Lighthouses of Japan: Southern Ōita

Located at the southwestern end of the Japanese archipelago, Kyūshū is divided into seven prefectures. This page includes lighthouses of Ōita Prefecture on the northeastern coast of the island. Southern Ōita faces east on the Bungo Strait, which separates Kyūshū from Shikoku, and south on the Pacific Ocean.

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. There is at least one Coast Guard Section Office in each prefecture, often two or more. However, lighthouses in Ōita Prefecture are all maintained by the Ōita Coast Guard Office.

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 - Ōita
A comprehensive site, although almost entirely in Japanese.
Lighthouse of Japan - Ōita
Another comprehensive site, in Japanese.
Kiso's Lighthouses
This site has many excellent photos of Japanese lighthouses.
Kato's Lighthouses
Photos and notes from all parts of Japan.
Japanese Lighthouses - Ōita
A large collection of photos of Ōita lighthouses.
Our Lighthouses in Ōita Prefecture
A comprehensive collection of photos of Ōita lighthouses.
Main Lighthouses of Ōita Prefecture
Information on the Hime Shima, Seki Saki, Mizunoko Shima and Tsurumi Saki lighthouses, posted by the Ōita Coast Guard Office.
The Famous Fifty Lighthouses
Photos of the lighthouses voted most famous in Japan, posted by the Eighth Coast Guard Region. One of the fifty (Mizunoko Shima) is in Ōita Prefecture.
 

Seki Saki Light
Seki Saki Light, Ōita City
Japanese Coast Guard Ōita Office photo
Ōita City: Ōita Harbor Lighthouses
Ōita Kō West Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); continuous red light with a more intense flash every 3 s. 10 m (33 ft) round strongly conical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted red. A photo is at right, additional photos are available, and Google has a satellite view. These two breakwater lighthouses have a unique design. Located at the end of the west breakwater of a newer harbor at Otozu, on the west side of Ōita, the prefectural capital. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-2324; JCG-4995; Admiralty M4951; NGA 9392.
* Ōita Kō East Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); green flash every 3 s. 10 m (33 ft) round strongly conical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo is at right, additional photos are available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the east breakwater of a newer harbor at Otozu, on the west side of Ōita, the prefectural capital. Site and tower closed. JCG-4994; Admiralty M4950; NGA 9388.
Sumiyoshi Kō West Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is red. Google has a distant satellite view. Located at the end of the west breakwater of Sumiyoshi harbor in Ōita. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2334; JCG-4993; Admiralty M4948.6; NGA 9384.
Sumiyoshi Kō East Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has a distant satellite view. Located at the end of the short east breakwater of Sumiyoshi harbor in Ōita. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2333; JCG-4992; Admiralty M4948.4; NGA 9380.
Otozu Kō West Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); red flash every 3 s. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is red. Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the west breakwater of the industrial Otozu harbor in eastern Ōita. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2326; JCG-4988; Admiralty M4947.7; NGA 9364.
Otozu Kō East Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); red flash every 3 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the east breakwater of the Otozu harbor. Site and tower closed. JCG-4987; Admiralty M4947.74; NGA 9360.
Ōita Breakwater Lights
West (left) and East Breakwater Lights, Ōita Kō, February 2010
Panoramio Creative Commons photo by akuziro
Tsurasaki (Misa) Kō West Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is red. Bing has a distant satellite view. Located at the end of the west breakwater of the Tsurasaki petroleum harbor in Ōita. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2320; JCG-4985; Admiralty M4947.5; NGA 9352.
Tsurasaki (Misa) Kō East Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) round concrete tower with a flared top, attached to a small 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Bing has a distant satellite view. Located at the end of the east breakwater of Tsurasaki petroleum harbor in Ōita. Site and tower closed. JCG-4984; Admiralty M4947.4; NGA 9348.
Ōita Northeast Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) round concrete tower with a flared top, attached to a small 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is red. Bing has a distant satellite view. Located at the end of a detached breakwater at the northeast end of the Ōita waterfront. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-4982.6; Admiralty M4947.09; NGA 9338.
Hiyishibaru Hakuchi (Hiyosibaru Hakuti) East Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 19 m (62 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery; the lantern carries a traditional tall "dunce cap" roof. Entire lighthouse is white. Bing has a satellite view. Located on a detached breakwater at the end of the easternmost harbor of the Ōita metropolitan area. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2309; JCG-4982.5; Admiralty M4947.08; NGA 9322.

