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The pure white Inubosaki Lighthouse stands tall against the sky, catching the eye from far away. For nearly 150 years since the Meiji era, it has served as a beacon for ships crossing the Pacific Ocean and remained a symbol of this land.
You can witness Japan’s earliest sunrise here, and climbing the 99 spiral steps rewards you with a grand panorama of the Pacific Ocean. Beyond its value as a historic brick structure, the area features charming spots like the white post said to bring happiness and the rocky shore used in movie openings—places you’ll want to tell everyone about.
This article provides everything you need to enjoy Inubosaki Lighthouse to the fullest, from stunning views and hidden gems to local cuisine and access information.
Inubosaki Lighthouse is a white lighthouse standing at Inubosaki Cape in Choshi City, Chiba Prefecture, and is a historic landmark selected as one of Japan’s “100 World Lighthouses.” Built in 1874 under the design of British engineer Richard Henry Brunton, it is also known as one of Japan’s rare brick lighthouses. Located at the easternmost point of the Kanto region, it offers spectacular views of early sunrises. Climbing the 99 spiral steps reveals a grand panorama of the Pacific Ocean. The surrounding area features many tourist attractions including Inubosaki Onsen and the Choshi Electric Railway, making it a charming destination where you can fully enjoy the sea and history.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Hours | [Mar - Sep] 8:30 am - 5:00 pm [Golden Week, Aug 10 - 19] 8:30 am - 5:30 pm [Oct - Feb] 8:30 am - 4:00 pm |
| Closed | Open year - round |
| Admission | 300 yen |
| Phone | 0479 - 25 - 8239 |
| Official Website | Official Website |
| Parking | Free parking available |
| Access | Train: 10 - min walk from Inubo Station on Choshi Electric Railway Bus: 8 - min walk from Inubosaki bus stop |
| Address | 9576 Inubosaki, Choshi City, Chiba 288 - 0012 |
Inubosaki Lighthouse Leaflet PDF
Inubosaki Lighthouse is located at the easternmost point of the Kanto region and is known as one of the places where you can see the first sunrise of the year earliest in Japan. Every January 1st, so many people visit Inubosaki to see the first sunrise that traffic restrictions are put in place.
Choshi City 2026 First Sunrise Information
The adjacent Inubow Terrace Terrace also hosts first sunrise viewing events.
Special First Sunrise Viewing Ticket - Inubow Terrace Terrace
As such, “Japan’s earliest first sunrise” has become the biggest event at Inubosaki Lighthouse and throughout the entire Inubosaki area.
Inubosaki Lighthouse stands approximately 31 meters tall. Inside the lighthouse, there are 99 spiral steps, and climbing them rewards you with spectacular views overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Inubosaki Lighthouse is also valuable as one of only 16 lighthouses in Japan that visitors can climb. The 99 spiral steps are said to match the famous Kujukuri Beach in Chiba, whose name means “ninety-nine ri” (an old unit of distance).
At the entrance of Inubosaki Lighthouse, there is a white mailbox known as the “Post That Brings Happiness.”
This post has gained popularity as the “Post That Fulfills Love,” “Post That Brings Happiness,” and “Post That Grants Wishes” because it was installed on March 14th (White Day) and painted white to match the white Inubosaki Lighthouse.
Moreover, letters mailed from this post are stamped with a scenic postmark at the Choshi Post Office before being sent, making it a wonderful travel memento. (Except during year-end and New Year from December 13th to January 7th)
Postcards and original Inubosaki Lighthouse postcards can be purchased along with stamps at the souvenir shops in front of the lighthouse or at Inubow Terrace Terrace. If you’re sending a love letter, prepare it at home beforehand and drop it in the post.
As a travel memento and a way to make wishes come true, this is one of the most popular spots at Inubosaki Lighthouse.
Right next to the lighthouse is the Inubosaki Lighthouse Museum, where you can learn about the history and role of Inubosaki Lighthouse, as well as see valuable lens exhibits that were actually used in the lighthouse.
The highlight of the Inubosaki Lighthouse Museum is the display of giant lenses that were actually used in lighthouses.
This is a large first-order lens, Japan’s first domestically produced first-order lens, the same type as the lens in Inubosaki Lighthouse. It was used at Okinoshima Lighthouse in Fukuoka Prefecture for approximately 100 years from 1922 to 2007.
The lens body measures 2.53m in height, 3.03m in diameter, and weighs 2.65 tons. The entire apparatus stands 5.15m tall with a total weight of 13 tons—its appearance and specifications clearly show how massive it is. Seeing the real thing is truly impressive.
In addition to this lens, there are displays of multiple lenses including a third-order lens that was used at the entrance to Tokyo Port. The first-order lens featured here is particularly valuable as this is the only place where you can see it together with its rotating mechanism.
When visibility was poor due to fog or other bad weather conditions, lighthouses would emit sounds to inform ships of their location. This facility is the fog horn house. One remains at Inubosaki Lighthouse and is open for viewing.
This is the fog horn sound system installed inside the fog horn house. While this device produced the fog horn sound, each lighthouse had a different sound so that sailors could identify which lighthouse they were hearing.
