The Only Climbable Lighthouse in Kyushu
The Toi Cape Lighthouse (都井岬灯台, Toimisaki Tōdai) is a reinforced concrete lighthouse built in 1929 on Cape Toi in Ono, Kushima City, Miyazaki Prefecture, which in 2019 was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a height of 15 metres, a building area of 80 square metres and a renovation in 1950. It belongs to the national government (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism), and a former sundial and two stone walls are registered with it.
The Agency describes the Toi Cape Lighthouse as standing at the southern tip of Miyazaki Prefecture and well loved as the only lighthouse in Kyushu whose interior is open to visitors throughout the year.
A Lantern Salvaged from the Great Kanto Earthquake
According to the Tokokai, the public interest association that runs lighthouse visits, the light was first lit on 22 December 1929.
It originally used a Japanese-made first-order single-flash lens, housed in a special first-order lantern taken from the experimental lighthouse in Yokohama that had been wrecked in the Great Kanto Earthquake. In 1945 wartime damage destroyed and burned the lantern room, and in 1950 a large third-order lens was installed.
The Tokokai notes that the lighthouse stands on a cliff 240 metres high, with the light 256 metres above mean sea level, visible for 23.5 nautical miles (about 44 kilometres).
What to Look For
The Agency describes an octagonal tower rising from the centre of the front of a flat-roofed service building. A balcony runs round the top of the tower, crowned by a lantern room with a round metal dome.
The Tokokai singles out the flat roof of the service building, railed round as a roof garden reached from the tower, as an unusual design that survives as built. From the tower, the sea opens on three sides, east over the Hyuga Sea.
Visiting the Toi Cape Lighthouse
The Tokokai asks for a visiting donation of 300 yen for junior high school age and over; younger children enter free. Morning hours are 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon all year. Afternoons are 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays from March to October, and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and from November to February. Last entry is 15 minutes before closing, and the desk closes from noon to 1:00 p.m. Enquiries: Cape Toi branch, 0987-76-1838.
From JR Kushima Station on the Nichinan Line, take the Kushima City community bus Toimisaki line for about 45 minutes and walk about 3 minutes from the Toimisaki stop. By car it is about 1 hour 50 minutes from the Miyazaki interchange of the Miyazaki Expressway via Routes 220 and 448.
Q&A
- When was the Toi Cape Lighthouse built?
- It was built in 1929 and first lit on 22 December that year; it was renovated in 1950.
- Can I climb the Toi Cape Lighthouse?
- Yes; it is the only lighthouse in Kyushu open to visitors all year, with a donation of 300 yen from junior high school age.
- What are the visiting hours of the Toi Cape Lighthouse?
- Mornings 9:00 a.m. to noon all year; afternoons from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. depending on the season, with the desk closed from noon to 1:00 p.m.
- How tall is the Toi Cape Lighthouse?
- The tower is 15 metres high, and the light stands 256 metres above mean sea level.
- How do I get to the Toi Cape Lighthouse?
- Take the Kushima City community bus from JR Kushima Station, about 45 minutes, then walk about 3 minutes.
Basic Information
| Name | Toi Cape Lighthouse (都井岬灯台) |
|---|---|
| Location | 80-2 Nonoki, Ono, Kushima City, Miyazaki Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2019/3/29 (Heisei 31) |
| Quantity | 1 structure (with 1 former sundial and 2 stone walls) |
| Dimensions | Reinforced concrete, height 15 metres, building area 80 square metres |
| Owner | National government (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) |
| Public Access | Open for visits; donation 300 yen (junior high school age and over) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Toi Cape Lighthouse (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00012857
- Cultural Heritage Online: Toi Cape Lighthouse (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/451500
- Agency for Cultural Affairs: Modern Cultural Heritage, Toi Cape Lighthouse (Japanese)
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/kindai/todai/065/index.html
- Tokokai: Toi Cape Lighthouse (Japanese)
- https://www.tokokai.org/tourlight/tourlight13/
- Kushima City Tourism Association: Toi Cape Lighthouse (Japanese)
- https://kushima-city.jp/toi/lighthouse/
Last verified: 2026.09.27