Kitakyushu

Understand

Together with Shimonoseki it is part of the Kanmon Straits area. In terms of area it is the largest city in Kyushu, though Fukuoka has the bigger population. The population of Kitakyushu is about one million (or 1.3 million including Shimonoseki). Kitakyushu was created in 1963 from the five smaller cities of Kokura (小倉), Moji (門司), Tobata (戸畑), Wakamatsu (若松) and Yahata (八幡), and it retains this sense of being a country area with much diversity and beautiful nature, despite its reputation as a steel town. Kokura was supposed to be the target of the second nuclear bomb in World War II. However, it was cloudy on the day of the attack and the plane diverted to Nagasaki instead.

Tourist information site The local tourist association has a multilingual guide site.

Getting there

By plane 1 Kitakyushu Airport (KKJ IATA 新北九州空港 Shin Kitakyūshū Kūkō), Kokuraminami. Built on reclaimed land offshore in Suo nada, the most westerly part of the Seto Inland Sea, opened its doors in 2006. The airport is served by several domestic airlines, including JAL/ANA and the new discount carrier StarFlyer. Most flights connect to Tokyo's Haneda and Nagoya's Komaki airports (both within their city limits), but there are also several flights each week to and from Taiwan's Kaohsiung (called Takao in Japanese). More than 30 buses per day run between the airport and the Kokura station, many of them nonstop, but most stopping at each train station along the way. Buy the tickets before boarding for ¥620. The first bus leaves Kokura station Bus Center at 04:00, and the last bus leaves the airport at 24:55, after the last flight from Tokyo. Buses also run to/from Shimonoseki station eight times per day (70 minutes, ¥1000). If coming from the southeastern side of Kyushu, instead of going all the way to Kokura you can disembark at Kusami station (朽網駅), which has shuttle buses every 30 minutes or so to the airport, 20 minutes away, but only local trains stop at Kusami, no express trains.

By train

2 Kokura Station (小倉駅). the main railway station and is on the San'yo Shinkansen Line. All San'yo Shinkansen trains stop at Kokura. Nozomi, Mizuho, Sakura and Hikari Rail Star trains make frequent runs to/from Hiroshima, Okayama and Osaka, with some Nozomi trains also running from Kyoto, Nagoya and Tokyo. Sakura trains also run to/from Kumamoto and Kagoshima. Remember that the Japan Rail Pass covers all the forementioned sections above, except Nozomi and Mizuho trains.

Both the San'yo Shinkansen Line and the Kagoshima Main Line (鹿児島本線 Kagoshima honsen) connect Kitakyushu to Hakata station in Fukuoka. On the Shinkansen, Kokura can be reached from Hakata in 15-20 minutes at a cost of ¥2050 for an unreserved seat. Frequent Kodama runs are made between the two stations during rush hours.

By ferry Kokura ferry terminal connects with Matsuyama in Ehime Prefecture, Shikoku with an overnight ferry service. The ferry departs at 21:55 and arrives at 05:00 (you may stay on board until 07:00). A second class bunk costs ¥11,100 (as of April 2022). You need to fill out a short form before boarding the ferry. Shin Moji ferry terminal connects with Osaka, Kobe and Tokyo. The Tokyo service is operated by Ocean Tokyu Ferry, 03-5148-0109; passenger fares are ¥14,000 for second class and ¥26,600 for first class.

Getting around

By train For a tourist, JR trains are the easiest and likely the most convenient means of transport (except to and from the airport), as they give access to most of the city's non-natural attractions. Acquiring the JR Northern Kyushu pass is an overkill if you just want to go around Kitakyushu, but an attractive option if you also intent to go to nearby cities like Fukuoka and Beppu. Take note that the JR Northern Kyushu/JR Kyushu passes do not allow you to use the Shinkansen to go from Kokura to Hakata (but the normal JR Pass does).

By bus Nishitetsu Bus operates local services as well as highway buses to nearby cities. Nishitetsu Buses accept most Japanese transport smartcards (Suica, PASMO, Sugoca, etc.) which will save you a lot of hassle and also save you some money when you transfer to the train or another bus to get to your destination. Bus stops are very informative, containing complete information about lines and time tables, although you will need to figure out the Kanji and delays of up to 5 minutes are normal.

By monorail The Kitakyushu Monorail runs every ten minutes from JR Kyushu's Kokura station to Kikugaoka in Kokura Minami ward. The monorail is fun to ride and provides interesting views of the city, but its usefulness is impaired by the fact it offers no discount for transfer to trains or buses. Only a few station announcements are in English (including the stop for the Kitakyushu Media Dome and for the University of Kitakyushu).

