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 lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Ligh ...

located at the northernmost extremity of the

Shimokita Peninsula The is the remote northeastern cape of the Japanese island of Honshū, stretching out towards Hokkaido. 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 ...

Honshū , historically known as , is the largest of the four main islands of Japan. It lies between the Pacific Ocean (east) and the Sea of Japan (west). It is the seventh-largest island in the world, and the second-most populous after the Indonesian ...

island in

Ōma is a town located in Aomori, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 4,868 in 2,500 households, and a population density of . The total area of the town is . Geography Ōma occupies the northwestern coastline of Shimokita Peninsula, f ...

Aomori Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku region. The prefecture's capital, largest city, and namesake is the city of Aomori (city), Aomori. Aomori is the northernmost prefecture on Japan's main island, Honshu, and is border ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. It is maintained by the

Japan Coast Guard The is the coast guard responsible for the protection of the Geography of Japan#Composition, topography and geography, coastline of Japan under the oversight of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. It consists of about ...

. 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 The is a strait between Honshu and Hokkaido in northern Japan connecting the Sea of Japan with the Pacific Ocean. It was named after the western part of Aomori Prefecture. The Seikan Tunnel passes under it at its narrowest point 12.1 miles ...

at the entrance to

Mutsu Bay is a bay located within Aomori Prefecture, in the northern Tōhoku region of northern Japan. It has an east-west distance of approximately and a north-south distance of approximately at its eastern end, with a total area of approximately . Na ...

. This is the narrowest point on the Tsugaru Strait and the light from this lighthouse can be seen across the strait in

Hokkaido is the list of islands of Japan by area, second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefectures of Japan, prefecture, making up its own list of regions of Japan, region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō fr ...

History

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

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, 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, fighter aircraft, attack aircraft, bombers, attack helicopters, and Unmanned combat aerial ...

s from

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

aircraft. By 1945 it lay 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, International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) ITU Radio Regulations (RR) – defined as "A transmitter-receiver associated with a fi ...

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

. It is listed as one of the “50 Lighthouses of Japan” by the Japan Lighthouse Association.Japan Lighthouse Association home page

References

External links

*
Lighthouses in Japan

{{DEFAULTSORT:Omazaki Lighthouse Lighthouses completed in 1921 Lighthouses completed in 1953 Transport 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