$43.36
Per Person
11:00 Fukuoka
Start today's beautiful journey.
12:20 Kitakyushu - Yamaguchi Prefecture
Port of Moji opened to foreign trade in 1889 and was once a thriving international trade port. The area is dotted with historic buildings and Western-style mansions constructed from the Meiji period to the early Showa era. Its nostalgic and elegant atmosphere creates a sense of travelling back in time, drawing a large number of tourists every year.
First up is the mixed-use commercial complex Kaikyo Plaza. Facing the sea, this facility boasts an open layout housing general stores, souvenir shops and restaurants offering stunning sea views, where visitors can enjoy shopping and dining to their hearts' content.
Besides, Moji Port Retro Tourist Product Hall (Minatoya) is another ideal spot for picking up local specialties. It features a tourist market and takeaway counter selling seafood harvested from the Kanmon Straits, with an extensive range of souvenirs from across Kyushu available.
For a laid-back experience, drop by cafs and restaurants renovated from sections of heritage buildings. Options include Caf Matire housed in the former Osaka Shosen Building, Mooon de Retro located in the old Moji Customs House, and Mitsui Club set inside the historic Former Moji Mitsui Club. Treat yourself to desserts, coffee and meals amid the distinctive charm of these Western-style mansions.
Below are the top recommended attractions here:
**Kyushu Railway History Museum**
This railway-themed amusement park was renovated from the former headquarters building of Kyushu Railway Company. Visitors can view passenger carriages operational during the Meiji era and a wide variety of railway models. The museum also displays railway-related items such as train tickets and emblems, alongside precious physical historical materials.
The train driving simulation experience lets visitors operate a train along the actual route between Moji Port and Orio while enjoying the scenery, offering an authentic locomotive driver experience that is extremely popular. There is also a miniature outdoor railway where visitors can operate genuine equipment including double tracks and signal lights to travel a 130-meter loop on their own. In the vehicle exhibition area designed to resemble a station platform, nine iconic trains that once ran across Kyushu are lined up in a striking display.
Optional Extra Fee: 300 Yen per person
**Former Moji Mitsui Club**
Constructed in 1921 as a reception and accommodation facility for Mitsui & Co., Ltd., this two-story half-timber and half-stone building hosted Dr. Albert Einstein, famous for the theory of relativity, and his wife during their stay in 1922.
Optional Extra Fee: 100 Yen for adults, 50 Yen for junior high school students and younger
**Moji Port Baked Curry**
Baked Curry is prepared by topping steamed rice with curry sauce, cheese and an egg before baking the dish in an oven. There are multiple origin stories for this local specialty. One version dates back to the 1950s, when a caf baked leftover curry in an oven in the style of gratin. The unexpectedly delicious dish became known as Baked Curry and gradually evolved into a signature local delicacy of Kokura.
Optional Extra Fee: 1,500 to 2,000 Yen per serving
**JR Moji Port Station**
A station operated by JR Kyushu, it was built in 1914 and later designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Upon alighting from the train at Moji Port Station, visitors are greeted by a wooden station building designed in the Neo-Renaissance architectural style. Boasting an elegant and nostalgic ambiance, this station serves as the perfect starting point for a tour of Moji Port.
The coach bus will not head to Shimonoseki. If you wish to visit attractions such as Karato Market, please take a ferry at your own expense. The one-way fare is 400 Japanese Yen per person.
Karato Market
Karato Market is located in Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and can be reached by a 10-minute ferry ride from the Moji Port Retro Area.
Every weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) as well as on national holidays, the first floor of Karato Market is fully transformed into a seafood stall street named the Lively Maguan Street.
Vendors at Karato Market serve sushi, miso soup, deep-fried dishes and other delicacies made with ultra-fresh ingredients, and visitors can also enjoy pufferfish sashimi at a very reasonable price.
Ferry fee (at your own expense): 400 Japanese Yen per person for a single trip.
Japanese national holidays in 2025: July 21, August 11, August 13, August 14, September 15, September 22, September 23, October 13, November 3, November 24.
The seafood stall street Lively Maguan Street will be closed for business during Japan's year-end and New Year holidays (specific dates to be confirmed).
Li Hongzhang Road & Shunpanro
Li Hongzhang Road is situated in Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, right in front of Shunpanro Restaurant next to Karato Market.
This historically significant small road is named after Li Hongzhang, an important minister of the late Qing Dynasty. The naming originates from the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895.
In 1895, the Qing government was defeated by Japan in the First Sino-Japanese War. Li Hongzhang was later dispatched by the Qing government to Shimonoseki, Japan, to hold negotiations with Ito Hirobumi, the Prime Minister of Japan. The negotiations took place in Shimonoseki, and the famous Treaty of Shimonoseki was signed there on April 17 the same year. This treaty exerted a profound impact on China, including the cession of Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, payment of war indemnities, and the opening of more treaty ports.
