The is a

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mar ...

located at the northernmost extremity of the

Shimokita Peninsula is the remote northeastern cape of the Japanese island of Honshū, stretching out towards Hokkaidō. Overview It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east, Tsugaru Strait to the north and Mutsu Bay to the west and south. Shaped like an axe ...

Honshū , historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island separa ...

island in

Ōma is a town located in Aomori, Japan. In 2020, the town had an estimated population of 5,155, and a population density of ,in 2,497 households. The total area of the town is . Geography Ōma occupies the northwestern coastline of Shimokita Penin ...

Aomori Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku region. The prefecture's capital, largest city, and namesake is the city of Aomori. Aomori is the northernmost prefecture on Japan's main island, Honshu, and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east, ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. It is maintained by the Japan Coast Guard. The lighthouse is located on a small offshore island called Bentenjima, 600 meters off Cape Ōmazaki, within the borders of the

Shimokita Hantō Quasi-National Park is a quasi-national park in the Shimokita Peninsula of Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of far northern Honshū in Japan. It is rated a protected landscape (category V) according to the IUCN. The park, consists of several discontinuous l ...

. There is no public access. The Ōmazaki Lighthouse illuminates the Tsugaru Strait at the entrance to Mutsu Bay. This is the narrowest point on the Tsugaru Strait and the light from this lighthouse can be seen across the strait in

Hokkaido is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The la ...

History

Work began on the Ōmazaki Lighthouse in September 1920, and it was first lit on November 1, 1921. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, it was repeatedly hit by

air strike An airstrike, air strike or air raid is an offensive operation carried out by aircraft. Air strikes are delivered from aircraft such as blimps, balloons, fighters, heavy bombers, ground attack aircraft, attack helicopters and drones. The offic ...

s by

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

aircraft. By 1945 it laid in ruins. While being rebuilt after the war, it was once again severely damaged by the

1952 Hokkaido earthquake The 1952 Tokachi earthquake (), occurred at on 4 March in the sea near Tokachi District, Hokkaidō, Japan. It had a magnitude of 8.1 on the moment magnitude scale. Damage There was earthquake and tsunami damage in an area ranging from Hokkaido to ...

. The second generation lighthouse was completed in July 1953. A

radar beacon Radar beacon (short: racon) is – according to ''article 1.103'' of the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) ITU Radio Regulations (RR) – defined as "A transmitter-receiver associated with a fixed navigational mark which, when trig ...

was established on April 17, 1983. Since April 1, 1993, the lighthouse has been fully automated, and is now unmanned. The lighthouse is maintained by the Japan Coast Guard. It is listed as one of the “50 Lighthouses of Japan” by the Japan Lighthouse Association.Japan Lighthouse Association home page

References

External links

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Lighthouses in Japan

{{DEFAULTSORT:Omazaki Lighthouse Lighthouses completed in 1921 Lighthouses completed in 1953 Buildings and structures in Aomori Prefecture Lighthouses in Japan Ōma Buildings and structures completed in 1921 Buildings and structures completed in 1953

History

See also

References

External links