7 Lighthouses in Wakayama worth your time

Japan's first stone lighthouse, designed by Richard Henry Brunton, offers historic architecture and coastal views within a national park.

What it is

• Japan's first stone lighthouse, established on the eastern tip of Kii Oshima island
• The structure was designed by Richard Henry Brunton and first lit in 1870
• It is Japan's first rotating flash lighthouse and a designated National Historic Site
• The site is located within the boundaries of Yoshino-Kumano National Park

What to see

• An external staircase that allows visitors to climb to the top of the lighthouse
• Optical machinery recognized as a significant Mechanical Engineering Heritage site
• Daffodils planted by British engineers during the early Meiji era
• The coastal area where the Ottoman ship Ertugrul sank in 1890

Getting there

• Take a bus from Kushimoto Station to the Kashino Todaiguchi stop

Read more about Kashinosaki Lighthouse

A historic stone lighthouse marking the southernmost point of Honshu, offering panoramic ocean views and a specialized maritime museum.

What it is

• A stone lighthouse marking the southernmost point of Honshu island.
• One of eight original treaty lighthouses built under Richard Henry Brunton.
• An A-rank preserved structure located within Yoshino-Kumano National Park.
• The current stone tower replaced the original wooden structure in 1878.

What to see

• The historic stone tower which visitors can climb for a fee.
• An on-site museum displaying historical lighthouse equipment and lenses.
• Panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean from the top of the structure.
• The surrounding coastal scenery of Cape Shiono in Kushimoto Town.

Getting there

• Bus service runs directly from JR Kushimoto Station to the site.

Read more about Shionomisaki Lighthouse

A historic lighthouse in Yoshino-Kumano National Park featuring a 350-year-old natural monument and former whale lookout points.

What it is

• A lighthouse in Taiji Town located within the Yoshino-Kumano National Park.
• The site originally served as a ship inspection station established around 1619.
• The first lighthouse was lit in 1899 and the current structure dates to 1963.
• The name refers to the historical practice of ships steering by this cape.

What to see

• The Meoto Ibuki tree which is a designated natural monument over 350 years old.
• A whale memorial monument located in the vicinity of the lighthouse.
• The Naminori Reef Illumination Light attached to the main structure.
• A public lawn park surrounding the lighthouse area.
• The site of a historical whale lookout point overlooking the ocean.

Read more about Kantorisaki Lighthouse

A 1960s white concrete lighthouse on a historic cliffside offering expansive views of the sea and nearby Awaji Island.

What it is

• A white concrete lighthouse tower standing on the Takanosu cliffside.
• The site was originally the location of Saikazaki Castle.
• The facility was first lit in 1960 and is managed by the Coast Guard.
• It serves as the starting point for Wakayama Prefectural Road 15.

What to see

• A fourteen meter tall white concrete tower structure.
• Panoramic views of the ocean reaching toward Awaji Island.
• A light that emits a single white flash every eight seconds.
• The rugged landscape of the former Saikazaki Castle grounds.

Getting there

• The site is accessible by bus from JR Wakayama Station.

Read more about Saikazaki Lighthouse

A historic Western-style lighthouse designed by Richard Henry Brunton, standing as a preserved cultural property within Setonaikai National Park.

What it is

• A Western-style lighthouse located on Okinoshima within the Tomogashima island group.
• Designed by Richard Henry Brunton and first lit on August 1, 1872.
• The eighth Western-style lighthouse completed in Japan and a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
• An unmanned facility designated as a Heritage of Industrial Modernization.

What to see

• The historic stone structure which was moved twenty-five meters east in 1890.
• A preserved A-rank lighthouse featuring an LU-M type lamp installed in 2002.
• Scenic views of the surrounding area within the Setonaikai National Park.

Read more about Tomogashima Lighthouse

A small white lighthouse on a headland in Wakayama, offering a quiet coastal view near the historic town of Kada.

What it is

• A small white lighthouse situated on the Takurasaki headland in Kada.
• The structure was first lit on February 4, 1956.
• The current lighthouse building was reconstructed in 1982.
• It features an attached structure known as the Takurasaki Northern Irradiation Light.

What to see

• The white lighthouse tower standing on the coastal point.
• The attached irradiation light used for maritime navigation.
• Views of the surrounding headland and the sea.

Getting there

• The site is located three kilometers from Kada Station.

Read more about Takurasaki Lighthouse

A historic white lighthouse in Wakayama marking the Seto Inland Sea boundary within a scenic prefectural natural park.

What it is

• A white cylindrical lighthouse marking the boundary of the Seto Inland Sea.
• The original structure was first lit on January 25, 1895.
• The current building is the third generation, completed after a 2017 relocation.
• It is a key feature of the Enjukaigan Prefectural Natural Park.

What to see

• The modern white cylindrical tower standing 120 meters west of its former site.
• Coastal views from the lighthouse grounds within the natural park.
• The boundary point where the Kii Channel meets the Seto Inland Sea.

Read more about Kii Hinomisaki Lighthouse