Nojimasaki Lighthouse

Nojimasaki Lighthouse stands at the southernmost tip of the Boso Peninsula in Minamiboso City, Chiba Prefecture, marking a historically significant maritime landmark. Constructed in 1869 by French engineer Léonce Verny, it holds the distinction of being Japan's second-oldest lighthouse, completed shortly after Kannonzaki Lighthouse. The lighthouse was one of eight lighthouses mandated under the Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce of 1858, built during the early Meiji period to guide foreign vessels approaching newly opened treaty ports.

The original structure was a whitewashed octagonal brick tower standing 30 meters high, equipped with a first-order Fresnel lens and kerosene lighting. Today's white concrete tower rises 29 meters from its strategic position along the Pacific coast, where it continues to serve navigational purposes while welcoming visitors year-round.

The lighthouse offers panoramic views encompassing both Tokyo Bay and the Pacific Ocean from its observation platform, accessible via winding interior stairs. On clear days, visitors can see as far as the Izu Islands from the viewing platform. The surrounding Shirahama Nojimasaki Park provides coastal walking paths where visitors can explore the dramatic rocky shoreline and appreciate the lighthouse's commanding position at the peninsula's edge.

Admission is 200 yen per person and includes access to both the lighthouse tower and the Kirarin Hall museum, which houses exhibits on the lighthouse's construction history and maritime heritage. From JR Tateyama Station, visitors should take the bus bound for "Awa Shirahama" and alight at the Nojimasaki Todai Guchi bus stop, followed by an approximately 8-minute walk to reach the lighthouse grounds.