Lighthouses of Japan: Okinawa

Okinawa Prefecture includes the southern half of the Nansei (or Ryūkyū) Islands (Nansei-shotō or "southwest islands" in Japanese), which form an archipelago extending southwestward from Kyūshū towards Taiwan. Historically the Ryūkyū Islands were a more-or-less independent kingdom paying tribute as needed to either China or Japan or both. Japan annexed the islands in 1879 over Chinese protests; U.S. President Ulysses Grant, called in as arbitrator, ruled in favor of Japan. Following the Second World War, the islands were administered by the U.S. as the Trust Territory of the Ryūkyū Islands. In 1972, the U.S. ceded sovereignty over all of the islands back to Japan, which organized them as Okinawa Prefecture. There are two main groups of islands: the Okinawa Islands, including the principal island of Okinawa itself, and the Sakishima Islands to the southwest. 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. 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 - Okinawa A comprehensive site, although almost entirely in Japanese. Lighthouse Okinawa Excellent photos, with descriptions of the light stations and visitor information (in Japanese). Kiso's Lighthouses This site has many excellent photos of Japanese lighthouses. Milestones of the Sea Posted by the Eleventh Coast Guard Region office, which is responsible for Okinawa Prefecture, this page has photos of seven Okinawa lighthouses. The office also has interactive maps that link to data pages with smaller photos of all the lights in the region: there are maps for Okinawa, Miyako, and Ishigaki. 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.

Zanpa Saki Light, Okinawa, June 2008 Creative Commons photo by Tom Bocek

Okinawa Islands Lighthouses

Iheya Shima Lighthouse
* Dana Misaki (Iheya Shima)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 115 m (377 ft); white flash every 12 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story crew building. Entire lighthouse is white. The Coast Guard also has a page for the lighthouse. Iheya Shima, the northernmost island of Okinawa Prefecture, is about 30 km (19 mi) northwest of the northern end of Okinawa. The island is accessible by ferry from Okinawa, and the lighthouse is accessible by road; parking provided. Located on the northeastern tip of the island. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2559; JP-6973; Admiralty M4765; NGA 13260.

Okinawa Island North End and East Coast Lighthouses
* Hedo Misaki

1961. Active; focal plane 71 m (233 ft); white flash every 6 s. 11 m (36 ft) concrete post light centered on a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouses of Japan has a page for the lighthouse, Kiso also has a photo (third lighthouse on the page, photo taken on a rainy day), and Google has a satellite view. Located on the west side of the northern tip of Okinawa. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-100; JP-6983; Admiralty M4763; NGA 13264.

* Sedaka (Setake) Saki

1968. Active; focal plane 87 m (285 ft); white flash every 10 s. 15 m (49 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story concrete equipment building. Lighthouses of Japan has a page for the lighthouse. Located at the northeastern tip of Okinawa. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-548; JP-6984; Admiralty M4762.9; NGA 13268.

Takabaka Saki

1972. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 11 m (36 ft) square concrete tower. Entire lighthouse is white. Located on an island off a sharp promontory on the east coast of Okinawa about 10 km (6 mi) southeast of Nago. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-612; JP-6985; Admiralty M4762.2; NGA 13272.

Naga Shima

1972. Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); white flash every 3 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post light with an unusual square gallery, rising from a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Several distant views are available. Located on an islet about 2 km (1.25 mi) southeast of the Takabaka Saki lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-2612; JP-6987; Admiralty M4762.4; NGA 13280.

Ikei (Ike) Shima

1977. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white or red light depending on direction, 3 s on, 3 s off. 14 m (46 ft) round hourglass-shaped concrete tower with lantern and gallery, a particularly graceful design. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouses of Japan has a page for the lighthouse. Ikei Shima is a small island about 5 km (3 mi) off the southeast coast of Okinawa. Located on the highest point of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-157; JP-7017; Admiralty M4759; NGA 13296.

Katsuren (Katuren) Saki

1972. Active; focal plane 61 m (200 ft); white flash every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) square pyramidal concrete tower. Entire lighthouse is white. The Coast Guard also has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is on the grounds of the U.S. Marine Corps base. Located on a sharp promontory on the east side of Okinawa. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-244; JP-7024; Admiralty M4754; NGA 13308.

