Lighthouses of Japan: Southern Aichi Prefecture

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 the southern part of the prefecture of Aichi including the cities bordering Mikawa Bay. The Western Aichi page includes lighthouses of Nagoya and the other cities bordering Ise Bay.

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 kō 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. Aichi Prefecture has a single office at Nagoya.

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
 
Lighthouse-Japan.com - Aichi
A comprehensive site with photos and notes from visits to many lighthouses.
Lighthouse Visits
This site has photos for many lighthouses in this area.
Misty's Japanese Lighthouse Tour - Aichi
Photos and a few notes for lighthouses in all parts of the country.
Online List of Lights - Japan - Honshu South Coast West Part
Photos posted by Alexander Trabas. The Aichi photos were taken by Trabas in November 2017.
Nagoya - Navigation Signs
Posted by the Nagoya Coast Guard Office, links to pages on six major lighthouses.
Lighthouses in Aichi Prefecture
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia.
World Lights - Japan: Modern Lighthouses
Historic postcard images posted by Michel Forand.
Google Maps
Satellite view of Mikawa Bay.


Irago Misaki Light, Tahara, September 2024
Instagram photo by K. Yoshida
Tahara City (Atsumi Peninsula) Lighthouses
The Atsumi Peninsula separates Mikawa Bay from the Pacific. The south coast of the peninsula is the only part of Aichi Prefecture that faces the open ocean. The city of Tahara occupies nearly all of the peninsula.

* Akabane Kō
1991. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) round concrete tower with a flared top, attached to a small 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse covered with red tiles. Trabas has a closeup 2017 photo, a 2020 closeup is available, Mike Romani has a 2006 photo, and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. Located at the end of the east breakwater at Akabane, an artificial small boat harbor on the south side of the Atsumi Peninsula. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. JCG-2503.3; Admiralty M6218.5; NGA 5810.
** Irago (Irako) Misaki
1929. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 15 m (49 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted white. K. Yoshida's 2024 photo is at the top of this page, a good 2019 photo is available, the Coast Guard has a page for the lighthouse, Wikimedia has several photos, Trabas has a closeup 2017 photo, Forand has a historic postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The tower is probably endangered: the base of the lighthouse is almost in the surf. A tall navigation control tower for Ise Bay was built in 2003 on the heights above the lighthouse. This lighthouse is a very popular attraction; parking is available and a broad walkway leads down to the lighthouse (the walk is about 1 km (0.6 mi) roundtrip). Located at the tip of the Atsumi peninsula near the town of Atsumi, marking the east side of the entrance to Ise and Mikawa Bays. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS JPN-174; JCG-2507; Admiralty M6052; NGA 5812.
* Atsumi (Irago Misaki, Irako Kō) Breakwater
1960. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 11 m (36 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse covered with small red tiles. Trabas has a closeup photo, a 2021 photo and a 2022 view from the sea are available, and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. Located at the end of the main breakwater at Atsumi, about 1.5 km (1 mi) northeast of Irago Misaki. Accessible by walking the breakwater; there's also a good view from the Ise-Wan Ferry crossing the mouth of Ise Bay to Toba in Mie Prefecture. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1691; JCG-2520; Admiralty M6053; NGA 5816.
* Tatsuma (Tatuma) Saki
1959. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white light occulting three times every 13 s. 11 m (36 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower. The lighthouse is covered with small white ceramic tiles. A 2022 photo is at right, the Coast Guard has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has a 2017 closeup, Misty's Tour has additional photos, and Google has a satellite view and a street view from the beach walkway. Located on a cape at the southern entrance to Mikawa Bay, an eastern branch of Ise Bay, about 9 km (5.5 mi) northeast of Irago Misaki. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS JPN-635; JCG-2533; Admiralty M6055.5; NGA 5836.

Tatsuma Saki Light, Tahara, April 2022
Google Maps photo by J D
Hime Shima
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); three red flashes every 12 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower. Entire lighthouse is red. Trabas has a photo and Google has a satellite view. Hime Shima is a small island off the eastern harbor of Tahara. Located at the end of a breakwater projecting from the east side of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-2540.5; Admiralty M6209.5; NGA 5873.

Toyohashi City Lighthouses
Toyohashi is an industrial city of about 375,000 residents at the head of Mikawa Bay and the base of the Atsumi Peninsula.

