A Round Concrete Tower of 1927
The Daiosaki Lighthouse (大王埼灯台) is a reinforced-concrete lighthouse built in 1927 at Joyama, Nakiri, Daio-cho, Shima City, Mie Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on March 29, 2013 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a reinforced-concrete structure 23 metres high with a building area of 58 square metres, registration number 24-0147, owned by the national government (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism). The Tokokai gives October 5, 1927 as the date it was first lit.
Why It Was Registered
The Daiosaki Lighthouse was registered as a structure contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs singles out its distinctive exterior, with fan-shaped columns and a classical entrance, as part of the historic seascape of the Kumano Sea.
The Tokokai points out that reinforced-concrete lighthouses of the time were usually square, whereas this one is round and was built very quickly, a sign of how fast concrete construction was advancing in those years.
What to Look For
The tower is a cylinder 4.2 metres in outside diameter, with the lantern set on top of the lamp room (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The Tokokai gives 23 metres from the ground to the top and 46 metres from mean sea level to the light.
At the foot of the tower, the annexe's balcony rests on columns arranged in a fan, and the entrance carries classical detailing (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The contrast between the plain white cylinder and the curved colonnade is the building's signature.
The light alternates one white and one red flash every 30 seconds, and the white light carries 18.5 nautical miles, about 34 kilometres (Tokokai).
Visiting
The Daiosaki Lighthouse is one of the Tokokai's climbable lighthouses: a donation of 300 yen (junior-high age and above) lets you climb the tower. It is open from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (to 4:30 p.m. at weekends and holidays from March to October).
The history of the cape, directions and the surrounding gateposts and wall are covered on the group page Daiosaki Lighthouse.
Q&A
- When was the Daiosaki Lighthouse built?
- In 1927. The Tokokai records that work began on May 16 and the light was lit on October 5.
- How tall is the Daiosaki Lighthouse?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs gives a height of 23 metres; the tower is a cylinder 4.2 metres across.
- Can I climb the Daiosaki Lighthouse?
- Yes. The Tokokai opens it to visitors for a donation of 300 yen (junior-high age and above).
- What are the Daiosaki Lighthouse's opening hours?
- 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., to 4:30 p.m. at weekends and holidays from March to October; last entry 15 minutes before closing (Tokokai).
- When was the Daiosaki Lighthouse registered?
- On March 29, 2013, together with its gateposts and wall.
Basic Information
| Name | Daiosaki Lighthouse (大王埼灯台) |
|---|---|
| Location | 54-3 Joyama, Nakiri, Daio-cho, Shima City, Mie Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2013/03/29 (Heisei 25) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Reinforced concrete, 23 metres high, building area 58 square metres |
| Owner | National government (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) |
| Public Access | Open to visitors (Tokokai; donation 300 yen) |
References
- Daiosaki Lighthouse (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00009495
- Daiosaki Lighthouse (Tokokai, Japanese)
- https://www.tokokai.org/tourlight/tourlight09/
Last verified: 2026.10.14