Taira Sone (Hira Sone) 1972. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 4 s. 11 m (36 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Located on a reef about 5 km (3 mi) south southwest of Katsuren Saki. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JP-7030; Admiralty M4753; NGA 13324. Tsuken (Tuken) Shima 1976. Active; focal plane 51 m (167 ft); white flash every 4 s. 14 m (46 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Tsuken Shima is a small island off the tip of the Katsuren Saki peninsula on the southeast coast of Okinawa. The Coast Guard has a page for the lighthouse. Located on the highest point of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-687; JP-7028; Admiralty M4752; NGA 13316. * China (Tina) Saki 1972. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); white flash every 3 s. 12 m (39 ft) round concrete tower with flared top, attached to a small 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. The red statue on the roof of the equipment room is an image of Shiisa, the traditional protector of Okinawa. The photo at right is from JANA's page for the lighthouse, Kiso also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a promontory on the southeast coast of Okinawa, about 10 km (6 mi) east of Naha. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2596; JP-7050; Admiralty M4750; NGA 13352. Kudaka Shima 1972. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 11 m (36 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower connected to a small 1-story equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. The Coast Guard has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. Kudaka Shima is an island about 8 km (5 mi) east southeast of China Saki. Located on the highest point of the island, adjacent to a playground. The island is accessible by ferry and it's a short walk to the lighthouse from the harbor. Site status uncertain, but the lighthouse is easy to see from nearby. ARLHS JPN-2608; JP-7051; Admiralty M4749; NGA 13360.

China Saki Light Japanese Coast Guard photo

Okinawa Island South End and West Coast Lighthouses
* Kiyan (Kyan) Saki

1972. Active; focal plane 47 m (154 ft); white flash every 5 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse of Japan has a page for the lighthouse, Kiso also has a photo, and a 2008 photo is available. This was a "last-stand" area for Japanese forces druing the Battle of Okinawa, and there is a war memorial at the entrance to the lighthouse. Accessible by road, the lighthouse is a well-known attraction. Located at the southern tip of Okinawa. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-264; JP-7054; Admiralty M4748; NGA 13364.

Rukan Syo (Rukan Sho)

1972. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 17 m (56 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with a large gallery, attached to a small 1-story equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Located on a reef about 8 km (5 mi) west northwest of Kiyan Saki. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2618; JP-7062; Admiralty M4746; NGA 13368.

Naha Sinkō Breakwater South End 1979. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); green flash every 4 s. 19 m (62 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Tom Bocek's photo is at right, John Rayong Undau has a 2008 photo, a 2009 photo is available, and Google has a good satellite view. Naha Sinkō (Naha Sin Kō) is a new harbor that has been developed on the north side of Naha, the capital of Okinawa. Located at the south end of the detached main breakwater of Naha Sinkō. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2614; JP-7076; Admiralty M4740.85; NGA 13380. Naha Sinkō Breakwater North End (2) 1984. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); continuous red light with a more intense flash every 3 s. 19 m (62 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is red. The Coast Guard also has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. NGA lists a previous lighthouse having a focal plane of only 11 m (36 ft). Located at the south end of the detached main breakwater of Naha Sinkō. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. JP-7078.5; Admiralty M4740.8; NGA 13376. Kamiyama Shima 1972. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white flash every 4 s. 10 m (33 ft) square pyramidal concrete tower attached to a small 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is white. Additional photos are available, and the Coast Guard has a page for the lighthouse. Located on a small, uninhabited island about 9 km (5.5 mi) west northwest of the entrance to Naha harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-218; JP-7092; Admiralty M4740; NGA 13412. * Zanpa Saki (Zampa Saki) 1974. Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 30.5 m (100 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is white. Tom Bocek's photo is at the top of this page, Lighthouses of Japan has a page for the lighthouse, David Hasenick has a great photo, Kiso also has a good photo (first lighthouse on the page), and Google has a satellite view. This soaring tower is a popular tourist attraction and by far the best known lighthouse of Okinawa and of the Nansei Islands. Located on a sharp promontory on the west coast of Okinawa, about 30 km (19 mi) north of Naha. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-767; JP-7101; Admiralty M4740.3; NGA 13420. * Sesoku (Sesoko) Shima 1976. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 11 m (36 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with double gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouses of Japan has a page for the lighthouse, Kiso has a view from the sea (1/3 the way down the page), and Google has a satellite view. Sesoku Shima is an island about 3 km (2 mi) long off the west coast of Okinawa; a bridge connects the island to the mainland. Located on the western tip of the island. Accessible by road, with parking provided, but conditions are crowded in the summer. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-552; JP-7118; Admiralty M4763.62; NGA 13456.