Toyohashi Kō (Detached Breakwater Southwest End)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); green flash every 5 s. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Kenichiro Asai's photo is at right, Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse marks the principal entrance to the city's several harbors. Located at the southwest end of the detached main breakwater of Toyohashi. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1718; JCG-2552.5; Admiralty M6208; NGA 5874.
* Maeshiba
1669. Inactive since 1908. Approx. 9 m (30 ft) square traditional-style wood tower. A 2025 photo is available, Midoka Imai has a 2016 closeup, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. This is one of the best-preserved traditional lighthouses in Japan. It was damaged by Typhoon Vera (known in Japan as the Ise Bay Typhoon) in September 1959 and it was restored in 1966. Located on the waterfront in Maeshiba (now a neighborhood in Toyahashi City), on the north side of the entrance to the Toyogawa River. Site open, tower status unknown.

Toyohashi Kō Light, Toyohashi, July 2021
Google Maps photo by Kenichiro Asai

Gamagōri City Lighthouses
Gamagōri is a light industrial city and fishing port of about 80,000 residents on the northeast side of Mikawa Bay.

Miya Kō South Breakwater West Head
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 8 m (26 ft) concrete post rising from a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. Trabas has a closeup photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the west end of a detached breakwater off the Miya harbor in Gamagōri, on the north side of Mikawa Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1701; JCG-2554; Admiralty M6204; NGA 5864.
Gamagōri Kō East Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); red light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 9 m (30 ft) concrete post attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. Trabas has a closeup photo and Google has a satellite view. Located at the west end of a detached breakwater off Gamagōri's main harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1685; JCG-2562; Admiralty M6202; NGA 5868.
Katahara (Katanohara) Kō
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); red flash every 3 s. 6.5 m (22 ft) round concrete tower with a flared top, attached to a small 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse covered with red tiles. Trabas has a closeup photo and Google has a distant street view and a satellite view. Katahara and Nishiura are adjoining districts of Gamagōri, and the two harbor basins have a common entrance. Located at the end of the east breakwater at Katahara/Nishiura. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-1695; JCG-2564; Admiralty M6200; NGA 5880.
* Nishiura Kō (Mikawa Nisiura)
1962. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green flash every 3 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post attached to a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Trabas has a closeup photo, Lighthouse Visits has a photo (second lighthouse on the page), and Google has a distant street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of the south breakwater in Katahara/Nishiura, about 4 km (2.5 mi) northeast of Hashida Hana. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. JCG-2565; Admiralty M6199; NGA 5884.
* Hashida (Hasida) Hana
1971. Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); flash every 10 s, alternately red and white. 14 m (46 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted white. Yukihiro Matsumura's 2024 photo is at right, the Coast Guard has a page for the lighthouse, a 2021 photo is available, Trabas has a closeup 2017 photo, Misty's Tour has photos, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse is adjacent to the Hotel Tatsuki. Located on a promontory extending into Mikawa Bay, about 7 km (4.5 mi) south of Gamagōri. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS JPN-087; JCG-2566; Admiralty M6198; NGA 5888.
Kuramai Kō
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green flash every 3 s. 9 m (30 ft) round hourglass-shaped concrete tower, attached to a small equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Saeki Hironobu has a 2021 photo, Trabas has a closeup photo, and Google has a distant street view and a satellite view. Located on a detached breakwater protecting the Kuramai harbor, in the lee of Hashida Hana. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-2567; Admiralty M6197.6; NGA 5896.

Hashida Hana Light, Gamagōri, May 2024
Instagram photo by Yukihiro Matsumura

Nishio City Lighthouses
Like its neighbor Gamagōri, Nishio is a light industrial city and fishing port on the north side of Mikawa Bay. Its population is about 170,000.

Kenashi (Kenasi) Shima
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red flash every 3 s. 10 m (33 ft) round hourglass-shaped concrete tower attached to a small equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. A 2022 photo is at right, Trabas has a photo, a 2020 photo and a 2022 drone view are available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a rock off the west end of the island of Okinoshima, about 3 km (1.8 mi) west of Hashida Hana. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-2576; Admiralty M6195.6; NGA 5920.
* Nakashiba (Higashi-Hazu Kō East Breakwater)
1965. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); continuous red light with two more intense flashes every 10 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post attached to a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is red. Trabas has a closeup photo, A. Kikuchi has a 2022 photo, Lighthouse Visits has a photo (second lighthouse on the page), and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. Located at the end of the east breakwater in Higashi-Hazu, about 4 km (2.5 mi) northwest of Hashida Hana. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. JCG-2573; Admiralty M6196.4; NGA 5916.
Higashi-Hazu Kō Detached Breakwater West End
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); three red flashes every 12 s. 9 m (30 ft) round concrete tower with a flared top, attached to a small equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. Trabas has a closeup photo, a 2023 photo is available, Lighthouse Visits has a photo (third lighthouse on the page), and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. Located at the west end of a detached breakwater protecting Higashi-Hazu harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-2574; Admiralty M6196.5; NGA 5924.

