Lighthouses of Japan: Kagoshima Area

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), 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.

Located at the southwestern end of the Japanese archipelago, the island of Kyūshū is divided into seven prefectures. This page includes lighthouses of the Ōsumi Peninsula and Kagoshima Bay, part of Kagoshima Prefecture, the southernmost prefecture of Kyūshū and of the main islands of Japan. Kagoshima Prefecture also includes the Kushikino Area, the Ōsumi Islands, and the Amami Islands; the two latter groups form the northern half of the Nansei Shotō (Ryukyu Islands).

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. There is at least one Coast Guard Section Office in each prefecture, often two or more. Lighthouses on this page are maintained by the Coast Guard office at Kagoshima City.

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 by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas.
Lighthouses in Japan - Kagoshima
This site has photos and data for the major lighthouses.
Our Lighthouses of Kagoshima Prefecture
A comprehensive collection of photos of Kagoshima lighthouses.
Lighthouse-Japan.com - Kagoshima
This comprehensive site covers most Japanese lighthouses.
Form of a Lighthouse - Kagoshima
Another site with many photos of Japanese lighthouses, cited below as FOAL.
Lighthouse Visits
This site also has photos for most lighthouses in this area.
Lighthouses in Kagoshima Prefecture
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia.
Region Ten Lighthouses
Information and photos posted by the Tenth Coast Guard Region office, which is responsible for Kagoshima Prefecture.
Navionics Charts
Navigational chart information for southern Kyūshū.


Satsuma Nagasaki Hana Light, Ibusuki, January 2020
Google Maps photo by I A

Ōsumi Peninsula Lighthouses

The Ōsumi Peninsula, the southernmost extension of the island of Kyūshū, separates the Pacific Ocean on the east from Kagoshima Bay on the west.

Shibushi City Lighthouses
* Shibushi Kō
1930. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); continuous green light with a more intense flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post centered on a 1-story concrete equipment room and mounted on a hexagonal concrete base. Entire lighthouse is white. Trabas has a photo, FOAL's page for the Shibushi lighthouses has photos, and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. Located at the end of the west breakwater of the traditional small boat harbor of Shibushi, at the northern end of Shibushi Bay. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2074; JCG-6705; Admiralty M4842; NGA 10896.
Shibushi South Breakwater
Date unknown (recent). Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); green flash every 3 s. 10 m (33 ft) round concrete tower, flared at the top, attached to a small equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Trabas has a closeup photo, FOAL's page for the Shibushi lighthouses has photos, and Google has a satellite view. This is the "Shibushi Beacon" of the NGA List. Located at the end of the south breakwater of the modern industrial port of Shibushi. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2073; JCG-6704.8; Admiralty M4842.6; NGA 10898.
Sekiyu Bichiku Kichi (Oil Storage Base) Seaberth
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); two white flashes followed by one long white flash every 10 s. 35 m (115 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower. Trabas has a photo, FOAL has a distant view (bottom of the page, right), and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. NGA lists the light as Kimotuki Ko. Located on a seaberth off a large petroleum storage tank farm in the southern portion of Shibushi Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. JCG-6704.5; Admiralty M4841.5; NGA 10899.1.

Kimotsuki Town Lighthouses
Uchinoura Kō
1935. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); green light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post attached to a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Our Lighthouses has additional photos, FOAL's page also has photos, Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. It appears that this light has been relocated recently from the east breakwater to the detached breakwater. Located at the end of the detached breakwater of Uchinoura. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2082; JCG-6704; Admiralty M4840; NGA 10900.
* Hi Saki ("Fire Point")
1970. Active; focal plane 63 m (207 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post attached to a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo is at right, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with photos, FOAL's page for the lighthouse has good photos, Our Lighthouses has additional photos, a 2017 closeup is available, Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse marks the northern entrance to the Ōsumi Strait, which separates Kyūshū from Tanega Shima and is an important connection between the Pacific and the East China Sea. Located on a prominent cape at the southern entrance to Shibushi Bay. Not easy to find, but accessible by walking a winding paved trail that leads to the light. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS JPN-107; JCG-6703; Admiralty M4839; NGA 10904.