Naha Sinkō Breakwater South End Light June 2008 Creative Commons photo by Tom Bocek

Minna Shima

1972. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); white flash every 3 s. 12 m (39 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, attached to a small 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouses of Japan has a page for the lighthouse, Kiso has a somewhat closer view (1/3 the way down the page), and Google has a satellite view. Minna Shima is a small island about 4 km (2.5 mi) due west of Sesoku Shima. Located on the eastern end of the island. The island is accessible by ferry, and there's also a distant view from Sesoku Shima. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-356; JP-7140; Admiralty M4763.64; NGA 13452.

* Bise Saki

1953. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white flash every 5 s. 12 m (39 ft) concrete post light supporting a large lantern and gallery, attached to a small 1-story equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouses of Japan has a page for the lighthouse, Kiso has a good closeup photo (1/4 the way down the page), and Google has a satellite view. Located on a rocky reef at the end of a peninsula projecting from the west coast of Okinawa, about 20 km (13 mi) northwest of Nago. Accessible by wading at low tide. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-045; JP-7119; Admiralty M4763.4; NGA 13440.

* Kouri Shima (Toshima)

1975. Active; focal plane 53 m (174 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 11 m (36 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. The Coast Guard has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. Kouri Shima is a round island off the north side of the Bise Saki peninsula. The island is connected to the mainland of Okinawa by a bridge about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) in length. Located on a wooded bluff on the northwestern side of the island; accessible from the road by a short trail. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-293; JP-7120; Admiralty M4763.44; NGA 13444.

Ie Shima Lighthouses
Ie Shima is an island about 8 km (5 mi) long and about 6 km (3.5 mi) west of Bise Saki. It was the scene of furious fighting during World War II, and the famous U.S. cartoonist Ernie Pyle was killed here in April 1945. The island is readily accessible by ferry.

Ie Kō

1989. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); green flash every 3 s. 11 m (36 ft) round concrete tower with flared top, attached to a 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. The Coast Guard also has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the east end of the detached main breakwater of Ie Shima's harbor, on the southeast sdie of the island. Accessible only by boat, but there's a good view from ferries arriving at the island. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2600; JP-7138.5; Admiralty M4763.57; NGA 13449.

* Ie Shima

1972. Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); white flash every 4 s. 11 m (36 ft) square pyramidal concrete tower. Entire lighthouse is white. Kiso has a photo (1/3 the way down the page), and Google has a satellite view. Located at the western end of the island, on a U.S. military reservation. Site and tower closed (fenced), but there's a good view from outside the fence. ARLHS JPN-2600; JP-7139; Admiralty M4763.6; NGA 13448.

Western Okinawa Islands Lighthouses

Hate Shima (Hashima)

1980. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); white flash every 3 s. 13 m (43 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Several distant views are available. Hate Shima is a small island about 25 km (15 mi) west of Naha. Located at the south end of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-2598; JP-7093; Admiralty M4739.9; NGA 13408.

Aware (Aharen) Saki

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 97 m (318 ft); white flash every 8 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, attached to a small 1-story equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. The Coast Guard also has a page for the lighthouse, there are distant photos of a recent renovation in progress, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is on Tokashiki Shima, the largest of the Kerama Islands, a group about 30 km (18 mi) west of Naha, Okinawa. These islands were the first Okinawan islands taken by U.S. forces in March 1945. Today they are a popular national park, readily accessible by ferry from Naha. Located at the southern tip of Tokashiki Shima. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-031; JP-7142; Admiralty M4739.8; NGA 13460.

* Kahi Shima

1972. Active; focal plane 43 m (141 ft); white flash every 4 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, rising from a square 1-story concrete equipment building. The Coast Guard also has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. Located on an islet between the larger islands of Aka Shima and Zamami Shima, at the western end of the Kerama Islands. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2604; JP-7144; Admiralty M4739.6; NGA 13468.

* Aguni Shima

1978. Active; focal plane 108 m (354 ft); white light occulting once every 4 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. Kiso has a good closeup photo (1/4 the way down the page). Aguni Shima is a small island about 50 km (30 mi) west northwest of Zanpa Saki, Okinawa. Located on the highest point of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-004; JP-7141; Admiralty M4739.48; NGA 13472.

* Tonaki Shima

1978. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); white light, 4 s on, 4 s off. 10.5 m (34 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower. Entire lighthouse is white. The Coast Guard also has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. Tonaki Shima is about 50 km (30 mi) west northwest of Naha and 25 km (15 mi) south of Aguni Shima. The island is accessible by ferry from Naha. Located on the waterfront of Tonaki, on the northwestern side of the island. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-670(=2625); JP-7145; Admiralty M4739.47; NGA 13476.

