Lighthouses of Japan: Chiba

The nation of Japan, known in Japanese as Nihon or Nippon (日本), occupies an archipelago off the east coast of Asia. The four main islands are Hokkaidō in the north, Honshū (the largest) in the center, Shikoku in the south, and Kyūshū in the southwest. The country includes thousands of other islands of all sizes; among them the Ryūkyū (Nansei) Islands are a long chain extending to the southwest and including the large island of Okinawa, and the Nanpō Islands are another long chain extending south into the Pacific Ocean. Much of Japan is mountainous but the coastal regions are densely populated and urbanized; the country's population is about 126 million.

Japan is divided into 47 prefectures. This page lists lighthouses of Chiba Prefecture, located on the east coast of Honshū within a short drive of the Tōkyō metropolitan area. Chiba includes the Bōsō Peninsula, which projects southward separating Tōkyō Bay on the west from the Pacific Ocean on the east. Chiba includes some densely populated urban areas but it also includes a surprising length of wild and scenic coastline.

In Japanese the word for a lighthouse is tōdai or toudai (灯台). The words saki and misaki are for capes and headlands, hana ("nose") is a promontory, hantō is a peninsula, shima (also spelled sima or jima) is an island, bae is a reef, iwa or shi is a rocky reef, amase or se is a shoal, wan is a bay, nada is a sound or basin, kaikyō is a strait, kawa is a river, and or minato is a harbor.

Lighthouses in Japan are operated and maintained by the Japanese Coast Guard's Maritime Safety Agency. On Honshū there is usually one Coast Guard Section Office in each prefecture, sometimes two. Chiba prefecture has Coast Guard offices at Chōshi for the Pacific coast and at Chiba City for the west coast and Tōkyō Bay.

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
Online List of Lights - Japan
Photos posted by Alexander Trabas; some of the photos for this area are by Jonathon Post (Selector Jonathon Photography).
Lighthouses in Japan - Chiba
A site providing photos and data for most major Japanese lighthouses.
Lighthouse-Japan.com - Chiba
Another comprehensive site with photos and notes from visits to many lighthouses.
Form of a Lighthouse - Chiba
This site has photos from recent visits with notes about access; it is cited below as FOAL (Form of a Lighthouse).
Misty's Japanese Lighthouse Tour - Chiba
Photos and a few notes for lighthouses in all parts of the country.
Lighthouse Visits
This site has photos for many lighthouses in this area.
Lighthouses in Chiba Prefecture
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia.
Leuchttürme Japans und Koreas auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.
Navionics Charts
Navigation chart for the Bōsō Peninsula.

Inubō Saki Light, Chōshi, September 2011
Flickr Creative Commons photo by t-mizo

Chōshi Coast Guard District (Pacific Coast) Lighthouses

Chōshi City Lighthouses
Ichino Shima (Chōshi Kō)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 16 m (53 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery mounted on a robust circular concrete base. A stairway spirals around the base to provide access to the lighthouse. Entire lighthouse is white. A 2020 photo is at right, Trabas has Post's photo, Lighthouse Visits has a photo (first lighthouse on the page), FOAL has a photo (third row, right), a 2022 photo is available, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on a rock adjacent to the end of a detached breakwater on the south side of the entrance to the Tone River and Chōshi harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1313; JCG-1859; Admiralty M6482; NGA 4752.
Chōshi Kō East Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 (49 ft); green flash every 3 s. 12 m (39 ft) round flared concrete tower attached to a small concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Trabas has Post's photo, Lighthouse Visits has a photo (second lighthouse on the page), FOAL has a photo (fourth row, right), and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the north end of a detached breakwater a short distance east of the Ichino Shima lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1343; JCG-1860; Admiralty M6482.4; NGA 4764.
Chōshi Kō North Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 (49 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 12 m (39 ft) round flared concrete tower with gallery, attached to a small concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Trabas has Post's photo, Lighthouse Visits has a photo (third lighthouse on the page), FOAL has a distant view (last row, right),and Google has a satellite view. Located at the north end of a detached breakwater a short distance north of the Ichino Shima lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. JCG-1860.5; Admiralty M6482.2; NGA 4768.

