Shiriyazaki Lighthouse: A Brick Sentinel at the Northeastern Tip of Honshu
Standing on a windswept cape where the Pacific Ocean meets the Tsugaru Strait, Shiriyazaki Lighthouse is a graceful white tower of red brick that has guided ships through one of Japan's most treacherous seas for nearly 150 years. Designated a National Important Cultural Property in 2022, this Meiji-era beacon is the tallest active brick lighthouse in Japan and a rare survivor of the country's earliest era of Western-style maritime engineering. Surrounded by a windswept moorland where wild Kandachime horses graze freely, the lighthouse offers a journey to the very edge of mainland Japan—and to a chapter of history when steam, light, and stone first opened the country to the world.
A Lighthouse Born of Shipwrecks and a New Era
The seas off Cape Shiriya have long been feared by sailors. Where the warm Tsushima Current meets the cold Oyashio, fog rolls in suddenly, hidden reefs lie just beneath the surface, and the violent "yamase" winds of late spring can blind a ship within minutes. For centuries the cape was known by a darker name—"Nanba-misaki," the Cape of Shipwrecks—and the bones of countless vessels lie scattered along its rocky shore.
When Japan emerged from isolation in the late 19th century and began trading with the world, securing safe passage along the Tsugaru Strait became a national priority. The Meiji government invited the British engineer Richard Henry Brunton, later remembered as "the father of Japanese lighthouses," to design a network of modern beacons around the archipelago. Construction at Shiriyazaki began in June 1873, and on October 20, 1876, the lighthouse was lit for the first time—the first Western-style lighthouse in the entire Tōhoku region.
The bricks that make up its walls were fired locally at Shiriya itself, a remarkable feat for such a remote outpost. Standing 32.8 meters tall, the tower remains the highest brick lighthouse still in operation in Japan today.
Why It Was Designated a National Important Cultural Property
On December 12, 2022, the Agency for Cultural Affairs designated Shiriyazaki Lighthouse a National Important Cultural Property—a recognition reserved for buildings of the highest historical and architectural value. The reasons are both technical and historical.
A Masterpiece of Early Meiji Engineering
The tower is built on a remarkable double-cylinder design: an inner brick wall and an outer brick wall stand independently, separated by a hollow cavity. This rare structure protects the interior from the punishing winds and temperature swings of the cape and represents the culmination of Brunton's lighthouse work in Japan. Among the surviving early brick lighthouses on the Pacific coast, Shiriyazaki is one of the most technically ambitious.
The Birthplace of Japanese Fog Signals
In November 1877, just one year after lighting, a fog bell was installed here—the first fog signal in Japanese history. Two years later, in December 1879, Japan's first steam fog horn followed. December 20 is still observed in Japan as "Foghorn Day" in commemoration of that event.
The First Electric Lighthouse in Japan
In December 1901, Shiriyazaki became the first lighthouse in Japan to be electrified, illuminated by an arc lamp modeled after France's Phare d'Eckmühl. Sailors of the era nicknamed its dazzling beam "the sun of the sea." Together with the Brunton-designed structure, these layered firsts make Shiriyazaki a living museum of Meiji-era technology.
Highlights and Things to See
Climbing One of Only 16 "Visitable" Lighthouses in Japan
Shiriyazaki is one of just sixteen lighthouses in all of Japan that visitors are permitted to climb. A spiral staircase of 128 steps leads to a circular gallery where, on a clear day, the panorama stretches from the volcanic peak of Mount Esan in Hokkaido to the dark ridges of the Osorezan range. Far below, the line where the Tsugaru Strait collides with the Pacific is sometimes visible as a long, foaming seam.
The Wild Kandachime Horses
The grasslands around the lighthouse are home to roughly twenty to forty Kandachime, a sturdy native breed designated a Natural Monument of Aomori Prefecture. Bred from the local Tanabe horse and later crossed with French Breton stock, these horses are short-legged, broad-chested, and famously gentle. They roam freely between April and November and are at their most charming in spring, when the foals trail close to their mothers across the cape.
The Geological Story Beneath Your Feet
Cape Shiriya sits within the Shimokita Geopark. The cliffs at its base hold some of the oldest rock in the Shimokita Peninsula—an "accretionary complex" of ancient sea-floor sediment, including coral-derived limestone twisted into dramatic folds. Strange, wave-carved sea stacks dot the coast.