Ogan Misaki (Ugan Saki) (2?) 1972. Active; focal plane 9.5 m (31 ft); white flash every 10 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, attached to a small 1-story equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouses of Japan has a very distant view, and Google has only an indistinct satellite view. NGA describes the lighthouse as an 11 m (36 ft) square tower; this may be a mistake or it may refer to an older tower. Located at the northeastern tip of coral reef off the east coast of Kume Shima. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-2617; JP-7149; Admiralty M4739.4; NGA 13480. * Nakazato Kō 1990. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); red flash every 3 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) round concrete tower with flared top, attached to a small equipment shelter and mounted on a large square concrete pier. Tower painted red. Located at the end of the main breakwater of Nakazato, the principal harbor of Kume Shima. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2616; JP-7149.8; Admiralty M4739.42; NGA 13482. * Kume Shima 1958. Active; focal plane 54 m (177 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 21 m (69 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is white. The Coast Guard has the photo at right as well as a page for the lighthouse. Kume Shima is an island about 12 km (7.5 mi) long and 8 km (5 mi) wide, about 55 km (35 mi) west of Naha. The island is accessible by ferry from Naha. Located at the western end of the island. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-300; JP-7158; Admiralty M4739.2; NGA 13492.

Kume Shima Light; Japanese Coast Guard photo

Sakishima Islands Lighthouses

Note: The Sakishima Islands lie at the extreme southwestern end of the Nansei archipelago, stretching to within about 130 km (80 mi) of the northeastern coast of Taiwan. The islands have a subtropical climate and are popular resorts.
Miyako Islands Lighthouses

**** Henna Saki (Hennazaki, Agari-Henna Saki, Miyako) 1967. Active; focal plane 43 m (141 ft); flash every 10 s, alternately red and white. 25 m (82 ft) octagonal cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story concrete service building. Entire lighthouse is white. Atsushi Suzuki's photo is at right, Lighthouses of Japan has a page for the lighthouse, Wikipedia has a good photo, a more distant view shows the picturesque site, and a 2008 photo is available. The attached building has been converted into a lighthouse museum and visitor center, which has become one of the principal tourist attractions of Miyako. Located on a sharp promontory at the southeastern tip of Miyako Shima, about 20 km (13 mi) southeast of Hirara. Accessible by road. Site open, museum open and tower open for climbing but we do not know the schedule. ARLHS JPN-105; JP-7169; Admiralty M4737; NGA 13516. * Ikema Shima (3) 1963 (station established 1940). Active; focal plane 42 m (138 ft); white flash every 12 s. 26 m (85 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouses of Japan has a page for the lighthouse, the Coast Guard has both a page and an aerial photo, a 2008 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is intended as a landfall light for Miyako Shima for vessels arriving from Okinawa or Japan proper. The original lighthouse was destroyed during World War II. It was replaced by a small emergency light in 1950 and then by the present lighthouse in 1963. Ikema Shima is a small island off the northeastern tip of Miyako Shima, connected to the mainland by a long bridge. Located at the northern end of the island. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-158; JP-7167; Admiralty M4738; NGA 13504. * [Makoto Kō North Breakwater] 1997. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); two red flashes every 7 s. 7 m (23 ft) fiberglass post light surrounded by an octagonal pavilion with benches and a small observation platform. The light tower is red; the pavilion is unpainted gray concrete with a red tile roof. The Coast Guard has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the west breakwater of Makoto Kō, the harbor of Hirara, the largest town of Miyako Shima, on the west side of the island. Site open, tower closed. JP-7180.55. Miyoko Minna Shima 1972. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); white flash every 4 s. 13 m (43 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower mounted on a large concrete base. Entire lighthouse is white. A 2009 photo is available. Not to be confused with Okinawa Minna Shima (see above), this lighthouse is built on a small island about halfway between Miyoko and Ishigaki. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2611; JP-7187; Admiralty M4736; NGA 13524.