Ichino Shima Light, Chōshi, September 2020
Google Maps photo by redpepper
**** Inubō Saki
1874 (Richard Henry Brunton). Active; focal plane 52 m (171 ft); white flash every 15 s. 32 m (105 ft) round brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story keeper's house. Entire lighthouse painted white. Fog siren (blast every 35 s). This is a staffed station with a 2-story communications center and other buildings; the original French 1st order Fresnel lens is on display in one of the buildings, used as a museum and visitor center. A photo is at at the top of this page, Trabas has Post's photo, Lighthouse-Japan.com has several photos, Yuichi Toyoshima has a 2021 photo, another excellent photo of the lighthouse is available, Wikimedia has photos, FOAL has photos, another photo of the 1st order Fresnel lens is available, Michel Forand has several historic postcard views, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The Chōshi Coast Guard Office has a web site with information about the lighthouse; the first link goes to a page with links to photos. This handsome and historic lighthouse is one of the oldest in Japan and it is the country's tallest brick lighthouse. It was designed by the Scottish lighthouse engineer Richard Henry Brunton, who intended to import all the bricks from England. However, the Japanese site supervisor Takamasa Nakazawa was able to acquire suitable bricks from the village of Takaoka a few miles to the west. The first lightkeeper was British; he served until newly-trained Japanese keepers could take over in 1878. The lighthouse and its lens were damaged during World War II; the tower was repaired and the lens was restored for the current display. (The lens now used in the tower was made in Japan.) In 1999 the Inubosaki Brunton Association was formed to provide community support for the lighthouse. The lighthouse stands on a promontory at the end of a peninsula that projects about 25 km (15 mi) into the Pacific, creating an important hazard to navigation. Located on a promontory about 5 km (3 mi) southeast of Chōshi. Site open, museum open daily, tower open daily for climbing. ARLHS JPN-171; JCG-1869; Admiralty M6478; NGA 4780.
Nagasaki Hana
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); continuous white light. 20 m (66 ft) round cylindrical white concrete tower. Kohei Shuto's 2023 photo is at right, Lighthouse-Japan.com has good photos, Trabas has Post's photo, a 2017 photo and a 2021 photo are available, FOAL's page has photos, and Google has a 2016 street view and a satellite view. Located on the extreme south point of the Inubō Saki promontory; the lighthouse is surrounded by water when the tide is high. Site and tower closed. . ARLHS JPN-390; JCG-1870; Admiralty M6478.4; NGA 4784.
Togawa Kō
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red flash every 4 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post centered on a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is red. Trabas has Post's closeup photo, Lighthouse Visit's page has a photo, FOAL's page has photos, and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view across the harbor. Located at the south end of a detached breakwater sheltering the entrance to Togawa harbor, in the lee of Inubō Saki. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1340; JCG-1871; Admiralty M6479; NGA 4788.

Asahi City Lighthouse
* Iioka
1956. Active; focal plane 74 m (243 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 9.5 m (31 ft) round concrete tower attached to a small 1-story equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Yukio Toda has a 2016 photo, Lighthouses of Japan also has a photo, Trabas has Post's photo, Wikimedia has an excellent closeup, FOAL has good photos, Misty's Tour has photos, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. This is a small aid to navigation but the sweeping view attracts many visitors. Parking is available at the lighthouse and according to Misty's Tour there is a coffeeshop in the adjoining building. Located on a south-pointing promontory at Iioka, about 8 km (5 mi) southwest of Chōshi. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS JPN-156; JCG-1874; Admiralty M6477; NGA 4796.