You can actually hear the fog horn sound that this fog horn sound system produced at Inubosaki Lighthouse.
Before the fog horn sound system was developed, giant bells were rung as fog signals, and these bells were called fog bells.
At Inubosaki Lighthouse, giant fog bells that were actually used at Shiriyazaki Lighthouse (Aomori Prefecture) and Kattoshi-misaki Lighthouse (Hokkaido) are on display within the lighthouse grounds.
This fog bell was struck once per minute during bad weather using a Scottish-made clockwork mechanism. It weighs 1.7 tons and is truly enormous when seen in person.
Inside the fog horn house, the original lens of Inubosaki Lighthouse—a first-order eight-panel flashing lens (made in France)—is on display. This lens was used for approximately 80 years from when the lighthouse was completed in 1874 until 1951.
This lens was damaged during World War II and was replaced with the current lens (a domestically-produced first-order four-panel flashing lens).
One of the charms of Inubosaki Lighthouse is that there’s more than just the lighthouse.
Right outside the lighthouse, restaurants, souvenir shops, and food stalls line up, making it easy to enjoy a break, lunch, or shopping.
| Shop Name | Type |
|---|---|
| Nagisaya | Restaurant & Souvenirs |
| Awabiya | Restaurant |
The souvenir shops sell many Choshi specialties, from seafood to processed goods.
You can also find Choshi Electric Railway’s nure-senbei and Mazui-bo snacks.
Also popular is Inubow Terrace Terrace, a commercial facility that opened in 2015 and showcases Choshi’s gourmet food and traditional crafts.
Inubow Terrace Terrace features a cafe, sells local fresh vegetables, fruits, and seafood, and has an observation terrace on the second floor open to visitors, making it perfect for a break during your Inubosaki Lighthouse sightseeing.
Read more about Inubow Terrace Terrace
Do you know the “waves crashing against rocks” scene that plays at the very beginning of movies produced by Toei, one of Japan’s famous film production companies? This opening footage is called “Waves on Rocky Shore” and was filmed right here at the coast of Inubosaki Lighthouse.
While Toei’s current opening sequence has been replaced with CGI, the original footage was featured in every classic film. Try to recall the old footage and connect it with what you’re actually seeing at the coast. Even from a distance, the sound of the waves is just as dramatic as in that movie opening—it’s quite moving.
From the plaza in front of the lighthouse, the Inubosaki Promenade extends down to the coastline.
The Inubosaki Promenade is a walking path where you can stroll along the Inubosaki coastline and view the sea up close. The path is paved, making it easy to walk.
From the promenade, you can see the geological formations of Inubosaki, designated as a natural monument called “Cretaceous Shallow Marine Deposits of Inubosaki.” The sandstone around the base of Inubosaki Lighthouse is made of strata (shallow marine deposits) that accumulated in a shallow sea approximately 120 million years ago.
Looking toward the sea, you can see rocks with striped patterns indicating they were formed from sedimentary deposits. These rocks are called “Choshi-ishi.”
After enjoying the broad Pacific view from the lighthouse, being able to view the sea up close like this is another enjoyable aspect.
The rock platforms near the coast are called alternating sandstone and mudstone layers, a geological formation where sandstone and mudstone were deposited alternately. The softer mudstone has been eroded by waves creating depressions, while the harder sandstone protrudes.
It’s said that the sandstone at Inubosaki was formed from sand carried in during major storms.
The standard way to access Inubosaki Lighthouse is by transferring between trains, but actually, highway buses run from Tokyo Station, allowing you to reach within an 8-minute walk of the lighthouse on a single bus.
Despite being at Kanto’s easternmost point, easy access options are available, and with many tourist spots nearby, the transportation environment is well-suited for Choshi sightseeing.
For more details, please check the article below.
Read more about How to Get to Inubosaki Lighthouse
Inubosaki Lighthouse continues to watch over the Pacific Ocean, unchanged since the Meiji era. Its white figure transcends time and continues to be loved by many people to this day.
The grand panorama that spreads out after climbing all 99 steps, the expectant expressions of people waiting for the first sunrise, the smiles of tourists dropping letters into the happiness-bringing white post. Standing at Inubosaki Lighthouse and looking around, you can feel that this place is filled with elements that allow you to spend special moments.
Beyond its appeal as a scenic spot taking advantage of its location at Kanto’s easternmost point, the attractions are endless—from Japan’s first domestically-produced first-order lens to the historic fog horn house. Walking the promenade, you’ll encounter geological strata from 120 million years ago, and listening to the crashing waves, the world of Toei movies unfolds before your eyes.
At Inubow Terrace Terrace and surrounding restaurants, you can savor fresh seafood and pick up Choshi’s specialty products. Whether it’s a half-day visit or a leisurely full-day tour, either promises to be a highly satisfying trip.
Within day-trip distance from the greater Kanto area, Inubosaki Lighthouse is the perfect tourist spot for a weekend getaway. Please visit this place that continues to be loved across the ages.
