Kyoga-misaki (経ヶ岬)
Located in Sodeshi, Tango-cho, Kyotango City, Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoga-misaki is a cape overlooking the Japan Sea (the western part of Wakasa Bay).
Kyoga-misaki lies at 135º13'5'' east longitude and 35º46'5'' north latitude. Kyoga-misaki is the northernmost tip of Kyoto Prefecture and Kinki region. Kyoga-misaki belongs to the Tango-Amanohashidate-Oeyama Quasi-National Park.
Geography
Kyoga-misaki lies in the northern end of the Tango Peninsula. The area around Kyoga-misaki is reefy.
In the middle of the cape lies the Kyoga-misaki lighthouse (described later).
Kyoga-misaki lighthouse
Kyoga-misaki lighthouse was first lit up on December 25, 1898; it uses a first-order Fresnel lens and is designated as a first-order lighthouse. The Kyoga-misaki lighthouse stands in the middle of the cape, 144 meters above sea level; the visible distance is about forty-one kilometers and the lamp rotates at a speed of twenty seconds.
The lenses were made in France, weighing five tons including the lens base, and having a focal length of 922 mm. In Japan, this type of lens is adopted only by the Inubozaki lighthouse (Chiba Prefecture), Izumohinomisaki lighthouse (Shimane Prefecture), Tsunoshima lighthouse (Yamaguchi Prefecture), Muroto-misaki Cape (Kochi Prefecture), and Oki-no-shima Island (Fukuoka Prefecture) other than the Kyoga-misaki lighthouse.
(Refer to the section of the first-order lighthouse for details.)
The Kyoga-misaki lighthouse also serves as a radio beacon; recently this role has been more significant. The lighthouse tower which reaches twenty meters in height, was constructed at the site of an official residence and has an antenna; the antenna emits radio waves at a cycle of thirty seconds (fifteen seconds of emission and fifteen seconds of suspension) to display the direction and distance of the cape on the screen of marine vessel equipped with radar.
Staff was once stationed at the lighthouse, but now the system is fully automated.
In 1971, the Kyoga-misaki lighthouse was selected as one of 100 sceneries of Kyoto. The Kyoga-misaki lighthouse was also selected as one of fifty lighthouses of Japan.
For a particular period of time in every fall season, the inside of the lighthouse is opened to the public on Lighthouse Day.
Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Kyogamisaki Sub Base
The Kyogamisaki Sub Base belongs to the Iruma Airbase of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, and has a small landing field (airport).
In 1942, the Kyogamisaki Sub Base was built as a Japanese Imperial Navy observation post. In June 1948, the U.S. forces' radar base was opened. In March 2000, the Kyogamisaki Sub Base was incorporated into the thirty-fifth Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron.
Neighboring sightseeing spots
Tango Matsushima
Transportation
Bus operated by the TANGO KAIRIKU KOTSU Co., Ltd. from Miyazu Station of the Kitakinki Tango Railway
Bus operated by the TANGO KAIRIKU KOTSU Co., Ltd. from Amino Station of the Kitakinki Tango Railway
National Route 178
Works in which Kyoga-misaki appears
Goban-cho Yugiri-ro (novel written by Tsutomu MINAKAMI)
Shin Yorokobimo Kanashimimo Ikusaigetu (movie)