Nagasaki Hana Light, Chōshi, January 2023
Instagram photo by Kohei Shuto

Isumi City Lighthouses
* Taitō Saki
1952. Active; focal plane 72 m (236 ft); white flash every 10 s. 16 m (52 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story keeper's house. Trabas has a photo, Lighthouse-Japan.com has good photos, Takahiro Tanabe has a 2020 photo, FOAL has several photos, Misty's Tour also has a photo, and Google has the street view seen at right and a satellite view. The Taitō Saki Lighthouse Club helps maintain the lighthouse grounds. Located on a promontory 6 km (3.5 mi) northeast of Ōhara. Accessible by road; parking provided. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS JPN-609; JCG-1875; Admiralty M6472; NGA 4800.
* Ōhara Kō (East Breakwater)
1976. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 12 m (39 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story white concrete equipment room. Trabas has a photo, Lighthouse Visit's page for the breakwater lights has a good photo (second lighthouse on the page), FOAL has a photo (second row right), and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of the main breakwater at Ōhara harbor, about 5.5 km (3.5 mi) south of the Taitō Saki lighthouse. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1330; JCG-1876; Admiralty M6471; NGA 4816.
Ōhara Kō Detached Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 12 m (39 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story white concrete equipment room. Trabas has a photo, Lighthouse Visit's page for the breakwater lights has a photo (first lighthouse on the page), FOAL has a photo (second row left), and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a detached breakwater extending the protection of Ōhara harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1329; JCG-1875.8; Admiralty M6470.9; NGA 4818.

Onjuku Town Lighthouse
#Iwawada Kō (1)
1963. Demolished in 2009 and replaced by a light on a steel post (focal plane 10 m (33 ft); continuous red light with two more intense flashes every 8 s). Entire lighthouse is red. The original light, a 9 m (30 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room, is seen in the Lighthouse-Japan.com 2007 photo (fourth photo on the page). FOAL has photos of both the old and new lights. Google's satellite view and 2014 street view show the post. Located on the main (east) breakwater of Iwawada harbor in Onjuku, about 8 km (5 mi) northeast of Katsuura. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1316. Current light: JCG-1881; Admiralty M6470.7; NGA 4824.

Taitō Saki Light, Ōhara, May 2019
Google Maps street view

Katsuura City Lighthouses
* Kazusa Toyohama Kō
1981. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 9 m (30 ft) round conical concrete tower with two galleries. Entire lighthouse is white. Trabas has a photo, a 2021 photo is available, FOAL has a page for the light, Masato Ota has a closeup street view, and Google has a satellite view. NGA misspells the name as Kazuea. Located at the end of the breakwater of Kazuea Toyohama, on the northeast side of Katsuura. Accessible by walking the pier. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1321; JCG-1882; Admiralty M6470.2; NGA 4828.
* Kawatsu (Kawazu) Kō (Tōbu Kō)
1963. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); continuous green light with a more intense flash every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) round hourglass-shaped concrete tower. Entire lighthouse is white. Trabas has a photo, FOAL has a page for the light, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The character of the light was changed from white to green when an LED light was installed in September 2013. Located at the end of the breakwater of Kawatsu harbor, about 400 m (1/4 mi) southwest of the Kazuea Toyohama light. Accessible by walking the pier. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1320; JCG-1883; Admiralty M6470.3; NGA 4832.
* Katsuura (Katuura)
1917. Active; focal plane 71 m (233 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 21 m (69 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Two 1-story keeper's houses. A photo is at right, Lighthouse-Japan.com has photos, Trabas has a photo, FOAL's page has good photos, Hiroyuki Suzuki has a 2021 photo, Misty's Tour also has a photo, a distant view is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on a scenic promontory sheltering the east side of the harbor of Katsuura. Accessible by road, but no parking is provided; the entrance to the light station is gated to exclude cars but not pedestrians. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS JPN-245; JCG-1884; Admiralty M6470; NGA 4836.
* Katsuura Kō South Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. Trabas has a photo, FOAL's page has photos, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of the south breakwater of the harbor sheltered by Katsuura Saki. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1318; JCG-1886; Admiralty M6470.14; NGA 4840.

