Lighthouses of Japan: Toyama

This page lists lighthouses of the Japanese prefecture of Toyama, facing the Sea of Japan on the western coast of Honshū. Unlike most Japanese coasts, this coastal region is relatively low, with only a few rocky promontories.

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. Toyama Prefecture has an single office at Fushiki.

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 - Toyama
A comprehensive site covering the major lighthouses.
Lighthouse-Japan.com - Toyama
Excellent photos with notes (in Japanese) for most of the lighthouses.
Kiso's Lighthouses
This site has many excellent photos of Japanese lighthouses.
Misty's Japanese Lighthouse Tour - Toyama
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 (Toyama Prefecture)
A comprehensive site for photos of Japanese lighthouses.
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.
Lighthouse Design in Toyama Prefecture
Posted by the Fushiki Coast Guard Office, this page has photos of several lighthouses in the area.
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.

Ikuji Hana Light
Ikuji Hana Light, Kurobe
Kurobe-Unazuki Tourist Board photo

Himi City Lighthouse
* Himi Kō North Breakwater
Date unknown (station established 1939). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); red flash every 5 s. 11 m (36 ft) concrete post 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 at Himi, in the southwestern corner of Toyama Bay. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1282; JCG-1256; Admiralty M7166; NGA 3044.

Takaoka City (Fushiki Harbor) Lighthouses
* Iwasaki No Hana
1951. Active; focal plane 58 m (190 ft); white flash every 15 s. 14 m (46 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a rectangular 1-story equipment building. Entire lighthouse is white. The city of Takaoka also has a small page for the lighthouse including the photo at right, Lighthouses of Japan site has a page for the lighthouse, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several photos, Misty's Tour has additional photos, the Fushiki Coast Guard Office has a page on the 2012 open house at the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view of the station. Located on a promontory about 3 km (2 mi) northwest of the entrance to Fushiki (Takaoka) harbor. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-191; JCG-1258; Admiralty M7160; NGA 3056.
* Fushiki-Tyuo (East Breakwater)
1999. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); two green flashes every 5 s. 7 m (23 ft) hexagonal pyramidal skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, painted white, mounted on a hexagonal 1-story concrete equipment room. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with good photos, JANA also has a page for the lighthouse, with a photo, a view from shore is available, and Google has a satellite view. This unusual lighthouse is a replica of an 1877 wood lighthouse, the first to be built in this area of Japan. Located at the end of the breakwater of the traditional fishing harbor of Fushiki, just west of the modern industrial harbor. Accessible by walking the pier, and the lighthouse must be easy to see from the waterfront. Site open, tower closed. JCG-1262.5; Admiralty M7162.3; NGA 3065.
Fushiki Outer Breakwater Southeast Head
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two red flashes every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) round concrete tower with a flared top, attached to a small equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. Google has a satellite view. Located at the east end of the detached outer breakwater. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. JCG-1263.41; Admiralty M7162.2; NGA 3066.

Iwasaki No Hana Light, Takaoka
City of Takaoka photo
* Fushiki Kō East Breakwater
1962. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green flash every 4 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. The light is at the upper right in a photo of the shore, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the jetty on the east side of the entrance to the Oyabegawa River in Fushiki. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1281; JCG-1267; Admiralty M7162; NGA 3068.
* Fushiki Kō (Leading Light)
1979. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); continuous light, red, green or white depending on direction. 18 m (59 ft) round cylindrical white concrete tower with gallery; the lights are shown through windows at the top of the tower. Kato's blog has additional photos, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located at the water's edge on the east side of Fushiki harbor. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1280; JCG-1266; Admiralty