Ōita City: Saganoseki Area Lighthouses
* Saganoseki Kō Northern Harbor West Breakwater
1970. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); red flash every 3 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is red. Bing has a fuzzy satellite view. Located at the end of a short breakwater at Saganoseki's northern harbor, on the north side of the Saganoseki peninsula. Accessible by walking the pier. ARLHS JPN-2329; JCG-4981; Admiralty M4946.6; NGA 9320.
Bungo Hira Se
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 12 m (39 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery, mounted on a concrete pier. Lighthouse painted black with one red horizontal band. A photo is available (first photo on the page), but Google's fuzzy satellite view does not show the light. Located about 1.5 km (1 mi) northeast of the Seki Saki lighthouse (next entry). Accessible only by boat, but visible from shore. Site open, tower closed. JCG-4977; Admiralty M4947; NGA 9300.
* Seki Saki
1901. Active; focal plane 69 m (226 ft); white light, 4 s on, 4 s off. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a circular 1-story cast iron keeper's house. Entire lighthouse painted white. 1st order Chance Brothers Fresnel lens (1870, installed here in 1918). A Coast Guard photo is at the top of this page, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with several good photos, the Ōita Coast Guard Office has a page for the lighthouse, Wikimedia has photos, additional photos and a lovely spring photo are available, and Bing has a somewhat fuzzy satellite view. The keeper's house is circular in form, but it only covers 3/4 of the circle. This lighthouse repeats in iron a common design used for stone lighthouses throughout the Seto Inland Sea. This important lighthouse marks the northern entrance to the Bungo Strait (Bungo-suidō), a broad sound separating the islands of Kyūshū and Shikoku. At the northern end of the sound there is a relatively narrow passage, about 17 km (11 mi) wide, between the outstretched "fingers" of Seki Saki on Kyūshū and Sada Misaki on Shikoku. A view across this passage is at right. Located on the point of the cape; in fair weather it is possible to see Sada Misaki Light on Shikoku. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-550; JCG-4979; Admiralty M4946; NGA 9308.
Ashike (Asike) Bae
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white flash every 3 s. 15 m (49 ft) round tapered concrete tower with gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo is available (second photo on the page), also a very distant view, and Bing has a satellite view. Located on a skerry off the eastern point of a small island about 3.2 km (2 mi) east of Seki Saki. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. JCG-4978; Admiralty M4947.04; NGA 9304.
Seki Saki Light and Bungo Strait
View from Seki Saki Light to Sada Misaki, Bungo Strait, May 2012
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by 大分帰省中
* Saganoseki Kō East Breakwater
1963. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); continuous red light with a more intense flash every 6 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is red. Additional photos are available, and Bing has a fuzzy satellite view. Saganoseki is a former fishing port, now mostly a harbor for recreational craft, in the lee of Seki Saki. Located at the end of the east breakwater of Saganoseki. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2328; JCG-4980; Admiralty M4944; NGA 9316.
* Saganoseki Gyoko
1986. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is red. Additional photos are available, and Google has a distant satellite view of the harbor. Located at the end of a breakwater of a harbor about 1 km (0.6 mi) south of Saganoseki. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2327; JCG-4979.5; Admiralty M4945; NGA 9312.

Usuki City Lighthouses
Shitanoe (Shimonoe)
1951. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white light, 6 s on, 2 s off. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo is available (next to last photo on the page), additional photos are available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a promontory on the south side of the harbor of Shitanoe. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-2332; JCG-5729; Admiralty M4943; NGA 10568.
Usuki Kō North Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); red flash every 3 s. 7 m (23 ft) tripod mounted on a round 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. Bing has a satellite view. Located at the end of the detached north breakwater at Usuki. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-5728; Admiralty M4940; NGA 10560.
* Usuki Kō
Date unknown (station established 1939). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white light, 6 s on, 2 s off. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Additional photos are available, and Bing has a satellite view. Located at the end of the main breakwater at Usuki. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. JCG-5727; Admiralty M4941; NGA 10564.