Kamogawa City Lighthouses
Kominato Kō
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); red flash every 3 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) round red concrete tower mounted on a square concrete pier. Trabas has a photo, Lighthouse Visit's page for the harbor lights has a photo (third lighthouse on the page), FOAL has photos (fourth row), and Google has a satellite view. Located in the harbor about 300 m (330 yd) west of the east breakwater lighthouse. Accessible only by boat but easy to see from shore. Site open, tower closed. JCG-1888; Admiralty M6469; NGA 4848.
#Kominato Kō East Breakwater
1966. Removed in 2018. This was an 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Lighthouse painted white with one black horizontal band. Lighthouse Visit's page for the harbor lights has a photo (second lighthouse on the page), FOAL has 2013 photos (next to last row), and Google has a 2015 street view but the light is no longer seen in Google's satellite view. Located on a breakwater of the picturesque small boat harbor of Kominato, about 10 km (6 mi) east of Kamogawa. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1325; JCG-1887; ex-Admiralty M6469.2; NGA 4852.
* Kominato Kō North Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); white light occulting once every 8 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Trabas has a photo, Lighthouse Visit's page for the harbor lights has a photo (fourth lighthouse on the page), FOAL has photos (fifth and sixth rows), and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on the north breakwater of Kominato. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1326; JCG-1889; Admiralty M6469.4; NGA 4856.
Katsuura Light
Katsuura Light, Katsuura, February 2012
Flickr photo copyright echinocactus
used by permission
* Amatsu Kō West Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Trabas has a photo, FOAL has a photo (next to last row on the page), and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on the west breakwater of Amatsu, a small harbor about 4 km (2.5 mi) east of Amatsu. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1303; JCG-1892; Admiralty M6468.2; NGA 4868.
* Kamogawa
1954. Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); three white flashes every 13 s. 11 m (36 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with double gallery but no lantern. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has good photos, Trabas has a photo, a 2020 photo and a 2016 closeup are available, FOAL's page has photos (second and third ros, right), Misty's Tour also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on Ara Shima, a rocky island protecting the harbor of Kamogawa. The south breakwater is accessible by road and the island is accessible from the breakwater by a narrow (somewhat scary) footbridge. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS JPN-220; JCG-1897; Admiralty M6466; NGA 4880.
* Hamanabuto Kō
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); continuous white light with a more intense flash every 5 s; in addition, a continuous white spotlight (JCG-1899) illuminates a reef 70 m (230 ft) to the south. 8 m (27 ft) round hourglass-shaped concrete tower with gallery but no lantern. Entire lighthouse is white. Matsuoka Akiyoshi's photo is at right, FOAL has photos, Trabas has a photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on an elbow of the main breakwater at Hamanabuto, about 2 km (1.2 mi) south of Kamogawa. Accessible by walking the pier. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1309; JCG-1898; Admiralty M6465.4; NGA 4892.
* Emi Kō (Mae Shima)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. Trabas has a photo, Isoji Takano has a 2022 photo, FOAL has a photo, and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. Located on Mae Shima, a small island protecting Emi harbor; the island is connected to the mainland by the east breakwater of the port. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1305; JCG-1900; Admiralty M6465; NGA 4888.

Hamanabuto Kō Light, Kamogawa, November 2013
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Matsuoka Akiyoshi

Chiba Coast Guard District (Cape Nojima, Sagami Bay, and Tōkyō Bay) Lighthouses

Minamibōsō City (Cape Nojima Area) Lighthouses
Nojima Saki (Cape Nojima) is the southern tip of the Bōsō peninsula. The peninsula separates Sagami Bay from the open Pacific Ocean.