Stories of the Mysterious Light
In July 1945, American carrier-based aircraft strafed the lighthouse, killing the keeper and reducing much of the structure to ruins. Yet in the months that followed, sailors and villagers reported seeing the lighthouse glowing in the darkness—even though it was supposed to be dead. Some local fishermen credited the mysterious light with saving them from running aground. The phenomenon ceased in August 1946 when a temporary lamp was lit on the fog-signal house roof. Bullet marks from the attack are still visible on the tower today.
Around the Lighthouse
Cape Shiriya rewards a slow visit. Within a short drive or walk you can explore:
- Shiriyazaki Visitor House — exhibits on the local environment, the Kandachime horses, and the lighthouse keepers
- Cape Shiriya Coastline — strange rock formations, seabirds, and rare wildflowers in summer
- Shimokita Geopark sites — including the Sarugamori Buried Forest, an unusual landscape of ancient trees swallowed by sand dunes
- Mount Osore (Osorezan) — one of Japan's three sacred mountains, around 90 minutes' drive away, famous for its volcanic landscape and itako shamans
- Mutsu City — the gateway to the Shimokita Peninsula, with hot springs and seafood restaurants serving the region's prized scallops and squid
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Aomori
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Shiriyasaki Lighthouse
- [ Discover Hirosaki Castle & Oirase Gorge Tours ]
Q&A
- When can I visit Shiriyazaki Lighthouse?
- The lighthouse is open for interior tours from mid-April through early November. In 2026, the planned dates are April 18 to November 8, with hours of 9:00–12:00 and 13:00–16:00 (last entry 15 minutes before closing). The cape itself is closed to vehicles in winter.
- Is there an admission fee?
- Yes. A donation of 300 yen is requested from visitors of junior high school age and above. The fee supports the preservation and operation of the lighthouse by the Tokokai (Lighthouse Foundation).
- How do I get there?
- The most convenient way is by rental car from Mutsu City, about one hour by Aomori Prefectural Route 6. From May 1 to October 31, a Shimokita Kotsu bus runs from Mutsu Bus Terminal to the Shiriyazaki stop (about 1 hour). The cape gate is closed during winter.
- Will I really see the wild horses?
- Sightings are common between April and November but never guaranteed—the horses move with weather and grazing conditions. You can ask staff at the Visitor House for the day's likely location. From January to March they are kept in a separate winter pasture called "Ataka."
- Is the climb to the top difficult?
- It is a narrow spiral of 128 steps with limited space at the top. Visitors with claustrophobia, vertigo, or limited mobility may prefer to enjoy the lighthouse from the outside. The view itself is spectacular even from the grounds.
Basic Information
| Name | Shiriyazaki Lighthouse (尻屋埼灯台) |
|---|---|
| Designation | National Important Cultural Property (designated December 12, 2022) |
| Location | 1-1 Shiriyazaki, Shiriya, Higashidoori-mura, Shimokita-gun, Aomori Prefecture |
| Owner | Government of Japan (Japan Coast Guard) |
| Designer | Richard Henry Brunton (British engineer) |
| Construction | Begun June 1873; completed and first lit on October 20, 1876 |
| Structure | Brick masonry, double-cylinder design with metal lantern; building area 82.03 m² |
| Height | 32.8 m (tower) — Japan's tallest active brick lighthouse |
| Lens | Second-order flashing Fresnel lens |
| Visiting Period | Mid-April to early November (closed in winter) |
| Donation | 300 yen (junior high school age and older) |
| Operator | Tokokai Shiriyazaki Branch (TEL 0175-47-2889, during open season only) |
References
- Cultural Heritage Online — Shiriyazaki Lighthouse
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/587616
- Aomori Prefecture — Shiriyazaki Lighthouse Designation Page
- https://www.pref.aomori.lg.jp/soshiki/kyoiku/e-bunka/torokuyukei_101_00.html
- Agency for Cultural Affairs — Modern Cultural Heritage: Shiriyazaki Lighthouse
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/kindai/todai/001/index.html
- Tokokai (Lighthouse Foundation) — Shiriyazaki
- https://www.tokokai.org/tourlight/tourlight16/
- Higashidoori Village — Sightseeing Information
- http://www.vill.higashidoori.lg.jp/nousui/page400001.html
- Aomori Prefecture Tourism — Shiriyazaki Lighthouse
- https://aomori-tourism.com/spot/detail_45.html
- Sea and Lighthouse Project — Shiriyazaki Lighthouse
- https://toudai.uminohi.jp/toudai/shiriyazaki/
- Shimokita Geopark — Shiriyazaki Area
- https://shimokita-geopark.com/area/shiriyazaki/
Last verified: 2026.05.03