Tsukumi City Lighthouses
Tsukumi Kō Detached Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green flash every 3 s. 9 m (30 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white (NGA lists it incorrectly as being green). Bing has a partly clouded satellite view. Located on a breakwater in Tsukumi harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-2340; JCG-5723; Admiralty M4930; NGA 10548.
Chinu Saki
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); green light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 8.5 m (28 ft) round concrete tower flared at the top. Entire lighthouse is white. Bing has an indistinct satellite view. Located at the end of a breakwater off the Chinu Saki promontory, on the south side of the entrance to Tsukumi Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-5721; Admiralty M4929; NGA 10552.
Tsukumi Sirais
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) round concrete tower, painted black with one red horizontal band. A photo is available (4/5 the way down the page, search for "5719"), and Bing has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a rocky reef off a promontory about 10 km (6 mi) east northeast of Tsukumi. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-5719; Admiralty M4928; NGA 10536.
Takago Iwa
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); white flash every 3 s. Approx. 11 m (36 ft) round white concrete tower. No closeup photo available; Google has an indistinct satellite view. NGA lists the tower height as 28 ft, but this clearly too low. Located at the end of a long reef extending into Bungo Strait off Hotojima. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-5716; Admiralty M4922; NGA 10524.

Saiki City Lighthouses
Mizunoko Shima
1904. Active; focal plane 56 m (184 ft); white flash every 10 s. 39 m (128 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 2-story stone keeper's house. Lighthouse painted with black and white horizontal bands. A Coast Guard photo is at right, the Ōita Coast Guard Office has a page for the lighthouse, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with excellent closeup photos, Wikimedia has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was repaired after being heavily damaged during World War II. The onshore keeper's station at Tsurumi in Saiki City, used until 1962, is now incorporated into the Bungo Strait Maritime Museum; a photo is available. This is one of Japan's tallest lighthouses. Located on an isolated rock in the center of the Bungo Strait about 25 km (15 mi) east northeast of Saiki. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-369; JCG-5701; Admiralty M4912; NGA 10464.
Motoga Hana
Date unknown. Active; focal plane unknown; continuous white light. Approx. 8 m (26 ft) square concrete tower with lantern room and gallery; the light is shown through a square window and illuminates a nearby reef. A closeup photo (1/4 the way down the page, search for "5710") is available, and Bing has an indistinct satellite view. Located on the eastern tip of Onyu Shima, an island just off the coast on the north side of Saiki harbor. Site and tower closed. JCG-5710.
* Todo Hana (Saiki)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); white light occulting once every 8 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo (3/4 of the way down the page) and a closeup photo (1/4 the way down the page, search for "5711") are available, and Bing has a satellite view. This lighthouse guides vessels into the port of Saiki. Located at the southern point of Onyu Shima. Accessible only by boat; there should be at least a distant view from ferries crossing Bungo Strait between Saiki and Sukomo, Shikoku. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2337; JCG-5711; Admiralty M4918; NGA 10580.
Saiki Kō Detached Breakwater West Head
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); two green flashes every 7 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Bing has a distant satellite view. Located at the west end of a detached breakwater in Saiki harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-5713; Admiralty M4920.2; NGA 10588.
Mizunoko Shima Light
Mizunoko Shima Light, Bungo Strait
Japanese Coast Guard photo
Saiki Kō Detached Breakwater East Head
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); two red flashes every 7 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is red. Bing has a distant satellite view. Located at the west end of a detached breakwater in Saiki harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-5712; Admiralty M4920; NGA 10592.
Takega Shima
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 38 m (125 ft); white flash every 5 s. 7 m (23 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. No closeup photo available. There is a somewhat closer view (1/5 the way down the page, search for "5706"), and Bing has a distant satellite view. Located on an isolated island in Saiki Bay about 5 km (3 mi) east of Todo Hana. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-2335; JCG-5706; Admiralty M4916; NGA 10572.
Motonoma Kaikyō