*
Chikura Kō Middle Breakwater
1973. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); continuous red light with two more intense flashes every 8 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. Trabas has a photo, FOAL has a photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of a breakwater at Chikura, a small port about 8 km (5 mi) northeast of Nojima Saki. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1304; JCG-1902; Admiralty M6461; NGA 4900.
* Chikura (Tikura) Kō
1993. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); continuous light, white, red or green depending on direction. 12 m (39 ft) hexagonal cylindrical concrete tower with double gallery and a large "watch room." Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has good photos, Trabas has a photo, Misty's Tour has a closeup, 2019 closeup is available, FOAL has a photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on the waterfront at Chikura. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS JPN-646; JCG-1903; Admiralty M6462; NGA 4904.
* Nanaura Kō Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); continuous green neon light. 12 m (39 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Trabas has a photo, Lighthouse Visit's page for the range lights has a photo (bottom of the page), FOAL has a photo (also bottom of the page), and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The front light is on a post near the water's edge. Located on a hillside above Nanaura harbor. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1328; JCG-1906; Admiralty M6459.1; NGA 4916.
* Awa Shirakama Kō
1962. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); continuous white or red light, depending on direction, with a more intense flash every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) round hourglass-shaped concrete tower. Entire lighthouse is white. A 2023 photo is at right, Lighthouse-Japan.com has good photos, Trabas has a photo, Itō Ayumi has a sunrise photo, a 2021 photo is available, FOAL has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on a rocky point at Awa Shirakama, about 6 km (3.5 mi) east of Nojima Saki, the southern tip of the Bōsō peninsula. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be viewed from nearby. . ARLHS JPN-034; JCG-1907; Admiralty M6458; NGA 4980.

Awa Shirakama Kō Light, Minamibōsō, March 2023
Instagram photo by lifemaker_gaia
* Otohama Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); continuous green neon light. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery, rising from a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Trabas has a photo, Lighthouse Visit's page for the harbor lights has a photo (second lighthouse on the page), FOAL has a photo (second row right), and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The front light is on a much shorter tower. Located just off the R410 highway in Otohama, about 5 km (3 mi) east of Nojima Saki. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1337; JCG-1909; Admiralty M6457.1; NGA 4988.
Otohama Kō
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); red flash every 3 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. Trabas has a photo, Lighthouse Visit's page for the harbor lights has a photo (third lighthouse on the page), FOAL has a page for the light, and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. Located at the end of a detached breakwater at the entrance to Otohama harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1335; JCG-1909.2; Admiralty M6457.4; NGA 4990.
**** Nojima (Nozima) Saki (Nojimazaki) (3)
1925 (station established 1866). Active; focal plane 38 m (125 ft); flash every 15 s, white or red depending on direction. 29 m (95 ft) octagonal cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. 3rd order clamshell Fresnel lens in use. 2-story Coast Guard station, communications buildings, and other structures. Kazuya Tomoda's 2022 photo is at right, Wikipedia has a page for the lighthouse, Kazuya Minami has a closeup photo, Lighthouse-Japan.com has good photos, the Coast Guard has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has a photo, FOAL's page has photos, and Google has a street view and a good satellite view. This is one of Japan's oldest and most famous light stations. The original lighthouse, built by the Shogun's government under pressure from the Western powers, was a small wood tower. It was replaced in 1869 by an octagonal brick tower built by Léonce Verny, a French engineer. That lighthouse was heavily damaged by the great Kantō earthquake of 1 September 1923. The present (1925) tower was heavily damaged by U.S. air raids in 1945 but was repaired within a year. The Japanese Lighthouse Association operates a museum in one of the station buildings, and a 1st order Fresnel lens formerly used in the lighthouse is on display. Huelse has historic postcard views of the 1869 lighthouse and the present lighthouse. Located at the southern tip of the Bōsō Peninsula, marking the entrance to Sagami and Tōkyō Bays. Site open, museum open daily, tower open for climbing (fee). . ARLHS JPN-437; JCG-1910; Admiralty M6456; NGA 4992.

