(1)Lighthouse
Memorial Day
November the first is the Lighthouse Memorial Day.
0n November the first,1949,a memorial ceremony
was held to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the lighting of the Kannonzaki
Lighthouse,the first western style lighthouse in Japan.
The day has been since designated as the Lighthouse
Memorial Day.
Incidentally,it was the day that the construction of
the lighthouse was commenced.
(2)Bricks of
the Original Kannonzaki Lighthouse
The original Kannonzaki lighthouse was built of brick.
64,600 bricks are said to have been used.
The bricks were made at the Yokosuka Steel Works(later
a shipbuilding company)underthe supervision of a French engineer.
The lighthouse was destroyed by the earthquake
of 1922.
The bricks were all marked with the name“Yokosuka
Seitetsu-sho”.
Even today,the bricks are found under the cliffs
of the lighthouse.
(3)Marine Day
July the 20th is the Marine Day.In 1876,Emperor
Meiji inspected north east Japan,
and returned from Aomori to Yokohama on the most up-to-date
lighthouse inspection vessel the“Meiji Maru”.
As the Emperor arrived safely in Yokohama on
July the 20th,
the day was designated as a national holiday in 1996.
The Marine Day has a wide connection with aids
to navigation activities.
(4)The Pharos
Lighthouse
The Pharos Lighthouse on an island at the mouth
of Alexandria Bay is the oldest lighthouse recorded in history, and is
famous as one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
In ancient Egypt,built in 279 B.C., inside thick
castle walls stand a high tower of 135 m with many large rooms within the
tower.
On the top of the tower in front of a reflecting
mirror of granite,Priests burned coconut wood to keep the fire burning
at all times.
It. is said that the fire was visible at a distance
as far as 100km away.
This legendary lighthouse was damaged by several
disasters and was destroyed in the 14th century.
The word Pharos was later used for lighthouses
and other aids to navigation as a whole, and it is the origin of the word“pharology”(lighthouse
architecture).
(5)An Illusion
of a Lighthouse at Shiriyazaki
The Shiriyazaki Lighthouse at the end of the Shimokita
Peninsula in Aomori Prefecture was attacked at the end of World War U
and was completely destroyed under the ocean.
Engineer Murao died in the radio communication
room on duty.
The following year,rumors were spread that a light
could be seen in the window slightly lower than the destroyed light
room.
Later,several fishermen came to the lighthouse
and reported that when they were drifting with engine trouble in a deep
fog,they were able to find the light of the lighthouse and were able to
land on the near shore.
From the vessel operating company an inquiry came
to ask about the light of the Shiriyazaki Lighthouse.
The stairs were damaged and it was impossible
to climb the stairs to turn on the light at night,spreading rumors as
a mysterious light.
In August,a temporary light was installed and
the rumors disappeared.
But it is still believed that the spirit of the
deceased engineer Murao turned on the light.
(6)The Tunnel
at Cape Kamui
The Kamuimjsaki Lighthouse at the end of the Shakotan
Peninsula in Hokkaido is located about 4 km from the nearest village, in
a location where there were hardly any roads,and people stepped on one
stone to the next,fearing the fall of stones from above.In 1911,When
three members of the families of the staff went to buy the daily food,they
were overtaken by huge waves.
The people of the village decided to dig a tunnel to console
the souls of the victims and to secure a safe passage.
The work on the tunnel was started from both ends,but
unfortunately the two holes did not meet In the center.
The people rang the bell and prayed for help.
The bell informed the direction to proceed and
the tunnel was completed.
Under these circumstances,the tunnel is called
the“Prayer Tunnel”.
The tunnel of 60 meters in length is dark inside,as
the ceiling is low with a curve in the middle Part it is said that peoplepass
the tunnel praying for the three Victims.
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