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Designated city in Kyushu, Japan
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Kitakyūshū (北九州) is a large city in Fukuoka prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Kokura, the heart of Kitakyushu, is an ancient feudal castle town guarding the Straits of Shimonoseki.
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小倉城 Kokura-jō
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.
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 the taxi, call Hiraodai Kankou taxi at 451–0201, or ask at Kokura station information desk on the third floor.
This waterfall in Kokura Minami ward is cool and popular with Japanese residents in the summer. Watch out for baby wild boars (uribo) which have been known to nibble at feet in search of food (from personal experience). You can rent bicycles from Dobaru cycling terminal and cycle around the whole area for a few hundred yen. Buses run to here from Kokura Station.
関門海峡ミュージアム（海峡ドラマシップ）
Has a museum and a light show about the history of the Kanmon straits, good nautical souvenirs and regular live music events.
九州鉄道記念館, kyūshū tsetsudō kinenkan
出光美術館, Idemitsu bijutsukan
Reservoir in Yahata Higashi Ward with an onsen (hot spring) with a rotenburo (outdoor bath). Courtesy bus from Yahata station. You can walk round the reservoir in about an hour, or rent a bicycle.
Accessible by Hobashira cable car, provides superb views of the city, especially at night.
北九州市立美術館, Kitakyūshū Shiritsu Bijutsukan
ゼンリン地図の資料館, zenrin no chizu no shiryōkan
The Zenrin company, whose head office is in the black segment of the Riverwalk complex, is a major local employer which pioneered mapping software in Japan. This location has been chosen because a famous Edo period mapmaker, Ino Tadataka, started making his map of Kyushu here. The views of the city and Kanmon straits from the museum on a fine day are excellent.
北九州市立いのちのたび博物館, kitakyūshū shiritsu inochi no tabi hakubutsukan
Near Space World train station.
環境ミュージアム, kankyō myūjiamu
TOTOミュージアム
The museum is on the second floor of the company's headquarters, in a building with a modern architectural style. The building resembles a bathtub. The museum exhibits old toilets and toilet seats, urinals, bathtubs, and the company's most famous product, the toilet bowl.
チャチャタウン小倉
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.
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.
小倉祇園太鼓, Kokura gion daiko
Third weekend in July
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 about 100 men who shout "Yoitosa" to keep in time. Fourth weekend in July.
黒崎祇園山笠, Kurosaki gion yamagasa
July 20–23
若松みなと祭り wakamatsu minuto matsuri
in July
わっしょい百万夏祭り, Wasshoi Hyakuman Matsuri
Early August. Many dance groups. Ends with a parade and firework display.
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.
This hotel has several high-priced restaurants.
Irish pub, Japanese-run, Guinness and pub food available. Big screen for viewing sports.
They have an English price list, and you can find monthly on the bottom of the sheet.
リーガロイヤルホテル小倉
The top hotel in town and the only Rihga Royal hotel in Kyushu.
By train
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.
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).
By bus
Nishitetsu Bus operates local services as well as highway buses to nearby cities.
By monorail
The Kitakyushu Monorail runs every ten minutes from JR Kyushu's Kokura station to Kikugaoka in Kokura Minami ward.
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.
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Kitakyushu · International · KKJ
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