Nojima Saki Light, Minamibōsō, January 2022
Google Maps photo by Kazuya Tomoda

Tateyama City Lighthouses
#Mera Hana
1955. Inactive since 2009 and demolished soon after. This was an 8.5 m (28 ft) round concrete tower, rising from a 1-story equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse was white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has photos and Misty's Tour also has a photo. The light is not seen in Google's satellite view so it has certainly been demolished. Formerly located on a west-pointing promontory about 7 km (4.5 mi) west of the Najima Saki lighthouse. ARLHS JPN-344; ex-JCG-2001; ex-Admiralty M6454; ex-NGA 4996.
* Tomisaki Kō
1966. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 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 shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. Trabas has a photo, Lighthouse Visit has a photo, FOAL has a photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of the south breakwater at Tomisaki, a small harbor in the lee of Mera Hana. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1341; JCG-2002; Admiralty M6455; NGA 5000.
* Suno Saki
1919. Active; focal plane 44 m (144 ft); flash every 15 s, alternately white and red. 15 m (49 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story equipment building. Entire lighthouse painted white. Kiguchi Yidian's 2021 photo is at right, Lighthouse-Japan.com has excellent photos, FOAL's page has excellent photos, Misty's Tour also has a photo, the Coast Guard has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has a photo of the lighthouse in action, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Kozakurai Maiu has a closeup street view, and Google has a good satellite view. Suno Saki is a sharp, west-pointing promontory that marks the southeastern entrance to Tōkyō Bay. The lighthouse commands a spectacular view of the bay, with Mount Fuji visible on the far side. Located at the tip of the promontory, about 10 km (6 mi) west of Tateyama. Accessible by road, but the entrance is inconspicuous and parking is limited; it's a 5 minute stairway climb to the lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS JPN-601; JCG-2003; Admiralty M6452; NGA 5004.
#Tateyama (Okino Shima)
1971. Inactive since 2009 and since demolished. This was a 9.5 m (31 ft) round hourglass-shaped concrete tower with gallery, painted white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has good photos but the light is no longer seen in Google's satellite view of its location. Okino Shima is a small island, now joined to the mainland by a causeway, marking the entrance to the harbor of Tateyama, the port sheltered by Suno Saki. Formerly located at the western tip of the island. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1334; ex-JCG-2004; ex-Admiralty M6449; ex-NGA 5008.
* Tateyama Kō
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); green light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Trabas has a closeup photo, a 2022 closeup photo is available, FOAL has a photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of the east breakwater of Tateyama. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-632; JCG-2006; Admiralty M6451; NGA 5012.
* Funagata (Hunagata) Kō East Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 8.5 m (28 ft) round hourglass-shaped concrete tower. Entire lighthouse is red. Trabas has a closeup photo, FOAL has photos, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of the east breakwater quay of Funagata. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1307; JCG-2007; Admiralty M6448.4; NGA 5024.

Suno Saki Light, Tateyama, July 2021
Google Maps photo by Kiguchi Yidian
Funagata West Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); twi green flashes every 6 s. 7 m (23 ft) round white concrete tower. Trabas has a closeup photo, Lighthouse Visit's page has a photo (second lighthouse on the page), FOAL has a photo (second row right), and Google has a satellite view. Located on a deatched section of the west breakwater of Funagata. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1306; JCG-2008; Admiralty M6448; NGA 5020.
Funagata (Hunagata) Hira Shima
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white flash every 4 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Trabas has a closeup photo, T. Otsubo has a 2018 closeup photo, Lighthouse Visit's page has a photo (last lighthouse on the page), and Google has a satellite view. Located on a rocky reef about 800 m (1/2 mi) northwest of the entrance to Funagata harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-1312; JCG-2009; Admiralty M6447; NGA 5028.

Kyonan Town Lighthouses
#Katuyama Uki Shima
Date unknown. Inactive since 2010 and probably demolished. 14 m (46 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. The light is not seen in Google's satellite view of the island, so it has probably been demolished. Uki Shima is an island in the mouth of Tōkyō Bay about 1.3 km (0.8 mi) off the harbor of Katuyama. Formerly located on the highest point of the island. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-247; ex-JCG-2011; ex-Admiralty M6446; ex-NGA 5032.
* Katuyama Kō North Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 9 m (30 ft) round hourglass-shaped concrete tower with gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Trabas has a closeup photo, FOAL's page has photos, Lighthouse Visit's page for the harbor lights has a photo (first lighthouse on the page), and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of the north breakwater of Katuyama. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-246; JCG-2012; Admiralty M6445.4.
* Hota Kō
1963. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); continuous green light with a more intense flash every 5 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) round hourglass-shaped white concrete tower. Trabas has a closeup photo, Lighthouse Visit's page for the lighthouse has a photo, FOAL has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a quay connected to the north breakwater of Hota harbor. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1311; JCG-2013; Admiralty M6445; NGA 5040.