Hi Saki Light, Kimotsuki, March 2020
Google Maps photo by ROUTR

Minamiōsumi Town Lighthouses
As its name implies, Minamiōsumi (South Ōsumi) occupies the tip of the Ōsumi Peninsula.
* Ōdomari (Ōtomari) Kō
1963. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); continuous red light with a more intense flash every 5 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post centered on a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is red. Trabas has a closeup photo, FOAL's page for the lighthouse has photos, a 2017 closeup is available, and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. Located at the end of the breakwater of Ōdomari, a small port on a bay about 5 km (3 mi) northeast of Cape Sata. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. JCG-6702; Admiralty M4837; NGA 10908.
Sata Misaki (Cape Sata) (2)
1950 replica of the original 1871 lighthouse. Active; focal plane 68 m (223 ft); two white flashes every 16 s. 13 m (43 ft) octagonal pyramidal concrete tower with lantern and gallery formerly attached to a 1-story concrete service building. Entire lighthouse painted white. Shōichi Torigoe's closeup photo is at right, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with photos, Our Lighthouses has photos, FOAL's page has photos, another good view is available, Trabas has a photo, Wikimedia has a 2007 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Sata Misaki (Cape Sata) is the southernmost point of Kyūshū and of the main Japanese islands. Guiding vessels through the Ōsumi Strait, the light station is perched atop a monolith just off the tip of the cape. There was previously an excellent view from an observation tower on the heights above the cape; but in recent years the observation tower has been removed. The present lighthouse is a replica of the original lighthouse designed by the British engineer Richard Henry Brunton. The historic light station was destroyed by a U.S. air raid on 18 March 1945. The cape is accessible by road; parking and visitor facilities are provided and the lighthouse is visible distantly from various locations along several trails. Site and tower closed. . ARLHS JPN-539; JCG-6701; Admiralty M4836; NGA 10912.
Tatsume Saki
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 85 m (279 ft); 8 m (26 ft) round concrete tower. Entire lighthouse is white. No closeup photo is available. FOAL's page for the lighthouse has good views, Trabas has a drone view, Kenichiro Asai has a very distant 2023 view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. NGA lists this light as Tachime Saki. Located on a sharp promontory on the east side of the entrance to Kagoshima Bay about 5 km (3 mi) southwest of Izashiki. The FOAL webmaster was not able to find any land access to the lighthouse. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-2075; JCG-6648; Admiralty M4835; NGA 10916.

Sata Misaki Light, Minamiōsumi, April 2019
Google Maps photo by Shōichi Torigoe
* Izashiki Kō
1970. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); continuous red light with a more intense flash every 3 s. 9 m (30 ft) concrete post attached to a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is red. Trabas has a photo, FOAL's page for the light has good photos, S. Katsuragi has a 2024 photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater of Izashiki, a small port on the entrance to Kagoshima Bay about 16 km (10 mi) north of Cape Sata. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. JCG-6647; Admiralty M4834; NGA 10920.
* Nejime (Nezime) Kō
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post attached to a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with a good photo, Our Lighthouses has photos, FOAL's page has photos, Trabas has a photo, Wanz Kogata has a 2023 photo, and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. Nezime is a small port at Minamiōsumi, on the east side of Kagoshima Bay just inside the entrance. Located at the end of the north breakwater of Nezime. Apparently accessible by walking the breakwater, and there's a good view from ferries arriving from Kagoshima City. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-407; JCG-6646; Admiralty M4820.6; NGA 11040.

Kinkō Town Lighthouse
Ōnejime (O-Nezime, O-Nezima) Kō (Kinkō)
1962. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); continuous green light with a more intense flash every 3 s. 7.5 m (25 ft) concrete post centered on a square concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. S. Katsuragi has the 2023 closeup seen at right, Trabas has a closeup photo, Our Lighthouses has photos, FOAL has additional photos, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of the west breakwater at Kinkō, about 3.5 km (2.25 mi) north of the Nezime Kō light. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-460; JCG-6645; Admiralty M4821.2; NGA 11036.

Ōnejime Kō Light, Kinkō, October 2023
Google Maps photo by S. Katsuragi

Kagoshima Bay Lighthouses

Kagoshima Bay (Kagoshima-wan) is about 60 km (37.5 mi) long and 20 km (12.5 mi) wide, extending from south to north into the center of Kyūshū. Near its northern end the highly active volcano Mount Sakurajima rises in the middle of the bay, nearly closing it off. The cities of Kanoya and Tarumizu are on the east side of Kagoshima Bay, opposite Kagoshima City and in the shadow of the volcano.