To commemorate this major historical event, Shimonoseki City named a road near the treaty signing site Li Hongzhang Road (Japanese: Rihonchō Dōri). Though the road is not long, it marks a pivotal turning point in modern Sino-Japanese history.
Akama Shrine
Akama Shrine is also located in Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. It is a time-honored shrine featuring distinctive architecture and great cultural and tourism value. Dedicated mainly to Emperor Antoku, a young emperor in Japanese history, it is closely tied to the Genpei War in Japanese history, especially the Battle of Dannoura.
Originally known as Amida-ji Temple, it was converted into a shrine under the policy of separating Shinto and Buddhism during the Meiji Period. In the naval Battle of Dannoura in 1185, the eight-year-old Emperor Antoku drowned himself in the sea alongside his grandmother, the second wife of Taira no Kiyomori. The shrine was built to enshrine his spirit.
The main hall boasts a unique Ryūgū-zukuri (Dragon Palace Style) architectural design, resembling an underwater palace from fairy tales with a striking red-and-white appearance rarely seen among Japanese shrines. Its vermilion palace-like structure set against the blue sky and harbor backdrop makes it an ideal spot for photography.
15:30 Fukuoka Prefecture
Kokura Castle (approx. 50 minutes for free time)
The keep of Kokura Castle features a Tang-style exterior, simple yet bold and imposing. It was founded by Hosokawa Tadaoki, who began governing Buzen and Bungo Provinces in 1600 with a domain stipend of 400,000 koku. Ogasawara Tadazane took over the governance of Kokura Castle in 1632, and from that point until the Meiji Era, the castle served as the residence of the Ogasawara clan for roughly 230 years across 10 generations. In 1866, Kokura Castle was burned down during the Keio Boshin War, losing its former prosperity. The present-day Kokura Castle was reconstructed in 1959.
Optional Extra Fee: Admission to Kokura Castle costs 350 Japanese Yen per person.
**Yasaka Shrine**
Nestled within the grounds of Kokura Castle, Yasaka Shrine boasts a history of nearly 400 years. It is primarily dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto. Local residents come here to pray for recovery from illness, disaster prevention, harmonious family life, prosperous business and safe travels.
Additionally, the shrine is said to be extremely efficacious for prayers seeking romantic relationships, making it a favoured destination for couples and female visitors.
**Kokura Castle Garden**
Beyond the castle keep, the grounds of Kokura Castle are also home to a traditional Japanese garden.
Built on the former site of a secondary residence belonging to the Ogasawara clan, feudal lords of Kokura Domain during the Edo Period, Kokura Castle Garden is a cultural facility that recreates a feudal lord’s mansion and its attached garden. Designed as a pond stroll garden, it allows visitors to wander along the pond and admire the scenery. Japanese-style rooms overlooking the garden offer views of distinct seasonal landscapes all year round.
An exhibition hall features displays detailing the history of etiquette rooted in Japanese traditional values, alongside special themed exhibitions showcasing traditional Japanese daily life open to the public. Visitors can immerse themselves in the ambience of the Edo Period and leisurely experience authentic Japanese culture here.
Optional Extra Fee: A combined ticket for Kokura Castle and Kokura Castle Garden is available at 560 Japanese Yen per person.
**Cherry Blossom Season at Kokura Castle**
Every spring, around 300 cherry trees, predominantly Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms, bloom simultaneously in the castle park surrounding Kokura Castle. When in full bloom, pale pink and white cherry blossoms envelop the white castle keep, forming the iconic scenery of "castle framed by cherry blossoms" — one of Japan’s most iconic spring vistas. Visitors strolling along the moat and park paths can enjoy up-close views of the ancient castle paired with blooming cherry blossoms.
Particularly around the moat, reflections of cherry blossoms on the water blend with the castle walls and keep to form a profoundly historical spring scroll. The park sometimes hosts evening illuminations for night cherry blossom viewing, lending an extra romantic glow to the blossoms and drawing crowds of sightseers for photos.
Historically, the cherry blossom season typically falls from late March to early April (actual bloom period subject to local weather conditions).
**Seicho Matsumoto Memorial Museum**
This memorial museum is situated within the precincts of Kokura Castle.
Seicho Matsumoto was a renowned mystery novelist and one of Kitakyushu’s most celebrated literary figures. The museum documents his wide-ranging literary career through exhibits and informational panels. A massive 22-metre-long chronological timeline displays his life milestones and archival news footage, creating a striking visual impact. The museum’s mystery theatre screens original documentaries based on his landmark modern historical works including *The Sand Bowl* and *Points and Lines*.
Other facilities include an archive and reading room for researching materials related to Seicho Matsumoto, a merchandise shop selling exclusive original goods, and a tearoom.