Futtsu City Lighthouses
* Hamakanaya Kō
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); continuous red light with a more intense flash every 5 s. 8 m (26 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. A drone view is available, Trabas has a closeup photo, a 2021 view from the sea is available, FOAL has photos (at the bottom of the page), and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on the breakwater at Hamakanaya, a terminal for ferries crossing Sagami Bay to Yokosuka. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-082; JCG-2014; Admiralty M6444; NGA 5052.
Daini Kaiho
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); flash every 5 s, white or red depending on direction. 12 m (39 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Fog horn (two blasts every 25 s). Entire lighthouse is white. A 2018 photo is at right, a 2021 closeup street view is available, Masanori Seki has a view from the sea, FOAL has a page with good photos, Lighthouse Visit's page for the lighthouse has distant views, Trabas has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view. Daini Kaiho ("Second Fort") is one of three forts built in the early 1800s on artificial islands to bar the entrance to Tōkyō Bay. The fort is located near the main channel about 8 km (5 mi) northeast of Yokosuka and 4 km (2.5 mi) west of a promontory on the eastern (Chiba Prefecture) coast of the bay. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-052; JCG-2016; Admiralty M6368; NGA 5092.
* Futtsu Kō (East Breakwater)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); continuous green light with a more intense flash every 5 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) round hourglass-shaped white concrete tower. FOAL has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has a closeup photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on a quay on the east side of the entrance to Futtsu's small boats harbor. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1308; JCG-2341; Admiralty M6443; NGA 5104.

Kisarazu City Lighthouse
Kisarazu Kō (West Breakwater)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 3 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. A fisherman's blog has several photos, Trabas has a distant photo, FOAL has a very distant view, and Google has a satellite view. Kisarazu is a port on the east side of Tōkyō Bay directly opposite Yokohama. Located at the west end of a long detached breakwater protecting Kisarazu harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1322; JCG-2308; Admiralty M6440; NGA 5124.

Daini Kaiho Light, Tōkyō Bay, Futtsu, October 2018
Google Maps photo by 辛味大根moaizo

Chiba City Lighthouses
Keiyo Seaberth
Date unknown. Active (privately maintained); focal plane 35 m (115 ft); three white flashes (two short and one long) every 12 s. Approx. 30 m (98 ft) square cylindrical white skeletal tower. Trabas has a distant view and Google has a satellite view. Located on a seaberth about 5 km (3 mi) off the Chiba waterfront. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: unknown. JCG-2274; Admiralty M6435; NGA 5332.
Cosmo Sekiyu Seaberth
Date unknown. Active (privately maintained); focal plane 25 m (82 ft); three white flashes (two short and one long) every 12 s. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) square cylindrical white skeletal tower. Trabas has a distant view and Google has a satellite view and a very distant street view. Located on the wharf of the Cosmo oil refinery. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Cosmo Oil Company. JCG-2260; Admiralty M6434.5; NGA 5320.
Chiba
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 28 m (92 ft); two white flashes every 30 s. 18 m (59 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story crew quarters building and mounted on a square platform supported by four massive concrete piers. Entire lighthouse is white. A 2020 photo is at right, Trabas has a closeup photo, FOAL has photos (fourth row), and Google has a satellite view. Located in Tōkyō Bay about 4 km (2.5 mi) off the Chiba waterfront. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-827; JCG-2222; Admiralty M6433; NGA 5308.
Chiba Kō South Breakwater
Date unknown. 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. FOAL has photos (sixth row), Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the south breakwater of Chiba's principal harbor. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-1339; JCG-2256; Admiralty M6434.2; NGA 5316.

Chiba Light, Tōkyō Bay, Chiba, June 2020
Google Maps photo by masa

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Adjoining pages: North: Ibaraki | West: Tōkyō and Kanegawa

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Posted September 25, 2006. Checked and revised July 5, 2023. Lighthouses: 48. Site copyright 2023 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.