Kenashi Shima Light, Nishio, April 2022
Google Maps photo by yuki k
Nishi Hazu Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 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 Visits has a photo, and Google has a satellite view and a distant 2023 street view. Located on the south breakwater protecting Nishi-Hazu harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1708; JCG-2578; Admiralty M6195; NGA 5936.
Akunami
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery. Lighthouse painted black with one red horizontal band. A 2022 photo is available, Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view and a distant 2026 street view. Located on a rock off the Tobacho ward. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-2580; Admiralty M6194.5; NGA 5952.
Naka Shima (Nakajima)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); one long and two short red flashes every 8 s. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery. Entire lighthouse is red. Saeki Hironobu has a 2021 photo, Trabas has a closeup photo, Lighthouse Visits has photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a rock off Kiracho Miyazaki. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-2582; Admiralty M6194.4; NGA 5948.
Sakushima Kō East
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); six quick white flashes followed by one long white flash every 15 s. 8 m (26 ft) cocrete post attached to a square 1-story equipment shelter and mounted on a round concrete pier. Upper half of post painted yellow, lower half black. Trabas has a very distant view and Google has a satellite view. Sakushima is an island in Mikawa Bay about 4 km (2.5 mi) east of Minamichita at the tip of the Chita Peninsula and a simlar distance south of Isshiki on the mainland. Located on a reef off the southeastern tip of Sakushima. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-2605; Admiralty M6161.8; NGA 6040.
Sakushima Kō West Breakwater
1965. Active; focal plane 9.5 m (31 ft); green light, 6 s on, 2 s off. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post centered on a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse Visits has a photo (second lighthouse on ythe page), K. Shimizu has a photo, Shigeo Sawada has a closeup street view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on the west breakwater of Sakushima harbor. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. JCG-2606; Admiralty M6161.7; NGA 6048.
* Namiga Saki (Nangasaki, Sakushima)
1947. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post rising from a 2-story square concrete base. Entire lighthouse is white. A 2023 photo is at right, the Coast Guard has a page for the lighthouse, Google Maps has a 2015 street view, Trabas has a very distant view, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the western tip of Sakushima. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS JPN-1707; JCG-2608; Admiralty M6161.5; NGA 6008.

Namiga Saki Light, Sakushima, March 2023
Instagram photo by Yukihiro Matsumura
* Eisei (Sako, Isshiki)
1951. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 13 m (43 ft) concrete post rising from a 1-story equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is red. Trabas has a photo, Lighthouse Visits has a photo, a 2013 photo is available, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on a dike beside a channel used by fishermen on the northwest side of Nishio. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1709; JCG-2592; Admiralty M6178; NGA 5968.

Hekinan City Lighthouse
Hekinan is a city of about 75,000 residents, known for a large Toyota plant and for the manufacture of ceramic roofing tiles. It faces the east side of Chita Bay, a northwest extension of Mikawa Bay.

Kinuura Kō East Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 20 m (66 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted red. A 2020 photo is at right, Trabas has a distant photo, Ryohsuke Torii has a drone view, and Google has a satellite view. The light was moved back (northeast) 110 m (360 ft) in 2021 to allow for shortening of the breakwater sometime in 2022-23. The upper end of Chita Bay ends in an estuary that has been developed intensively as the port of Kinuura. This lighthouse and the one listed below under Taketoyo Town (see the Western Aichi page) mark the ends of the two breakwaters at the lower end of the estuary. Located at the end of the east breakwater of Kinuura Kō. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-1697; JCG-2594; Admiralty M6163.4; NGA 5972.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Kinuura East Breakwater Light, Hekinan, February 2020
Google Maps photo by Kazu Sun

Adjoining pages: East: Western Shizuoka | West: Northern Mie | Northwest: Western Aichi

Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key

Posted November 5, 2006. Checked and revised July 14, 2026. Lighthouses: 24. Site copyright 2026 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.