Kannonzaki Park is a vast coastal park covering almost the entire area of Cape Kannonzaki in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. Projecting into Tokyo Bay, the cape offers a beautiful combination of evergreen woodland, rocky shores, open sea views and historic remains. Visitors can enjoy hiking, forest walks, seaside activities and family-friendly playgrounds, as well as explore museums, a historic lighthouse and former military fortifications.
Kannonzaki Park is located in Yokosuka, on the Miura Peninsula, and occupies much of Cape Kannonzaki. Its landscape includes hills covered with broadleaf evergreen trees, natural coastal areas and rocky shorelines. The park’s scenery changes throughout the year, offering a different experience in each season.
With its combination of natural environments and cultural facilities, the park offers many ways to spend a day outdoors. Visitors can walk through the woodland, enjoy views across Tokyo Bay, explore the rocky shore or take children to the athletic play areas. The park is also an important place for learning about the region’s natural environment and history.
The Park Center serves as an information and visitor facility for Kannonzaki Park. It was created by renovating a former ammunition storehouse built during the Meiji era. The historic building now provides information about the park, its facilities and events, making it a useful starting point for exploring the grounds.
The Yokosuka Museum of Art is located within the park and offers visitors an opportunity to enjoy art in a beautiful coastal setting. Its collections and exhibitions include works by local artists and artworks connected with the region. A wide range of displays, from contemporary art to traditional crafts, provides a cultural complement to the park’s natural scenery.
The Kannonzaki Nature Museum introduces the natural environment and ecosystems of the area around Cape Kannonzaki. Its exhibits focus particularly on marine life in Tokyo Bay and the plants and animals found in the surrounding region. The museum is an educational destination for visitors interested in local biodiversity and the natural history of the Miura Peninsula.
Kannonzaki Lighthouse is one of the park’s most recognizable landmarks. Visitors can enter the lighthouse and climb to its observation area, where they can look out over Tokyo Bay, watch ships passing through the water and see the Boso Peninsula on the opposite shore.
The lighthouse is also historically important as Japan’s oldest Western-style lighthouse. Its maritime history and commanding coastal position make it one of the park’s essential sights.
Kannonzaki Park has several outdoor play areas where families can enjoy time together. The Athletic Forest features a variety of playground equipment where children can climb, move around and test their physical skills.
Another popular area is Umi no Ko Toride, which has large rope-based combination play equipment. Its adventurous design encourages children to explore, climb and play, making it an appealing destination for families visiting the park.
The Forest Lodge provides a place to relax in a natural setting. The park also has observation decks from which visitors can enjoy expansive views across Tokyo Bay. These facilities offer opportunities to take a break during a walk, appreciate the surrounding landscape and spend quiet time away from the city.
Kannonzaki Park offers a variety of activities that bring visitors into close contact with nature. During summer, the coastal areas are popular for swimming and exploring the rocky shore. Families can enjoy the seaside environment and discover the small creatures living among the rocks and tidal pools.
The hilly areas, covered with evergreen trees, are suitable for hiking and forest bathing. Walking through the woodland provides a refreshing experience, while the changing vegetation and seasonal scenery make the trails enjoyable throughout the year.
The park’s combination of sea and forest means that visitors can enjoy several different outdoor experiences in one place. It is an excellent destination for those who want to relax in nature, exercise outdoors or spend time with family.
Before and during the period leading up to the Second World War, Cape Kannonzaki formed part of a military fortress area. Because of its strategic position at the entrance to Tokyo Bay, access to the area was restricted and the cape was used for coastal defense.
Remains of former gun batteries and other military structures can still be found throughout the park. These ruins preserve traces of the area’s former role in protecting the sea route into Tokyo Bay and offer visitors a glimpse into a significant chapter of Japanese military history.
Exploring these historic remains adds another dimension to a visit. The contrast between the peaceful woodland and the old fortifications provides a sense of how the cape’s role has changed over time.
One of the park’s important memorials is the Monument to Seafarers Who Died in War. It was erected in 1971 by the Foundation for the Commemoration of Seafarers Who Died in the Line of Duty.
The monument commemorates approximately 60,000 civilian seafarers who lost their lives during the Second World War. These men served aboard civilian vessels and died while supporting maritime transportation during the conflict. The memorial provides a place for visitors to remember their sacrifice and pay their respects.
The monument was designed by Junzo Yoshimura and Yoshihiro Mashiko. Ken Nakajima was responsible for the landscape design and planting, while construction was carried out by Takenaka Corporation.
By 2019, the Emperor of Japan had visited the monument eight times to pay his respects. The memorial remains an important place of remembrance within the park and gives the coastal landscape a solemn historical significance.
Kannonzaki Park is notable for the way its natural environment and cultural facilities coexist. The Yokosuka Museum of Art, Kannonzaki Nature Museum and Kannonzaki Lighthouse offer different ways to explore the area’s artistic, ecological and maritime heritage.
Visitors can spend time among the trees, walk along the shore, learn about the creatures of Tokyo Bay or discover the history of coastal navigation. The former military remains and the memorial to wartime seafarers provide further insight into the area’s past.
With its wide variety of landscapes and attractions, Kannonzaki Park is a rewarding destination for visitors of all ages. Families can enjoy the playgrounds and seaside activities, while nature lovers can explore the woodland and rocky coast. Those interested in history can visit the lighthouse, examine the military remains and reflect at the seafarers’ memorial.
The park offers a memorable combination of sea views, green spaces, outdoor recreation and cultural experiences. A visit to Kannonzaki is an opportunity to discover the natural beauty and layered history of the entrance to Tokyo Bay.
Open all year round
No holidays
Free of charge
15 min. by bus for Kannonzaki from Uraga Sta. on the Keihin Kyuko Line
15 minutes by bus for Kannonzaki from Uraga Station on the Keihin Kyuko Line
35 minutes by bus for Kannonzaki from Yokosuka Station on the JR Yokosuka Line