Daiozaki Lighthouse

The chalk-white Daiozaki Lighthouse stands on a jagged cape at the southeastern tip of Shima Peninsula, one of only sixteen lighthouses in Japan where visitors can climb to the top. Built in 1927 on a stretch of coast that once unnerved sailors, it draws visitors year-round, including crowds who come for the first sunrise of the new year. The town of Daio below has winding alleyways and dramatic sea views that have attracted artists since the Meiji era. Nearby, the dry-stacked stone walls around Daijiji Temple show centuries-old construction techniques, each stone fitted without cement.