Name and Location

The Tonin Lighthouse, also known as Airo Misaki (愛郎岬灯台), is a major seamark located on the eastern shore of Sakhalin Island in Russia. The lighthouse sits on a small promontory overlooking the Sea of Okhotsk at coordinates 46°50′53″ N, 143°26′02″ E.

2. Construction and History

The Tonin Lighthouse was built in 1932 during the Japanese administration of southern Sakhalin (then Karafuto Prefecture) under the name Airo Misaki. After World War II, the region was transferred to the Soviet Union, and the light was renamed "Тонин" (Tonin). The lighthouse has not undergone any major rebuilds since its construction and retains its original 1930s-era structure.

3. Architecture and Materials

The Tonin Lighthouse is a freestanding tower with a simple cylindrical or tapered shape, standing at a height of 23 meters above ground level. Its construction materials are not officially documented but are likely to be reinforced concrete or brick, typical of Japanese-built towers in the 1930s.

4. Light and Navigation

The lighthouse is classified as a "light_major" seamark in nautical databases, with a specific flash pattern and period not available in public records. Its focal height, nominal range, lamp type, and nominal period are also not published. The light is presumed to be automated, with no keeper's quarters currently in use.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse site lies on an undeveloped coast, reachable by a 4x4 road from Tonin village or by sea. There is no formal visitor center or paths, and the tower itself is fenced and not open to general visitors. Facilities such as parking areas, restrooms, or guided tours are also not available.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

The lighthouse offers sweeping views of the Sea of Okhotsk, neighboring rocky islets, and (for much of the year) ice floes drifting southward. The surrounding environment features a subarctic maritime climate, windswept grasses, and low scrub, with seabirds and occasional seals offshore.

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

There are no documented local legends or well-known shipwrecks tied specifically to this light. However, oral accounts speak of early keepers' tough winters and the thin daylight of Sakhalin winters.

8. Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse appears on Russian Admiralty charts for the Strait of Tartary and is managed by the Russian Ministry of Transport (Federal Agency for Sea and Inland Water Transport) or its regional port authority. It has no official monument status recorded in the Russian federal cultural heritage register.

9. Further Information

For further information, see the local entry on IdiLesom.com (in Russian), OpenStreetMap way 208362274, or Google Maps link https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=46.8480178,143.4340123.