Name and Location

Nosappu Misaki Lighthouse (納沙布岬灯台) stands at Cape Nosappu, the easternmost point of Hokkaido and Japan's four main islands.

2. Construction and History

Commissioned by the Meiji government in the early 1870s as part of Japan's first modern lighthouse network, the original masonry (or wooden) tower was replaced by the present concrete structure in the mid-20th century to improve durability in harsh winter seas. The lighthouse has been fully automated since the late 20th century.

3. Architecture and Materials

The tower is a cylindrical concrete structure with a gallery and lantern room, standing 14 meters above its base. It is painted white, typical for Japanese coastal lights. Supporting buildings include a small equipment hut and remnants of keeper's quarters nearby, though the latter are not open to the public.

4. Light and Navigation

The lighthouse continues to serve as an official coastal light marking the eastern entrance to the Nemuro Strait. It safeguards local fisheries vessels, ferries bound for the Kuril Islands area, and international shipping in the Sea of Okhotsk.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

Grounds open daily, free of charge. The tower interior is closed. Facilities include restrooms and a small parking area at the cape. Seasonal souvenir shop and café operate in summer months.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

Sweeping panoramas of the Sea of Okhotsk, Sea of Japan, and on clear days, the Russian-administered Kunashir Island lie offshore. Early-morning visitors line up here each New Year's Day to catch the first sunrise.

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

Local tradition holds that Nosappu Misaki Lighthouse heralds Japan's "first sunrise" each January 1, and couples and families gather to watch the sun appear over the horizon. Though no shipwreck folklore is directly tied to the tower, the broader cape area has seen skirmishes in the late 19th century during territorial surveys of the Kuril Islands.

8. Technical and Operational Details

Managing authority: Japan Coast Guard (JCG)
Technical specifications available upon request from JCG chart No. 7237 (Hakodate–Shiretoko).

9. Further Information

• https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%A1%93%E5%B1%8F">Wikipedia (Japanese): ja:納沙布岬灯台
• https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q901053">Wikidata: Q901053
• Japan Coast Guard Light List (official technical reference)
• Nemuro City tourism website: "Cape Nosappu & Lighthouse"