Henna Saki Light, September 2004 Creative Commons photo by Atsushi Suzuki

Ishigaki Shima Lighthouses

* Hirakubo Saki 1972. Active; focal plane 74 m (243 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 13 m (43 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Additional photos and a good 2007 photo is available, Wikipedia has a photo, Hiroaki Kanematsu has a 2008 photo, and Google has a satellite view. This light marks the northern tip of Ishigaki Shima, at the end of 40 km (25 mi) long rocky ridge -- the name of the island means "Stone Wall Island" in Japanese. The Coast Guard's aerial photo illustrates the nature of the site, which is famous for its spectacular view of the East China Sea. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-123; JP-7190; Admiralty M4734; NGA 13528. * Ogan Saki (Ogan Misaki) 1983. Active; focal plane 62 m (103 ft); white flash every 10 s. 17 m (56 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo is at right, Janine Kelly has another good photo, additional photos are available, Located at the western tip of Ishigaki Shima. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-774; JP-7191; Admiralty M4733; NGA 13532. * Kannon Saki (Ryūkyū Kannon Saki) 1953 (built by the U.S. military administration). Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 11 m (36 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with gallery, attached to a 2-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is white. The Coast Guard also has a page for the lighthouse, and a sunset photo is available. This light guides vessels bound for the town of Ishigaki, the only port of Ishigaki Shima. Located at the southwestern tip of Ishigaki Shima. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-515; JP-7192; Admiralty M4732; NGA 13536. Ishigaki Kō (Outer Breakwater) 1986. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); two green flashes every 8 s. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. The Coast Guard also has a page for the lighthouse, and another photo is available. Located at the northwest end of the detached outer breakwater of Ishigaki, on the southwest side of Ishigaki Shima. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-179(=2601); JP-7192.5; Admiralty M4734.4; NGA 13548.

Ogan Saki Light, April 2006 anonymous Creative Commons photo

Iriomote Shima Area Lighthouses

Kuro Shima

1972. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); white flash every 5 s. 11 m (36 ft) concrete post light attached to a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouses of Japan has a distant view, and Google has a rather distant satellite view. Kuro Shima is a small island about 20 km (13 mi) southwest of Ishigaki. The island is included in the Iriomote National Park. Located on the south (seaward) side of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. JP-7224.

* Hatoma Shima (Hatoma-jima) 1972. Active; focal plane 47 m (154 ft); white light, 4 s on, 4 s off. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Kazunori Seki has a 2009 closeup, another closeup is available, Lighthouses of Japan has a distant view, and Google has a distant satellite view. Hatoma Shima is a small island about 6 km (3.5 mi) north of the northern tip of Iriomote Shima. Located on the highest point of the island. The island is accessible by ferry from Iriomote Shima. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-092; JP-7238; Admiralty M4730; NGA 13560. * Hateruma Shima (2) 1986 (station established 1959). Active; focal plane 70 m (230 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. Maxime Grenu has an excellent closeup, a 2008 closeup and a wider view are available, and Google has a satellite view. This is Japan's southernmost lighthouse. Hateruma Shima is an island about 25 km (15 mi) due south of Iriomote Shima; the island has several popular resorts. Located at the highest point of the island. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-089; JP-7250; Admiralty M4735; NGA 13568. Yonaguni Shima Lighthouses * Agari Saki (Yonaguni Shima, Yonaguni-jima) 1972. Active; focal plane 84 m (276 ft); white flash every 8 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with double gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. The Coast Guard has a page for the lighthouse, Jonathan Yamauchi has another photo,and a 2007 closeup is available. Yonaguni Shima is the westernmost island of the Nansei chain, only 130 km (80 mi) east of Taiwan. Located on the eastern tip of the island. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-003; JP-7251; Admiralty M4728.4; NGA 13576. * Iri (Irii) Saki (2) 1980 (station established 1957). Active; focal plane 75 m (246 ft); white flash every 5 s. 20 m (66 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story concrete equipment building. The Coast Guard's photo is at right, and a closeup photo is available. This is Japan's westernmost lighthouse. Located at the western tip of Yonaguni Shima. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-175; JP-7252; Admiralty M4728; NGA 13580.

Iri Saki Light; Japanese Coast Guard photo

Daitō Islands Lighthouse

Note: The three islands of the Daitō group are located in the northern Philippine Sea about 350 km (220 mi) east of Okinawa. Although not part of the Nansei Islands geographically, they are attached to Okinawa Prefecture. The islands were uninhabited until the late 1800s, when the imperial government sent out settlers to occupy the islands for Japan. The modern population is about 2000. The islands are not often visited, but there is air service from Naha.
Kita Daitō (Kitadaitō) Shima

1972. Active; focal plane 90 m (295 ft); white flash every 15 s. 22 m (72 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is white. Located on the northernmost of the three islands. There is a village on the island, and the lighthouse is almost certainly accessible. Site probably open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-262; JP-7159; Admiralty M4801; NGA 13496.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

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Posted August 27, 2007. Checked and revised September 11, 2009. Lighthouses: 43. Site copyright 2009 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.