On foot Walking around the Kokura station is a breeze as there are many covered pedestrian pathways and arcades. Mojiko and Yahata are also more conveniently explored on foot.

See

The city has the reputation of being just an industrial area, but this is only true of part of the coastline. The city covers a very large area (much larger than Fukuoka, 486 km² as compared with 340), and there are many pleasant spots for sightseeing and recreation.

Kokura

1 Kokura Castle (小倉城　 Kokura-jō) (a 10-minute walk from JR Kyushu's Kokura Station). April to October: 09:00-20:00; November to March: 09:00-19:00. Built by Hosokawa Tadaoki in 1602, it was the property of the Ogasawara clan which came from Harima (near Himeji) from 1632 to 1860. The castle was burnt down in 1865 in the war between the Kokura and Choshu clans. The keep was reconstructed in 1959, and the castle was fully restored in 1990. The Matsumoto Seicho museum and castle garden were opened in 1998. The keep contains a modern folkloric museum. Inside the castle you can see a video show about what Kokura was like during the Edo period, a display of Kokura Castle and its surroundings during the Edo period which is made of many lifelike tiny paper dolls, and you can also ride inside a palanquin like the castle lord would have when traveling. The box rocks back and forth to recreate the motion. It's amusing and free, so enjoy being the daimyo for a minute. You can also see two beautiful paintings of tigers with gold leaf on display. There is a café at the top floor (no ATM, bring your cash!). There is a wheelchair lift sort of device. See also Japanese castles. Keep ¥500, Keep and Japanese garden or Matsumoto Seicho museum ¥700, all three ¥900. (updated May 2026) Mori Ogai house in Kokura. Literary giant Ogai wrote his Kokura Nikki (Kokura Diary) here. Ogai was based at the castle at the turn of the 19th-20th century when it was a military base. He was born in Tsuwano in Shimane prefecture.

2 Hiraodai (平尾台). A rare karst plateau in Kokura Minami ward, 30-40 minutes by car from Kokura station. The grassy mountains are covered with large gray round rocks which the locals will tell you look like sheep grazing. Great for walks, hiking and camping. Caves can also be visited and the Shonyudo cave is not to be missed - wade through ice cold water in midsummer. There is no direct public transportation to Hiraodai, but a reasonably priced taxi service is available. The taxi leaves from the Nakatani Nishitetsu bus terminal (中谷車庫) and stops five minutes later at the JR Ishiharamachi Station (石原町駅) on the Hita-Hikosan Line (日田彦山線). It leaves the bus terminal twice a day M-F (09:40 and 16:05) and four times a day on Sa Su and holidays (09:40, 10:45, 13:40, 14:50). For more information about

Do

Visit the Blast furnace near Space World train station. Japan's steel industry began here in 1901 and the original furnace is preserved as steelmaking was so important to Japan and the development of Kitakyushu in the 20th century. Also nearby are the city's natural history museum and environment museum.

Cruise the Dokaiwan sea inlet between Tobata and Wakamatsu wards at night. Advanced bookings required, 19:00-21:00, Fridays in August, leaving from Tobata ferry stage, about seven minutes walk from Tobata station. Four trips only each year. ¥3,000 per person. Includes visit to former Furukawa Kogyo building in Wakamatsu where we were treated to live Hawaiian music and beer. Overall a good evening. The boats used for the cruise are the ferry boats which ply between Tobata and Wakamatsu, Japan's shortest and cheapest ferry (3 minutes, ¥50 per person, ¥50 per bicycle). Walk to Honshu! Kanmon Pedestrian Tunnel starts in Moji-ko, near Mekari Park. The tunnel runs underwater between the islands of Kyushu and Honshu. After about ten minutes' walk you have emerged in Shimonoseki in Honshu, where you can ride a cable car up Hinoyama and enjoy a nice view of the Kanmon straits and Kitakyushu. Best on a clear day! ChaCha Town (チャチャタウン小倉) (take the ¥100 bus marked "Sunatsu/Chacha Town" from the bus platform underneath Kokura Station). A shopping and amusement center with an IMAX movie theater, game center, food court, clothing stores, a grocery store, and a very big ¥100 shop. On weekends there are concerts and other attractions in the amphitheater- usually a kids' dance group, a magician, or a local musician. The shopping center's large red Ferris wheel isn't the biggest, but it's kind of a fun way to see the city at night. (updated May 2026) Aru Aru City (linked by pedestrian bridge to Kokura station north exit). Easily reached from Kokura station, Aru Aru City is Kitakyushu's center of otaku culture, hosting frequent events per year, eight stories of anime-, manga-, and game-themed shops, game arcades, a manga kissa, and the Kitakyushu Manga Museum. While obviously not as huge as Tokyo's Akihabara or Osaka's Den Den Town, it is far more specialised than those two and has the obvious convenience of having all shops under the same roof.

