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Tsunoshima Island

HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > Tsunoshima Island

Cross the 1.7km sea bridge for a quick beach break

Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture

Tsunoshima is a 4.1 square kilometer, hourglass-shaped island in the East Sea. Take a scenic coastal drive across Tsunoshima Bridge, a 1,780-meter-long, toll-free bridge connecting the westernmost tip of Yamaguchi to the picturesque Tsunoshima. The island is frequently used as a filming location for TV dramas and commercials because of its beautiful scenery and cobalt blue sea.

Visit the first Western-style lighthouse constructed in Japan, Tsunoshima Lighthouse. Designed by British architect Richard Henry Brunton and opened in 1876, the lighthouse is a designated National Important Cultural Property due to its historical and cultural value. It is one of only 16 lighthouses in Japan that can be climbed. Walk up the 105-step spiral staircase and take in panoramic views of the island and sea from the observation deck.

There are restaurants scattered around the island. Locally caught grilled squid is just one of the local specialties offering an authentic taste of Yamaguchi coastal life. Its crunchy texture and mouth-watering sweetness make it an unforgettable experience.

Tsunoshima offers an island escape where you can free your mind with natural scenery and enjoy tasty local food.

How to get there

By car: 1 hour 10 minutes by car from Shimonoseki Interchange expressway entrance/exit.

By train & bus: Take the Shinkansen bullet train from Hakata Station to Shimonoseki Station (about 40 minutes). From JR Shimonoseki Station, travel 36 minutes by train to JR Kogushi Station, then change trains to travel another 25 minutes to JR Takibe Station. From the station, catch a bus to Hotel Nishi-Nagato Resort Iriguchi bus stop (30 minutes), then get off there to see the island and bridge from the mainland side, a popular view for photos.

If you travel all the way by bus to the island, cross Tsunoshima Bridge while still on the bus and get off at Todai Koen Mae (Lighthouse Park) bus stop.

Caution: The number of buses from Takibe Station to the bridge to the island is limited. Also, there is no taxi stop on the mainland side of the bridge, so from there the most practical way to get to the island is to walk over Tsunoshima Bridge on foot. There is no footpath on the bridge, so please be careful of traffic.

2343-2 Oaza Tsunoshima, Hohoku-cho, Shimonoseki-shi, Yamaguchi-ken