There are many attractions such as the Turkish Memorial Museum, Kashinozaki Lighthouse, U.S.-Japan Commemorative Museum, Umikingo Rock Formation, Shionomisaki Cape, the southernmost point of Honshu, Shionomisaki Cape Lighthouse, and Hashigui Rocks!
Turkish Memorial and Cenotaph
In 1889, when the Ottoman warship Ertugrul ran aground off the coast of Oshima (then Oshima Village) in Kushimoto Town, 69 people escaped with their lives thanks to the dedicated rescue efforts of the islanders.
Later, a cenotaph and a memorial hall were built as a sign of friendship between Japan and Turkey.
A model of the Ertugrul, artifacts, and photographs are displayed in the museum, and visitors can also see the “Funagora” where the ship was lost.
Kashinozaki Lighthouse
From the top of the lighthouse, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean.
Daffodils are at their best from January to February.
The adjacent old government office building is a registered national tangible cultural property.
U.S.-Japan Commemorative Museum and Umikongo Rock Formation
It is known that 62 years prior to Perry’s arrival (1791), the ships Lady Washington and Grace arrived in the Oshima area, bringing the first contact between the Japanese and Americans, but only a minority of Japanese know this historical fact.
Documents and photographs from the period are on display.
Also, walking along the promenade from the Japan-U.S. Commemorative Museum, you will see the sharply cut reef of Umigongo Rock Formation.
Shionomisaki Cape
From Shionomisaki Cape, the southernmost point in Honshu, you can see the entire Pacific Ocean.
There is also a “watchtower lawn,” named after a naval watchtower, and the “Southernmost Fire Festival of Honshu” is held every year on the third Saturday in January.
At the Cape Ushio Lighthouse, visitors can actually climb the spiral staircase inside the lighthouse and enjoy a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean from the top of the lighthouse.
Hashigui Rocks
This is a scenic spot where about 40 stone pillars of various sizes are lined up in a straight line like the piers of a bridge over a distance of about 850 meters.
It is also a photo spot for the first sunrise.
There is also a story of a bet between Kobo Daishi (Kukai) and Amanojaku (a character in Japanese folklore, depicted as a perverse fellow).