Kanoya City Lighthouses
#Kanoya South Breakwater
Date unknown. Inactive since 2011; since demolished. This was an 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post attached to a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse was red. A photo is at right but Google's satellite view confirms the removal of the lights. Located on the south breakwater of the traditional harbor of Kanoya. Site open. ARLHS JPN-2048; ex-JCG-6643; ex-Admiralty M4822.4; ex-NGA 10928.
#Kanoya North Breakwater (1)
Date unknown. Inactive since 2011; since replaced. This was an 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post attached to a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse was white. A photo is at right but Google's satellite view confirms the removal of the lights. Trabas has a photo of the replacement, a simple post light (focal plane 7 m (23 ft); green flash every 5 s); FOAL also has a photo. Located on the north breakwater of the traditional harbor of Kanoya. Site open. ARLHS JPN-2047. Active light: JCG-6642; Admiralty M4822; NGA 10932.

Tarumizu City Lighthouses
* Tarumizu (Tarumisu) Kō
1964. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); continuous red light with a more intense flash every 6 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post attached to a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is red. FOAL's page for the light has photos, Lighthouse Visit has small photos, Trabas has a good photo, S. Katsuragi has a 2024 photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of the south breakwater of the traditional small boat harbor of Taramizu, north of the ferry terminal. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2079; JCG-6641; Admiralty M4824; NGA 10936.
Kanoya Breakwater Lights
Kanoya Breakwater Lights (now lost), Kanoya, March 2010
ex-Panoramio Creative Commons photo by dttx

Kagoshima City Lighthouses
Kagoshima city, the capital of the prefecture, is on the west side of the bay, facing the volcano across a narrow strait. It is a major port and is the terminal for ferries connecting Kyūshū to many islands to the south and southwest. The city's numerous lighthouses do not seem to be very well known.

Kan Se
1912. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); white flash every 3 s. 17 m (56 ft) round, strongly tapered white concrete tower. A photo is at right, Trabas has a closeup photo, FOAL's page for the light has good views, and Bing has a satellite view. Located on a reef in the southeastern entrance to the strait separating Kagoshima from Sakurajima. Accessible only by boat, but there's probably a good view from ferries arriving in Kagoshima from the islands south of Kyūshū. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-2046; JCG-6633; Admiralty M4825; NGA 10960.
Kagoshima North Breakwater (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); red flash every 3 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post rising from a square 1-story equipment room. Entire lighthouse is red. Trabas has a photo, FOAL has a photo (third row from the bottom), Kenichiro Asai has a view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view and a street view across the harbor. Located at the end of the north breakwater of Kagoshima's traditional harbor. Site status unknown. ARLHS JPN-2041; JCG-6640; Admiralty M4831; NGA 10980.
* Kagoshima South Breakwater
1969. Inactive since 1987. 11.5 m (38 ft) concrete post rising from a square 1-story equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Located on a quay near the aquarium and ferry terminal; the light may have been relocated but is near its original location. FOAL has several closeup photos (last two rows on the page), Sanraku Adachi has a 2019 photo, a 2023 photo is available, and Google has a closeup street view and a satellite view. Tomoya Kimura has a great view of the wharf, aquarium, and volcano; this light is at the far left. Site open, tower closed. ex-Admiralty F4832.
Kagoshima Honko Kō North Outer Breakwater
1987. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post attached to a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is red. Trabas has a photo, FOAL has a closeup photo (3/4 the way down the page, on the left), and Google has a satellite view. This light and the next one frame the north (Honko) entrance to the harbor. Located at the south end of the detached section of the outer breakwater of Kagoshima. Site and tower closed. JCG-6635.37; Admiralty M4828.8; NGA 10973.

Kan Se Light and Mount Sakurajima, Kagoshima Bay, January 2021
Google Maps photo by Ko Morizono Gō
Kagoshima Honko Kō Middle Breakwater North Head
1987. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post attached to a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Trabas has a photo, FOAL has a closeup photo (3/4 the way down the page, on the right), and Google has a satellite view. Located at the north end of the detached middle section of the outer breakwater of Kagoshima. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. JCG-6635.35; Admiralty M4828.7; NGA 10972.
* Kagoshima North Breakwater (1) (relocated)
1934. Inactive since 1987. 11.5 m (38 ft) square skeletal tower centered on a square 1-story equipment room. Entire lighthouse painted red. Since 1994 this light has been displayed in a plaza on the broad south wharf of Kagoshima. Jitsuo Tahara has a 2019 photo, Shinichi Ueyama has a 2022 photo, Google has a street view and a satellite view. Site open, tower closed. ex-Admiralty F4830.
Kagoshima Honko Kō Middle Breakwater South Head
1987. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post attached to a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is red. Trabas has a photo, FOAL has a closeup photo (halfway down the page, on the left), and Google has a satellite view. This light and the next one frame the south (Ferry) entrance to the harbor; a distant view shows them both. Located at the south end of the detached middle section of the outer breakwater of Kagoshima. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. JCG-6635.28; Admiralty M4828.6; NGA 10971.
Kagoshima Honko Kō South Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 11 m (36 ft) round concrete tower, flared at the top, attached to a 1-story equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Glenn Stewart's photo is at right, Trabas has a photo, FOAL has a closeup photo (halfway down the page, on the right), Kenichiro Asai has a view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the south section of the outer breakwater of Kagoshima. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. JCG-6635.2; Admiralty M4828.5.

