Izumo, Shimane
Izumo Hinomisaki Lighthouse I looked up and forgot the rest of my tune
A walk along the cape’s coastal path, with views of the lighthouse and the Sea of Japan. Though I thought I knew its height from photos, I was amazed all over again as I got closer on foot.
In summer at Hinomisaki, I walked along the coast to the lighthouse. I looked up at the tower, then out to the Sea of Japan—and couldn’t tear myself away.
SummerEarly August
The closer I got on foot, the taller the lighthouse looked
I got out of the car at the Hinomisaki car park and started walking toward the lighthouse. I’d made it this far by car; now I could make the final stretch on foot. The view opened out over the sea, and before I knew it, I was humming. The lighthouse was already in sight, but I still wanted to get closer as soon as I could.
On the coastal path, the Sea of Japan was to my left and the lighthouse straight ahead. As I walked and looked up, the top of the tower seemed to inch higher. From far away, I’d somehow made it a perfectly manageable size in my head. Up close, there was no way to fit it in!
I tipped my head back to see the top. I’d come here to look up at the lighthouse, but I wound up rooted to the spot, face still tipped skyward. Up close, the height I’d seen in photos suddenly felt real. I knew the measurements by heart, but seeing it for myself was still a complete shock.
When I turned from the tower back to the sea, the next line of my little song was gone. The lighthouse had completely distracted me; I’d lost my place. My friend would probably laugh and ask, “Did the lighthouse beat you?” Fair enough. I really had been caught up in it.
I stayed there for a while, taking in the view from the cape. I kept looking up at the tower, out to sea, then back up again. I hadn’t walked far, but every time I changed my view, something new caught my eye. I’d planned to move on right away, but I wanted to stay a little longer.
Before leaving, I took one more look at the lighthouse from the path I’d walked. I got to take home both the distant view and the surprise of looking straight up from nearby. I couldn’t just send my friend a photo with “It was tall.” I had to tell her how I’d been so busy looking up that I forgot my own tune.
The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.
Local specialty
Bobemeshi and seafood
You can find seafood bowls and other seafood dishes at Hinomisaki, too. Bobemeshi is a local specialty: rice cooked in a broth of bobe (bebe) shellfish. After a walk around the cape with the sea all around me, I found myself wanting to taste some of the local food, too. I couldn’t help wondering what rice cooked in shellfish broth would taste like.
Highlights
Looking up at the lighthouse up close
The tower rises 43.65 m from ground level, and its top is 63.30 m above sea level. There’s an observation deck at the top. I started by looking up at it from outside, and stopped in my tracks just trying to follow the whole tower with my eyes. I couldn’t believe how tall it was.
Stone outside, brick inside
First installed in 1903 (Meiji 36), the lighthouse has a double-wall structure: stone on the outside and brick on the inside. I hear there’s a 163-step spiral staircase leading up to an observation room. Thinking about the long climb inside the tower I’d been admiring from outside made me curious about its interior, too.
Road information
To Hinomisaki via Prefectural Route 29 and Umineko Kaido
- Estimated driving time
- About 20 minutes by car from Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine
- Start of the walking route
- Hinomisaki Prefectural Car Park
From Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine, follow Prefectural Route 29 along Umineko Kaido toward the lighthouse. You can start at Hinomisaki Prefectural Car Park and explore the walking paths and viewpoints on foot. Once I got out of the car and started walking, the approach to the lighthouse itself became part of the trip.
The Shimane Tourism Navi page below also shows how to explore the area around the lighthouse on foot. Enjoy the drive to the cape and your walk along the coast, too.
More Spot Guides
If you enjoyed this story, you might like these places too. I've gone back to each of them in different seasons, again and again.
