Inubosaki Lighthouse
犬吠埼灯台
A white Meiji-era lighthouse on a cape jutting into the Pacific at Kanto's eastern tip. Climb its 99 spiral steps to look out over a sea of crashing waves.
A white lighthouse of Japanese brick, first lit in 1874
Inubosaki Lighthouse stands on Inubosaki in the city of Choshi, Chiba Prefecture. The "saki" in the name means land jutting out into the sea, in other words a cape. Its light first shone in 1874 (Meiji 7).
It was designed by Richard Henry Brunton, a British engineer invited by the Meiji government to oversee lighthouse building across Japan. It is said to be the first building made with Japanese-made bricks, and in December 2020 it was designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan, together with the former fog signal house (a building for equipment that warned ships with sound in fog) and the former storehouse. It has also been chosen as one of the "100 most important lighthouses in the world".
Climb 99 steps for a sweeping view of the Pacific
Inubosaki Lighthouse is one of the lighthouses you can go inside and climb. At the top of its 99-step spiral staircase, a sweeping view of the Pacific Ocean opens out.
The lighthouse stands on a plateau surrounded by sea on three sides, where you can watch rough waves crashing against the rocks at the foot of the cliffs. On the grounds there is also a museum displaying items such as a first-order Fresnel lens (a large lens that sends light a long way), one of the largest in Japan.
Japan's earliest first sunrise of the year
Inubosaki is the easternmost point of the Kanto region, and apart from mountain summits and remote islands it is said to be the place in Japan where you can see the hatsuhinode (the sunrise on the morning of New Year's Day) earliest.
To get there, take the Choshi Electric Railway from JR Choshi Station for about 16 minutes to Inubo Station, then walk about 10 minutes. There is also a highway bus towards Inubosaki from the Yaesu exit of Tokyo Station.
Tips
- The hours when you can go inside the lighthouse change with the season and are shorter in winter. Check the official visiting hours before you go.
- After climbing the lighthouse, take a look at the museum and the former fog signal house on the grounds for a better sense of the lighthouse's history.
- From Choshi Station you change to the Choshi Electric Railway. If you are coming from Tokyo, you can also take a highway bus that goes straight to Inubosaki.
Sources
Updated 28 September 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so check the official site before you go.
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