Cape Shionomisaki & Shionomisaki Lighthouse (March, 2025)

Sumamry

#

In March 2025, I visited Cape Shionomisaki and the Shionomisaki Lighthouse in Wakayama Prefecture.

Cape Shionomisaki is the southernmost point of Honshu, Japan’s main island. It sits on a stretch of land that juts out from the mainland, almost like a small island. The cape features a grassy open area, and at the far end of it stands a monument marking the southernmost tip of Honshu. Near the cape is the Shionomisaki Lighthouse, a historic structure built in 1873 during the Meiji era. It’s one of only 16 lighthouses in Japan that are open to the public for climbing.

I first parked at the cape’s parking lot and walked toward the southernmost point. The grassy field felt very open and spacious, and from the viewing deck next to the monument, I was able to take in a wide view of the Pacific Ocean – with no land visible beyond the horizon.

Next, I headed to the Shionomisaki Lighthouse. The entrance fee was 300 yen per adult. In addition to the lighthouse itself, the grounds included a small exhibition room and a mural of Swimmy (a children’s book character by Leo Lionni) created by local elementary school students. Climbing to the top of the lighthouse, I was rewarded with a stunning 360-degree panoramic view of the ocean and coastline.

Gallery

#

License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

You can view the Google Photos album here.

Map

#

Cape Shionomisaki

#

Sites

#

Photo Details

#

iPhone 12 mini

#

1. IMG_3239.jpg ( JPG ):
   A panoramic photo of the grassy field at Cape Shionomisaki.
2. IMG_3235.jpg ( JPG ):
   A panoramic photo taken from the top of the Shionomisaki Lighthouse.
3. IMG_3249.jpg ( JPG ):
   A mural of Swimmy (by Leo Lionni) located within the grounds of the Shionomisaki Lighthouse.
4. IMG_3250.jpg ( JPG ):
   There are 16 climbable lighthouses) across Japan.

Sony α6500

#

1. DSC05833-Enhanced-NR.jpg ( JPG / RAW (ARW) ): A photo of the grassy field at Cape Shionomisaki.
2. DSC05834-Enhanced-NR.jpg ( JPG / RAW (ARW) ): A photo taken from the observation deck at the southernmost point of Honshu.
3. DSC05841-Enhanced-NR.jpg ( JPG / RAW (ARW) ): A photo of the monument marking the southernmost point of Honshu.
4. DSC05850-Enhanced-NR.jpg ( JPG / RAW (ARW) ): A photo of the entrance to the Shionomisaki Lighthouse.
5. DSC05857-Enhanced-NR.jpg ( JPG / RAW (ARW) ): A photo taken from the top of the Shionomisaki Lighthouse.

Change History

#

• 2025/06/15: First version.