Honko Kō South Breakwater Light, Kagoshima, April 2018
ex-Google Plus photo
by Glenn Stewart
* Kagoshima New Harbor (Shinko Kō) North Breakwater
1973. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); red flash every 4 s. 13 m (43 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted red. FOAL has a closeup photo (1/3 the way down the page, on the left), Trabas has a good photo, another photo is available, Yoichiro Takahashi has a photo of this light and the next one, Takahisa Nakano has a street view at the base of the tower, and Google has a satellite view. The new harbor is immediately to the south of the main harbor. Located at the end of the short north breakwater. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2039; JCG-6635; Admiralty M4828.2; NGA 10968.
* Kagoshima New Harbor (Shinko Kō) South Breakwater
1973. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 13 m (43 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A 2021 photo is at right, Trabas has an excellent photo, FOAL has a closeup photo (1/3 the way down the page, on the right), Haruo Shimamoto has a closeup street view, and Google has a satellite view and a street view from shore. Located at the end of the south breakwater. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2040; JCG-6634; Admiralty M4828; NGA 10964.
* Kamoike Breakwater
1976. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash every 3 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post attached to a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. Trabas has a closeup photo, FOAL's page for the light has photos, S .Katsuragi has a photo, Norio Ikeyoshi has a panoramic photo including a ferry and a view of the volcano, and Google has a satellite view. This light guides ferries sailing to and from Tarumizu on the other side of Kagoshima Bay. Located at the end of the breakwater sheltering the ferry terminal about 6.5 km (4 mi) south of the downtown Kagoshima waterfront. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2045; JCG-6632; Admiralty M4827.4; NGA 10956.
#Minami Kō (South Harbor) South Breakwater
1965. Removed in 2014. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post attached to a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. FOAL has a 2012 photo (bottom of the page) but Google's satellite view confirms that the light has been removed. Formerly located on the breakwater of Kagoshima's south harbor. This lighthouse was deactivated in February 2014. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open. ARLHS JPN-2063; ex-JCG-6631; ex-Admiralty M4827; ex-NGA 10952.
#Mokuzai South Breakwater
1972. Removed in 2014. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post attached to a 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. FOAL has a 2012 photo (top of the page) but Google's satellite view confirms that the light has been removed. The light was moved to the detached outer breakwater in 2014. Located on the south breakwater of Kagoshima's Mokuzai harbor. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open. ARLHS JPN-2062; ex-JCG-6630; ex-NGA 10946.

New Harbor South Breakwater Light, Kagoshima, August 2021
Google Maps photo by Minoru
Taniyama North Breakwater
1980. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); red light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 17 m (56 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted red. Noland Webb has a photo, Trabas has a photo, FOAL has a photo (bottom of the page), a closeup is available, and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view from shore. Taniyama is a relatively new harbor on the south side of Kagoshima city, about 9 km (5.5 mi) south of the original harbor. Located at the end of the north breakwater of Taniyama. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2077; JCG-6629; Admiralty M4826; NGA 10940.
Taniyama Outer Breakwater South End
1975. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); red flash every 3 s. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted red. Trabas has a photo, FOAL has a photo (third row, on the left), Kenichiro Asai has 2023 view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view and a very distant street view. The detached outer breakwater is about 2 km (1.25 mi) long and runs parallel to the waterfront. Located at the south end of the breakwater. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2076; JCG-6626; Admiralty M4825.5; NGA 10944.
Taniyama South Breakwater
1987. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); green flash every 3 s. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. S. Katsuragi's photo is at right, Trabas has a photo, FOAL has a photo (third row, on the right), Kenichiro Asai has 2023 view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. About 1.5 km (1 mi) long, the south breakwater projects diagonally into Kagoshima Bay. Located at the end of the breakwater. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2078; JCG-6625.3; Admiralty M4825.4; ex-NGA 10946.