Optional Extra Fee: A bundled pass covering Kokura Castle, Kokura Castle Garden and the Seicho Matsumoto Memorial Museum is priced at 700 Japanese Yen per person.
16:20 Fukuoka Prefecture
Visit the Journey of Life Museum or THE OUTLETS KITAKYUSHU (approx. 140 minutes for free time)
Journey of Life Museum
Located in Kitakyushu City, the Journey of Life Museum ranks among Japan’s largest comprehensive museums covering natural history and human history. Centered on the theme "The Birth and Evolution of Life", it guides visitors through 4.6 billion years of Earth’s history with massive dinosaur skeletons, dynamic exhibits and interactive installations.
Its most iconic attraction is a roughly 35-meter-long dinosaur exhibition zone, where numerous giant dinosaur skeletal specimens and animatronic dinosaurs vividly recreate the prehistoric world, greatly popular among families with children and dinosaur enthusiasts. Besides, it showcases the natural environment, mining development and progression of human civilization in the Kitakyushu area, making it a well-loved scenic spot that integrates education with entertainment.
Equipped with multimedia interactive zones and experience areas, the museum allows visitors to explore the mysteries of life evolution through sight, sound and touch, enabling easy sightseeing even for those with limited background knowledge in history or science.
Optional Admission Fees: Adults 600 Japanese Yen, High School Students 360 Japanese Yen, Elementary & Junior High School Students 240 Japanese Yen, Free entry for children below elementary school age.
Closed during year-end and New Year holidays as well as pest control periods.
※ Due to annual pest control operations this fiscal year, the museum will be closed from Thursday, January 28, 2027 to Thursday, February 4, 2027 (Reiwa 9).
THE OUTLETS KITAKYUSHU
Officially opened in 2022, THE OUTLETS KITAKYUSHU is one of Kyushu’s newest large-scale shopping malls. It houses over 170 stores featuring international brands, popular Japanese labels and specialty outdoor & sporting goods shops with year-round discounted prices.
Beyond shopping, the complex features a food court, specialty restaurants and rest areas, allowing visitors to savor local Kyushu delicacies while shopping. Adjacent to Yahatahigashi Ward and Kitakyushu Science Museum, it boasts a spacious and pleasant surrounding environment ideal for family trips.
Boasting a diverse range of brands covering apparel, sporting goods, fashion accessories, cosmetics and daily necessities, it stands as one of Kitakyushu’s most popular shopping destinations, perfect for luxury shopping and souvenir hunting.
Optional Expense: Self-funded shopping based on personal consumption.
19:00 Fukuoka Prefecture
Observation of Mount Sarakura Night View (approx. 50 minutes for free time)
Standing at an altitude of about 622 meters in Yahatahigashi Ward, Kitakyushu City, Mount Sarakura is one of Kitakyushu’s most iconic viewing spots. The observation deck at the summit offers a panoramic view of Kitakyushu urban area, Dokai Bay, Kanmon Straits and surrounding industrial zones.
The night view of Mount Sarakura is honored as one of Japan’s New Top Three Night Views alongside Mount Hakodate in Hokkaido and Wakakusa Mountain in Nara. After dark, city lights blend with harbor scenery to form a glittering sea of illumination, earning it the reputation of a "Million-Dollar Night View".
Visitors can take the cable car and ropeway to ascend the mountain slowly, enjoying the stunning transition from dusk to night scenery along the way. On clear days, Kanmon Straits and Shimonoseki City are visible in the distance, making this a top pick for photography enthusiasts and couples.
Visibility for the night view reaches its peak in winter thanks to crisp air; twinkling lights interweave with the harbor nightscape to showcase the distinctive charm of Kitakyushu as an industrial metropolis.
Optional Fees:
Round-trip combined ticket for Mount Sarakura Cable Car & Ropeway
Approx. 1,230 Japanese Yen per adult (subject to on-site pricing)
Kind Reminder: Opening hours, cable car service and ticket prices are subject to change without prior notice. It is recommended to verify relevant information via official channels before your trip.
21:00 Fukuoka Prefecture
Arrive at Hakata Station and conclude the itinerary
| Location | Time | Address |
| Lawson, Fukuoka Oriental Hotel (in front of Chikushi Exit of Hakata Station) Please arrive 10 minutes prior to the scheduled time. | 11:00 | 4-23 Hakataekichuogai, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka, 812-0012, Japan |
| Location | Time | Address |
| Lawson, Fukuoka Oriental Hotel (in front of Chikushi Exit of Hakata Station) The return time is for reference only and subject to the actual situation on the day. | 21:00 | 4-23 Hakataekichuogai, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka, 812-0012, Japan |
Once the booking is confirmed, an absence or failure to show up on the scheduled date or time is a no-show. No refunds or reschedules will be issued for no-shows and late arrivals.
Enter your email address below and we'll send you an email with a verification code to reset your password.
Please enter your new password and verification code we just sent to your email address.