Midsummer festivals Watch one of the summer festivals held in July:

Kokura Gion (小倉祇園太鼓, Kokura gion daiko). Third weekend in July Tobata Gion (戸畑祇園大山笠, Tobata gion yamagasa). Designated an important intangible cultural asset of Japan and dates back to 1802. It involves the carrying of large floats called Yamagasa by abou

Buy

Explore the spacious and ultra-modern Riverwalk shopping complex by the Murasaki river and near the castle Visit the classical department store, Izutsuya Stroll through Uomachi shopping area. The tiny traditional open-air Tanga market has fresh fish, fruit and vegetables in abundance. It is the oldest shopping arcade in Japan. Aru Aru City (linked by pedestrian bridge to Kokura station north exit). Aru Aru City is certainly the place for buying manga, anime, games and all related trinkets (posters, cards, action figures, etc.). Highly remarkable is the shop selling a large variety of old second hand videogames - if you still have a working Famicom, there will surely be something for you there.

Eat

1 Rihga Royal Hotel. This hotel has several high-priced restaurants. There are many restaurants to suit all budgets in the Uomachi area near Kokura station, and at the top of the Izutsuya department store. Also try the sixth floor of Amu Plaza building above Kokura station. There is a McDonald's and a Lotteria Burger near Kokura station for the starving and desperate. In the sixth floor of Amu Plaza building, there is a kaiten (revolving) sushi restaurant. The chefs will make sushi to request and oblige requests for substitutions or no wasabi. They also make some grilled/seared fish sushi -- delicious! They have a few vegetarian options like kappamaki and you can also get fresh fruit and fried chicken and other non-sushi dishes. Service can really vary from time to time though -- sometimes the waitresses are more helpful and sometimes they ignore you. For cheaper stuff or deli take-out, you can find lots of good things to eat in the basement of Izutsuya. Towards the back of Kokura Station, across from the Shinkansen gate, there is a shopping area called Himawari Street. Downstairs in this area you will find another cluster of places to eat, including a sports yakitori bar, oden, okonomiyaki, yakisoba, Ringer Hut for fast food, and a 1950s-60s retro-styled area of tonkotsu ramen places. Popular foods in Kitakyushu include karashi mentaiko (辛子明太子, spicy pickled cod roe), tonkotsu ramen (the stinkier the better, apparently), and yaki-udon (just like yakisoba but using udon noodles). Chanpon, yakiniku, and Korean food such as bibimba also seem to be enjoying strong popularity. Hardtack has been sold since the 1920s in Yahata. Be careful not to break your teeth. Kokura is, quite literally, synonymous with a type of finely filtered red bean jam known as ogura-an (小倉餡) with an alternative reading of kokura-an, which makes its way into all sorts of Japanese pastries and desserts. But in fact ogura-an is from Ogurayama, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, and ogura-an pan (red bean jam in bread rolls) was first made in Tokyo.

Drink & nightlife

Booties (Opposite Izutsuya department store). Open from 17:00 most days. Irish pub, Japanese-run, Guinness and pub food available. Big screen for viewing sports. (updated May 2024) There are three Starbucks in Kokura, one in Riverwalk, one near Kokura station and one inside the SunLive City shopping mall.

Sleep

There are all sorts of options from the lap of luxury down to the cheapest ryokan. Ask at the Information desk, third floor of Kokura station.

Budget MediaCafe, 802-0001, Fukuoka Prefecture Kitakyushu, Kokurakita Ward, Asano１丁目-１- (North exit on street level). They have an English price list, and you can find monthly on the bottom of the sheet. Depends on how long you want to stay. Renting from ¥100 to sit down per hour and use their wifi in the common room, open booth, privates and monthly is under ¥40,000.

Mid-range Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kokura-ekimae (ダイワロイネットホテル小倉駅前). Good rooms and food.

Splurge Rihga Royal Hotel Kokura (リーガロイヤルホテル小倉), 2-14-2 Asano (north of Kokura station), ☏ +81-93-5311121. The top hotel in town and the only Rihga Royal hotel in Kyushu.

Go next

Shimonoseki on Honshu is a short train ride from Kokura. Additionally, StarFlyer has a promotion where, if arriving from or going to Tokyo on any of their flights, they will offer taxi service between Kitakyushu Airport and Shimonoseki for only ¥1000. Hakata station in Fukuoka is twenty minutes by Shinkansen from Kokura, or about one hour by express. Nakama Nogata Kanda Yukuhashi Munakata Chikujo Kurate