Kyogamisaki Lighthouse

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About Kyogamisaki Lighthouse

Cape Kyogamisaki is the northern tip of the Tango Peninsula, in the city of Kyotango, about 15 km from the village of Ine by the coastal road. It is the northernmost point of the Kinki region, and the cliffs fall straight into the Sea of Japan. At the cape’s base, volcanic rock has split into columns that, seen from the sea, look like stacked rolls of documents, which is the origin of the name, the cape of documents.

Kyogamisaki Lighthouse, first lit in 1898, stands about 140 meters above the sea on a platform partway up the slope. It is a white stone tower that still houses a large first-order Fresnel lens, rare in the country. It is among Japan’s protected historic lighthouses.

From the parking area to the lighthouse, the trail takes 15 to 20 minutes through a forest path with steps and climbs. At the end, the view opens to the sea, the cliffs and, on clear days, the distant coastline. The lighthouse itself is not open inside, but the surrounding courtyard is accessible.

On the road between Ine and the cape, the coastal road passes fishing villages, small beaches and viewpoints over the sea. The west-coast sunset and snowy winter scenery draw photographers, but the road can have snow and ice in that season.