🗺️ Cape Shionomisaki Lighthouse

The Cape Shionomisaki Lighthouse is a white lighthouse standing on the cliffs at the southernmost tip of Honshu, Japan. It stands 22.51 meters tall and is a landmark of the Shionomisaki area. Since it was first lit in the 6th year of the Meiji era (1873), it has been providing illumination and guidance for ships at sea. The Cape Shionomisaki Lighthouse holds significant historical value. At that time, the Tokugawa shogunate signed the Treaty of Kanagawa with four foreign nations, including the United States and the United Kingdom. Due to the treaty's stipulation to establish maritime markers to ensure the safety of foreign vessels, the Japanese government began constructing Western-style lighthouses along major coastlines. The Cape Shionomisaki Lighthouse is one of the first eight lighthouses built, and it is the only one that has retained its original appearance to this day. The lighthouse was designed by British engineer Richard Henry Brunton, who transformed a wooden octagonal lighthouse into the current chalk rock lighthouse, which was electrified and lit in 1928. Inside the lighthouse, there is a museum displaying valuable materials that provide insights into the history of the lighthouse and related topics. The lighthouse has a luminous intensity of 970,000 candelas, with a light range of 19 nautical miles, and it remains an important navigational landmark for vessels in the surrounding waters. The interior of the tower is open to the general public, and by climbing 68 spiral staircase steps to the top of the tower, visitors can enjoy a breathtaking view of the vast Pacific Ocean and witness the spectacular sight of waves crashing against the cliffs, creating towering surges.

The white lighthouse standing on the cliffs at the southernmost tip of Honshu is a symbol of the Cape Shionomisaki area. From the top of the tower, you can enjoy a view of the Pacific Ocean. The interior of the tower features a spiral staircase with 68 steps, which is open to the general public.