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 12 m (39 ft) concrete post attached to a round 1-story concrete equipment room, mounted on a concrete pier. Lighthouse painted black with one red horizontal band. Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a reef in the narrow and dangerous Motonoma Strait, between the mainland and the island of Sakai Oshima. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-5704; Admiralty M4910; NGA 10604.
Sakino Se
1961. Active; focal plane 43 m (141 ft); white flash every 4 s. 7.5 m (25 ft) round strongly conical concrete tower with gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on the northernmost of a group of three islets about 2 km (1.25 mi) east of Sakai Oshima. Accessible only by boat, and landing on the island is quite hazardous. Site and tower closed. JCG-5703; Admiralty M4913; NGA 10600.
*** Tsurumi (Turumi) Saki
1981. Active; focal plane 197 m (646 ft); white flash every 8 s. 14.5 m (48 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. A lighthouse museum has been built adjacent to the lighthouse. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with many photos, a good closeup photo and additional photos of the lighthouse are available, the Ōita Coast Guard Office has a page for the lighthouse including the photo at right, Kiso also has a good photo, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Tsurumi Saki is the tip of a long, ragged peninsula pointing due east into Bungo Strait; the cape is the easternmost point of the Kyūshū mainland. A good photo of the site is also available. On a clear day the mountains of Shikoku, 35 km (22 mi) to the east, can be seen from the lighthouse. Located about 20 km (13 mi) east of Saiki. Accessible by road. Site open, museum open daily, tower status unknown but probably open. ARLHS JPN-141; JCG-5703; Admiralty M4909.8; NGA 10608.
Matsukiri Hana (Yonozu Hakuti)
1974. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white flash every 4 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Additional photos are available, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located at the tip of a sharp promontory at the entrance to the harbor of Iromiyo. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2341; JCG-6788; Admiralty M4909.1; NGA 10610.
Okikuro (Oki Kuro) Shima
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 80 m (262 ft); white flash every 3 s. 9 m (30 ft) round concrete tower. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located at the eastern end of an island about 13 km (8 mi) southwest of Tsurumi Saki. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-2325; JCG-6787; Admiralty M4909; NGA 10620.
* Kamae Kō
1951. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) round concrete tower rising from a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo is available (last photo on the page), also additional photos, and Bing has a distant satellite view. Located on a promontory on the east side of the harbor of Kamae. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-2314; JCG-6785; Admiralty M4908; NGA 10624.
* #Kamae Kō Breakwater (1)
1976. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); continuous red light with a more intense flash every 3 s. This was a 9.5 m (31 ft) round concrete tower rising from a 1-story concrete equipment room, but a more recent photo shows that the light is now on a simple fiberglass post. Entire lighthouse is red. Bing has a distant satellite view. Located at the end of the main breakwater of Kamae. Accessible by walking the pier. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-2314; JCG-6784; Admiralty M4908.4; NGA 10628.
Tsurumi Saki Light
Tsurumi Saki Light, Saiki, March 2012
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by ReoRockville
* Maruichibi (Maruitibi) Kō
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); continuous green light with a more intense flash every 6 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Bing has a distant satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater at Mariuchibi. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2319; JCG-6782; Admiralty M4907; NGA 10636.
Huka Shima (Fuka Shima, Huka Se)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 89 m (292 ft); white flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) three-stage tower: a round cylindrical tower about a square "watch" room atop a larger square equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Another photo is available, and Bing has a satellite view. Huka Shima is an island about 1.6 km (1 mi) long and 800 m (1/2 mi) wide, located a short distance off the coast of Kyūshū at the western entrance to the Bungo Strait. Located on the heights at the southern end of the island. Site status unknown. JCG-6781; Admiralty M4906; NGA 10632.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Northern Ōita | East: Western Ehime | South: Miyazaki

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Posted June 25, 2007. Checked and revised January 10, 2013. Lighthouses: 38. Site copyright 2013 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.