Wakkanai Lighthouse, Coastal lighthouse in Wakkanai, Japan.
Wakkanai Lighthouse is a white tower on Cape Noshappu, at the northern tip of Japan's main islands, guiding ships through the La Pérouse Strait between Japan and Russia. The tower stands 42.7 meters tall and rises clearly above the low coastal land around it.
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.
Wakkanai Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in Hokkaido and the second tallest in all of Japan, surpassed only by Hinomisaki Lighthouse in Izumo. Despite its size, it stays closed to the public for most of the year, which makes it one of the least visited towers of its kind in the country.
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