Toi Cape Lighthouse is a large white lighthouse standing on the cliffs of Toi Cape in Kushima City, Miyazaki Prefecture. Situated at an elevation of 240 meters above sea level, it offers spectacular views over the Pacific Ocean. It has also been selected as one of Japan’s “50 Best Lighthouses.” Located at the southernmost end of Nichinan Kaigan Quasi-National Park, the lighthouse is a scenic landmark surrounded by beautiful coastal landscapes.
Construction of Toi Cape Lighthouse began on May 16, 1929 (Showa 4), and was completed on December 22 of the same year, when the lighthouse was illuminated for the first time.
When it first began operating, the lighthouse used a domestically manufactured first-order single-flashing lens. The lantern room reused equipment from a test lighthouse in Yokohama that had been severely damaged in the Great Kanto Earthquake. Its original light source was an oil lamp with an intensity of 1,300 candelas.
The lighthouse was electrified in July 1944 (Showa 19). However, in July 1945 (Showa 20), during the Pacific War, an air raid severely damaged the lantern room.
Restoration work was completed on January 1, 1950 (Showa 25), after the war. At that time, the lighting equipment was replaced with a large third-order Fresnel lens. However, on September 13 of the same year, Typhoon No. 29, known as the Kezia Typhoon, made landfall and again severely damaged the lantern room.
The lighthouse was restored in May 1951 (Showa 26). Only the original concrete lighthouse tower remained from the earlier structure.
In March 2000, the Toi Cape Lighthouse Exhibition Room was opened, allowing visitors to learn about the lighthouse’s history and functions.
In September 2016, the lighthouse’s vessel weather information broadcast service, commonly known as lighthouse broadcasting, was discontinued. The transmission of meteorological text messages by the Differential GPS station was also discontinued.
In March 2019, the Differential GPS station itself was abolished.
On March 29, 2019 (Heisei 31), Toi Cape Lighthouse was registered as a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan. It became the second property in Kushima City to receive this designation, following the Former Yoshimatsu Family Residence.
Toi Cape Lighthouse was equipped with several facilities supporting maritime navigation and weather information services. Some of these facilities have since been discontinued.
One was a radio direction-finding station, which included a medium-wave marker beacon and a Ramark beacon. Another was the Toi Cape Differential GPS Station, which provided GPS correction data and weather information. This station was discontinued on March 1, 2019.
The lighthouse also had a vessel weather information broadcasting station known as “Toi,” which transmitted on 1670.5 kHz. This service was discontinued on September 30, 2016.
Toi Cape Lighthouse is open to the public. Admission costs 300 yen for visitors of junior high school age and older, while younger children can enter free of charge.
Visitors can climb to the top of the lighthouse and enjoy a magnificent panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. The beautiful coastline of Nichinan stretches out to the north. On clear days, it may even be possible to see the rocket launch facility at Uchinoura and Tanegashima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture.
The adjoining Toi Cape Lighthouse Exhibition Room introduces the history and functions of the lighthouse. It displays a variety of valuable materials, including lighthouse lenses, helping visitors understand how lighthouses have supported maritime navigation over the years.
Toi Cape Lighthouse combines outstanding coastal scenery with considerable historical value. Since its completion in 1929, it has continued to play an important role in maritime navigation despite suffering serious damage during the Pacific War and a major typhoon. Its designation as a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property recognizes its historical significance.
Visitors can climb the lighthouse, take in the expansive views of the Pacific Ocean, and explore the exhibition room to learn more about its history. It is one of the distinctive sightseeing destinations of Miyazaki Prefecture.