Taniyama South Breakwater Light, Kagoshima, July 2020
Google Maps photo copyright by S. Katsuragi

Southern Satsuma Peninsula Lighthouses

The Satsuma Peninsula (Satsuma-hantō) is shaped like an inverted hammerhead, with a broad, south-facing coast. It separates Kagoshima Bay on the east from the East China Sea on the west.

Ibusuki City Lighthouses
Chiringa Shima (Chirin Jima)
1957. Active; focal plane 101 m (331 ft); white flash every 4 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post with gallery, rising from a semicircular 1-story concrete equipment building. Entire lighthouse is white concrete. Our Lighthouses has good photos, Isamu Murota has a lovely drone view, Trabas has a distant view, Y. Hirose has a 2022 closeup, and Google has a satellite view. Chiringa Shima is a round island, about 1 km (0.6 mi) in diameter, in Kagoshima Bay. In fine summer weather one can cross to the island on an 800 m (1/2 mi) long sandbar; the lighthouse is then accessible by a hiking trail. Located on the northeastern side of the island. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2035; JCG-6616; Admiralty M4821; NGA 11032.
Uno Se (Yamagawa Kō)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11.5 m (38 ft); red flash every 3 s. 11 m (36 ft) round concrete tower, painted red; in addition to the light the tower carries a red triangular topmark on a short post. Trabas has a photo, Our Lighthouses has good photos, FOAL's page for the Yamagawa lighthouses has photos (top of the page), Wanz Kogata has a 2023 closeup, and Google has a satellite view. Yamagawa is a port on the west side of the entrance to Kagoshima Bay, at the tip of the hammerhead of the Satsuma Peninsula. Located on a shoal in the entrance to Yamagawa's traditional harbor. Accessible only by boat, but there should be views from ferries crossing the bay between Yamagawa and Nejime. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-751; JCG-6613; Admiralty M4820; NGA 11024.
Bandokoro Hana
1963. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green flash every 3 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post centered on a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Wanz Kogata's 2023 photo is at right, Our Lighthouses has photos, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with a good photo, FOAL's page for the Yamagawa lighthouses has photos (bottom of the page), Trabas has a closeup photo, a 2020 photo is available, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Bandokoro Hana is a promontory sheltering Yamagawa's traditional harbor. A new harbor has been constructed on the tip of the promontory, sheltered by a breakwater with a right-angle bend. Located at the north end of the breakwater. Site status uncertain, but in any case the light can be seen easily from the base of the breakwater. ARLHS JPN-2034; JCG-6614; Admiralty M4820.2; NGA 11028.
* Satsuma (Satuma) Nagasaki Hana (Nagasakibana)
1957. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 11 m (36 ft) round concrete tower attached to a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Entire lighthouse is white. The base of the lighthouse has been developed as a public observation deck, with a circular roof to provide shelter and a broad stairway leading down to the beach. A 2020 photo is at the top of this page, Sergio Mazzarelli has a photo, Trabas has a closeup photo, Our Lighthouses has photos, Lighthouse-Japan.com has a page with photos, FOAL has another page for the lighthouse, Hideki Seto has a fine closeup, Yuichi Yamamoto has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. Note that there is another Nagasaki Hana lighthouse in Kagoshima prefecture (see the Kushikino Area page). Located on a very sharp promontory at the southeastern tip of the Satsuma Peninsula, marking the west side of the entrance to Kagoshima Bay. Site open, parking provided; tower closed. . ARLHS JPN-544; JCG-6610; Admiralty M4819.5; NGA 11044.

Bandokoro Hana Light, Ibusuki, November 2023
Google Maps photo by Wanz Kogata

Makurazaki City Lighthouses
* Maese Hana
1957. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white flash every 4 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post rising from a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse is white. Our Lighthouses has photos, FOAL's page for the lighthouse has photos, Trabas has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a promontory near Eiokawa. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2059; JCG-6609; Admiralty M4819; NGA 11048.
Makurazaki (Makurasaki) South Breakwater
1996. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 10 m (33 ft) round concrete tower with a flared top, attached to a small equipment shelter. Entire lighthouse painted red. FOAL's page has photos, Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the main (south) breakwater of Makurazaki, a port near the southwestern end of the Satsuma Peninsula. Site and tower closed. ARLHS JPN-2060; JCG-6606.5; Admiralty M4815.3; NGA 11056.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Northeast: Miyazaki | South: Ōsumi Islands | West: Kushikino Area

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Posted July 23, 2007. Checked and revised April 3, 2024. Lighthouses: 36. Site copyright 2024 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.