lantern room. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has only a very fuzzy satellite view of the location. Located south of Enome harbor on the easternmost point of Noto Shima. Site open, tower closed. JCG-1224; Admiralty M7172.4; NGA 2988.
Noto Shima (Nanao Bay Entrance)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); continuous light, white red or green depending on direction; also a passing light showing a white flash every 3 s. 14 m (46 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with two galleries, mounted on a large square concrete base. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. The entrance to Nanao Bay is through a narrow strait between Noto Kannon Saki and Noto Shima, a large island. The lighthouse is on a promontory on the south side of Noto Shima about 4 km (2.5 mi) west of Noto Kannon Saki. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-791; Passing light JCG-1232.2, Admiralty M7174, NGA 2996; Directional light JCG-1232.5, Admiralty M7174.5, NGA 3000.
* Ishisaki Kō
1958. Active (?); focal plane 9 m (29 ft); red flash every 4 s. 8 m (26 ft) post connected to a sqaure 1-story equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. Google has only a fuzzy satellite view of the location. This light is on the international light lists, but a listing of Japan Coast Guard lights shows it as inactive. Ishisaki harbor is the fishing port of Nanao, on the west side of the city. Located on the original main breakwater of Ishisaki. Probably accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. JCG-1247; Admiralty M7182; NGA 3012.
Nanao Me Shima (Meshima)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with double gallery, painted red. A photo is available, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located on a rocky reef in Nanao Bay off the Nanao waterfront. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-1238; Admiralty M7177; NGA 3004.
* Noto Kannon Saki
1914. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); white flash every 8 s. 12 m (39 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a rectangular 1-story equipment building. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo is at right, the Lighthouses of Japan site has a page for the lighthouse with several photos, Lighthouse-Japan.com also has a good page, and Misty's Tour has another photo, but Google's fuzzy satellite view does not show the station clearly. Not to be confused with the famous Kannon Saki Light at the entrance to Tōkyō Bay, this lighthouse marks the entrance to the sheltered waters of Nanao Bay. Located on the point of the cape about 12 km (7.5 mi) northeast of Nanao. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-432; JCG-1225; Admiralty M7172; NGA 2992.
* Enotomari Kō
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); red flash every 3 s. 9 m (30 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is red. A photo is available, but Google has only a very fuzzy satellite view. Located at the end of the north breakwater of Enotomari harbor, about 7 km (4.5 mi) south of Kannon Saki. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. JCG-1248; Admiralty M7171.4; NGA 3016.
* Iori (Inori) Kō
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); two red flashes every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) concrete post light attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is red. Google has only a very distant satellite view. Located at the end of the north breakwater of Iori harbor, about 10 km (6 mi) south of Kannon Saki. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-173; JCG-1249; Admiralty M7171; NGA 3020.
Noto Kannon Saki Light
Noto Kannon Saki Light, Nanao, May 2009
Wikimedia public domain photo by tom-spring

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Adjoining pages: North: Toyama | South: Kyōto and Fukui

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Posted April 2, 2007. Checked and revised November 10, 2012. Lighthouses: 52. Site copyright 2012 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.