Imizu City (Shinminato Harbor) Lighthouses
* Shinminato Gyoko West Breakwater
Date unknown (station established 1938). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); two red flashes every 7 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located at the end of the west breakwater of the traditional Shinminato harbor, now a small boat harbor. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. JCG-1268; Admiralty M7156; NGA 3080.
Shinminato (Sinmanato) Gyoko Outer Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash every 3 s. 9 m (30 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the outer breakwater of a harbor about 1 km (0.6 mi) east of the traditional Shinminato harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-1270.3; Admiralty M7151.8; NGA 3090.
* Shinminato (Toyama Sinko) West Breakwater
1967. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 15 m (49 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is red. A 2006 photo and a photo showing both breakwater lighthouses is available, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse stands adjacent to a park that includes the berth of the retired tall ship Kaiō-Maru, Japan's cadet training ship from 1930 to 1989. Located at the end of a short breakwater pier. Site and tower closed (a fence prevents walking the pier), but the lighthouse is easily seen from the park. ARLHS JPN-1295; JCG-1275; Admiralty M7151.4; NGA 3092.
* Shinminato (Toyama Sinko) East Breakwater
1967. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 15 m (49 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo is at right,Kato's blog has another photo, a photo showing both breakwater lighthouses is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the east (main) breakwater pier of the new Shinminato harbor. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1294; JCG-1274; Admiralty M7151; NGA 3096.

Toyama Sinko East Breakwater Light, Imizu, June 2008
Panoramio Creative Commons photo by Axis

Toyama City Lighthouses
* Toyama Kō West Breakwater
1957. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); two red flashes every 10 s. 10 m (33 ft) round concrete tower attached to a 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located on the breakwater on the west side of the entrance to the main harbor basin of Toyama city. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1292; JCG-1280; Admiralty M7149; NGA 3112.
* Toyama Kō (Namericawa Kō) East Breakwater
1935. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two green flashes every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Masatika Hinata has a photo of the lighthouse in action, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the east breakwater pier of the main harbor basin of Toyama city. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1293; JCG-1281; Admiralty M7148; NGA 3108.
* Mizuhashi Kō
1992. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green flash every 3 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the east (outer) breakwater at Mizuhashi, at the east end of the Toyama city waterfront. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1289; JCG-1282; Admiralty M7147; NGA 3116.

Namerikawa City Lighthouse
* Namerikawa Kō
1957. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. The Fushiki Coast Guard Office has photos (bottom of the page), and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located at the end of a pier on the north side of the entrance to the small boat harbor at Namerikawa, northeast of Toyama. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1290; JCG-1283; Admiralty M7145; NGA 3120.

Uozu City Lighthouses
* Uozu North Auxiliary Breakwater
1984. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); two green flashes every 5 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of an auxiliary breakwater at Uozu, south of the traditional harbor. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1297; JCG-1286; Admiralty M7144.4; NGA 3124.
* Uozu North Breakwater
Date unknown (station established 1938). Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green flash every 4 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the north breakwater at Uozu. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1298; JCG-1284; Admiralty M7142; NGA 3132.
* Kyōden Kō
1960. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two green flashes every 7 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater at a small boat harbor on the north side of Uozu. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. JCG-1288; Admiralty M7137.6; NGA 3140.

Kurobe City Lighthouses
* Kurobe Kō
1962. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); continuous green light with one brighter flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery. Lighthouse painted white, except a pattern of red flames is painted around the top of the tower. The lighthouse is designed to resemble torches used in a Shinto ritual that is performed once a year for the safety of sailors. A Coast Guard photo is at right, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several good photos, JANA also has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater of Kurobe; apparently accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1286; JCG-1289; Admiralty M7137.2; NGA 3144.
* Ikuji (Ikuzi) Hana
1951. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); white flash every 10 s. 30.5 m (100 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands (an unusual daymark for a Japanese lighthouse). Lighthouses of Japan has a page with two good photos, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several excellent photos, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse marks the eastern entrance to Toyama Bay. Located on a cape on the north side of Kurobe. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-161; JCG-1290; Admiralty M7137; NGA 3148.
Kurobe Light
Kurobe Light, Kurobe
Japanese Coast Guard Fushiki Office photo

Shimoniikawa District Lighthouse
Miyazaki Hana
1959. Active; focal plane 108 m (354 ft); two white flashes every 11 s. 12 m (39 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. The tower also carries a spotlight (JCG-1292.5) illuminating a nearby reef. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a forested height above Miyazaki, a village about 7 km (4.5 mi) east of Nyuzen. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-367; JCG-1292; Admiralty M7136.7; NGA 3156.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Niigata | South: Ishikawa

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Posted April 2, 2007. Checked and revised November 17, 2012. Lighthouses: 20. Site copyright 2012 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.