Wakkanai Lighthouse, Coastal lighthouse in Wakkanai, Japan.

Wakkanai Lighthouse is a concrete tower on Cape Noshappu, painted with six red horizontal bands on a white base, guarding the Soya Strait shipping route. Its 42.7 m height matches the light level of the first lighthouse, which stood on higher ground inland. The light flashes white in two bursts every 14 seconds and reaches 18 nautical miles.

A first lighthouse on this coast began operating in 1900, marking the start of modern navigation aids in this remote northern region. The current tower was built in 1966 after the original site had to be cleared for military base construction.

The lighthouse is part of an official list of 50 lighthouses in Japan that are recommended for visitors to see. Walking around Cape Noshappu, you can also find a small aquarium nearby, and the area gives a clear sense of how closely daily life here has always been tied to the sea.

Cape Noshappu sits on the edge of Wakkanai city and is easy to reach by car, with roads that are generally well signed. The lighthouse opens to visitors only once a year during Golden Week, so plan your visit accordingly.

The tower's red-and-white stripes were chosen so it stays visible against snow. Its height of 42.7 metres matches the light elevation of the original hilltop tower, which was moved here in 1966 when the US military expanded its Noshappu base. The first lighthouse, lit in 1900, appeared in Shochiku's film 'The Years of Joy and Sorrow'.