You're Going to Love Kitakyushu
Kitakyushu lies in Japan's Fukuoka prefecture and has a population of roughly 1 million people. The prefecture itself has a rich history, and the conservation of the area's heritage makes it a wonderful place to visit, while experiencing some of the architectural marvels as well as the festivals is a must.
The Kitakyushu region is covered in a mountainous landscape and capped with a rich forest cover that leads up right up to the coast of the East China Sea. It serves as a gateway between the northern island of Honshu (Japan's largest) and Kyushu, where important trade goods arrive either by road, rail, or the port of Shin Moji.
With stunning shorelines and attractions to suit every taste, Kitakyushu weaves a magic all of its own on visitors.
Top 5 Reasons to Visit Kitakyushu
1. Out-There Museums
There are two popular museums within Kitakyushu: TOTO Museum and the Kitakyushu Manga Museum. The TOTO museum is renowned for housing the first ceramic toilet in Japan, while the Manga museum focuses entirely on Japanese comics and games.
2. Incredible Natural Beauty
The landscape in Kitakyushu is breathtaking, making it ideal for memorable nature walks. From waterfalls on the plateaus to beautiful gardens, every sight is picture perfect.
3. Superb Architecture
There are famous ancient monuments that are synonymous with Kitakyushu, such as the Kokura Castle. The outskirts of the city are also filled with houses that incorporate traditional Japanese architectural styles and designs.
4. Waterside - and Underwater - Strolls
Kanmon Kaikyo (or Kanmon Straits) run between Honshu and Kitakyushu. You can stroll along the banks and take in city views or wind through one of four underwater tunnels. Each year on August 13, the Kanmon Kaikyo is the scene of a huge fireworks display, with some 15,000 fireworks lighting up the sky on either side of the water.
5. Limestone Caves
You can explore numerous limestone caves at Hirodai Countryside Park, where you'll amble through geological cavities surrounded by porous limestone. If you prefer to stay above ground, the park also offers good hiking opportunities.
When to Visit Kitakyushu
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Kitakyushu is a year-round destination, although winters can get quite cold. Most of the attractions in this region such as museums operate all year round, however, the nature trails and the landscape in general change during winter. This is low season, and accommodation costs are usually more affordable compared to the summer peak. Cherry blossom season runs from March to April.
How to Get to Kitakyushu
Plane
Kitakyushu Airport is located on an artificial island in the Seto Inland Sea, and it handles domestic flights as well as flights from Seoul and Busan in South Korea and Dalian in China. Five buslines connect the airport to the city and tickets cost between JPY410 and JPY800. The trip to the center is about 30 minutes. A taxi will cost around JPY8,000.
Train
The Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen high-speed rail line will get you from Tokyo to Kitakyushu in about five hours (tickets start at JPY21,500). You can also use local express trains to get around the prefecture; these arrive and depart from the Kokura Station with stopovers at the Fukuoka terminus.
Car
Travelling by car can be hectic. It takes about 12 hours on the Tokyo Expressway from Tokyo International Airport.
Buses: WILLER offers a service between Kokura (in the center of Kitakyushu) and Osaka. Tickets start at JPY4,800, and the ride lasts about eight hours.
Boat
Ocean Tokyu Ferry operates daily ferry services connecting Tokyo and Kitakyushu. The trip lasts 10 hours, and ticket prices for a shared cabin start at JPY17,400.
Airlines serving Kitakyushu
Where to stay in popular areas of Kitakyushu
Most booked hotels in Kitakyushu
How to Get Around Kitakyushu
Public Transportation
There is an electric tram network that covers most of the city, as well as rail and bus options and even a monorail. A one-day bus ticket costs JPY7.
Taxis
There are local taxi companies as well as options like Uber and Taxify in Kitakyushu. For a standard taxi, expect to pay JPY2400 for a three-mile trip, including a JPY730 flag drop.
Car
Japan is a hub for car manufacturing, so it is only fair that there be numerous car hire companies! You can easily hire a car after filling out documentation using valid ID. The most common are the Nissan car hire solutions, Nissan Rent-a-car and Orix rent-a-car. Prices start at around JPY7,400.
Where to Eat in Kitakyushu
There is a myriad of restaurants in Kitakyushu that offer different food varieties alongside the portable kiosks that serve noodles and ramen. Teru Sushi's delicious sushi menu makes it popular with tourists. Other good eateries include Inakaan, which is renowned for its eel dishes, and Kollagen Sohonten, serving delicious hotpots and miso soup. Expect to pay between JPY3,000 and JPY8,000 for a meal.