Chiyoda

Referred to as the Lighthouse or Lantern Tower, this historic 1871 building stood on the site of the Yasukuni Shrine until the construction of a road in 1925 which brought it across the avenue near Kudanzaka Park.

Surprisingly, according to the information board, it is said that the lighthouse was visible from Tokyo Bay and was a landmark for the entrances and exits of the Shinagawa River coast. The tower, being only 16.8 meters high in a very urban environment, it seems difficult to understand how the light could reach such a distant target.

On the other hand, the tower was originally on the hill side of the Yasukuni Shrine site when it was a steeper slope. It is, therefore, possible that the lighthouse was at a higher altitude than it is today. In addition, at the time, there was certainly less construction in height and, therefore, less visual obstruction.

Structurally, the tower could be divided into four sections: the base, the tower, the light room, and the weather vane. The part with the largest proportion is the square base that narrows slightly before widening partially again, like an hourglass. The base is built of natural stones, reminders of those of the retaining walls of the moat of Edo Castle. A platform sits on top of the square base. Then, an octagonal tower bricked in the same shades as the base provides a nice transition. Another terrace marks another smaller part, that of the lighthouse where the eight sides are glazed. A nice gold detail surrounds the edge of the roof. Finally, a tall weather vane shows the direction of the wind.

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