Omaesaki Lighthouse Live Cam

History

The origins of Omaezaki Lighthouse trace back to the early Meiji era, when Japan sought to modernize its coastal navigation systems. Commissioned in 1874 under the guidance of the British engineer Richard Henry Brunton—often called the “Father of Japanese Lighthouses”—the first structure was a simple brick tower topped with a fixed white light. Situated at the southernmost tip of Shizuoka Prefecture, overlooking the turbulent waters of the Pacific Ocean, its purpose was to safeguard merchant vessels navigating the treacherous Omaezaki Cape currents.

As maritime traffic increased in the late 19th century, especially with the opening of nearby Hamamatsu Port, local authorities recognized the need for a more powerful beacon. In 1890, the original brick tower was replaced by a cast-iron skeletal structure imported from England. This upgrade featured a first-order Fresnel lens, dramatically extending the light’s range to over 20 nautical miles—a critical improvement for ships rounding the Noto Peninsula or bound for Yokohama.