5 Lighthouses in Nagasaki worth your time

A historic lighthouse at Tsushima's southwestern tip featuring an original 1909 concrete tower and a modern xenon lamp beacon.

What it is

• A maritime beacon located at the southwestern tip of Tsushima in Nagasaki Prefecture.
• The original unreinforced concrete structure was first built on a reef in 1909.
• The lighthouse was moved to a former battery observation post in 1987.
• The current facility consists of a second generation lighthouse and the original tower.

What to see

• The original 1909 tower which now serves as a secondary light marker.
• A modern second generation lighthouse equipped with a powerful xenon lamp.
• The first generation tower which stands at a height of 21 meters.
• A structure that was originally striped black and white before being painted white.

Read more about Tsutsusaki Lighthouse

A historic white lighthouse on Fukue Island offering dramatic cliffside views and a prime spot for autumn bird watching.

What it is

• A white circular tower standing on the western tip of Fukue Island.
• The original structure was designed by British engineer R. Purton in 1879.
• The current lighthouse was rebuilt in 1971 and is now an unmanned facility.
• This site is part of Saikai National Park and one of Japan's Top 50 Lighthouses.

What to see

• Dramatic cliffs formed by the Goto Group strata overlooking the sea.
• The Goddess of Prayer statue located on the nearby Mount Ose.
• A historic site where a naval lookout was established in 1894.

When to go

• Autumn is the best time to see thousands of migrating honey buzzards.

Read more about Ōsezaki Lighthouse

A scenic lighthouse on Ikitsuki Island offering panoramic views from an eighty-meter cliff and seasonal wildflower displays.

What it is

• A lighthouse standing on top of the eighty meter high Obae Cliff
• First lit in January 1958 and reconstructed in March 2002
• Commonly known as the Obae Lighthouse on Ikitsuki Island
• Includes an auxiliary northeast illumination light and a coastal wave gauge

What to see

• An observation deck accessible to visitors by climbing the stairs
• Colonies of Crinum latifolium flowers growing on the cape hills
• Views from the summit of the eighty meter high coastal cliffs

Getting there

• The site is a thirty minute drive from the Ikitsuki Bridge

Read more about Ōbaehana Lighthouse

This historic lighthouse on Iojima Island features the original 1870 dome and Japan's oldest unreinforced concrete residence.

What it is

• A lighthouse located on the northern tip of Iojima Island.
• One of eight original treaty lighthouses designed by Richard Henry Brunton.
• The site of Japan's first iron lighthouse established in July 1871.
• A facility that has been unmanned since April 1971.

What to see

• The current hexagonal concrete tower rebuilt in 2003.
• The original lighthouse dome from 1870 which remains in use today.
• A museum located inside the former lighthouse keepers' residence.
• Japan's oldest unreinforced concrete building and a Tangible Cultural Property.

Read more about Iojimazaki Lighthouse

A historic cliffside lighthouse on the Danjo Islands, famous as the last manned lighthouse in Japan until 2006.

What it is

• A lighthouse on the Danjo Islands first lit on December 1, 1927
• The final lighthouse in Japan to transition from manned to automated operation
• One of the Top 50 Lighthouses in Japan
• A facility that provides weather data to the Meteorological Agency

What to see

• A historic structure situated on a cliff over 100 meters high
• The site used as a filming location for a 1957 movie
• The former location of a telegraph office established in 1927

Read more about Meshima Lighthouse