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All the United States Northern Mariana Islands Saipan Old Japanese Lighthouse
AO Edited

Old Japanese Lighthouse

An abandoned lighthouse off the beaten path, one of the few surviving pre-World War II Japanese structures, offers a beautiful view.

Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands

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slfranke
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arrival zone   Bestvue / Atlas Obscura User
arrival zone   Bestvue / Atlas Obscura User
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I see no ships   Bestvue / Atlas Obscura User
Old Japanese Lighthouse   slfranke / Atlas Obscura User
Sunset view from the Old Japanese Lighthouse   slfranke / Atlas Obscura User
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About

An old Japanese Lighthouse overlooks the Saipan town of Garapan and West over the Pacific Ocean, ideal for sunsets. The lighthouse itself is covered with graffiti and as it is not advertised as a tourist destination in any way, inhabited only by those in the know.

The lighthouse was built in 1934 to assist ships navigating into Tanapag Harbor on the western coast of Saipan. It is one of the few surviving pre-World War II civilian structures built by the Japanese. Now abandoned, the lighthouse located atop of Navy Hill, Saipan. It was severely damaged during the battle of Saipan and then was temporarily repaired by the Seabees to be used as a communications center for the U.S. military.

The lighthouse was abandoned after the war until the early 1990s when it was converted to a restaurant. The lighthouse was abandoned again after going out of business in 1994. The graffiti-covered lighthouse was repainted in 2007. Today, covered in graffiti and overgrown grass, the great views from the top include not only the Harbor but the whole Garapan area, Managaha Island, and Mt. Tapochao to the rear.

Update as of March 2021: This location has been refurbished and is now an upscale coffee shop.

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Lighthouses Abandoned

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Located on Fuetsa Loop, Navy Hill. Use GPS coordinates as it's not marked. 15.211773,145.731887

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Added By

slfranke

Edited By

auradlsi, Bestvue, henrygdunphy

  • auradlsi
  • Bestvue
  • henrygdunphy

Published

September 20, 2016

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Old Japanese Lighthouse
Fuetsa Loop
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
United States
15.211499, 145.731968
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