Travel Guide Kitakyūshū

This city which, in reality, gathers five others (the cities of Wakamatsu, Yahata, Tobata, Kokura and Moji) now forms a conurbation of one million inhabitants. It is now one of the most dynamic cities in Fukuoka Prefecture, together with Fukuoka. The region escaped its fate for climatic reasons. Indeed, on August 9, 1945, as the clouds were too low, the plane carrying the atomic bomb turned around and chose the city of Nagasaki, whose sky was unfortunately clear. The city of Kitakyushu, despite its historical industrial vocation, has a number of buildings designed by the world-famous architect Arata Isozaki, a native of nearby Ōita. Several achievements stand out: the Chūō Toshokan (which is the city's central library), the Nishi Nippon Sōgō Tenji-jō (exhibition center), the International Conference Center (KitaKyūshū Kokusai Kaigijō), and, finally, the Municipal Museum. To get there, take the 41 Nishitetsu bus. Also, if you look hard enough, you can find a castle that is east of JR Kokura Station.