Explore Steel, Story, and Scenery in Kitakyushu’s Historic Heartland

A Journey Through Japan’s World Heritage of Industrial Revolution

In 2015, the “Industrial Revolutionary Heritage of Meiji Japan: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding, and Coal Industry” was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This course will take you to the heritage sites related to the government-run Yawata Steel Works, which contributed greatly to the modernization of Japan. On the way, let's stop by a local park and the latest shopping and dining spots in Yawata City.

Duration : Full Day

Transportation : Car

📍Places to visit on this course

  1. Kōro-dai Park

  2. Viewpoint of the Former Headquarters of Government-Operated Yahata Steel Works

  3. THE OUTLETS KITAKYUSHU

  4. Higashida First Blast Furnace Historical Site

🚩START!

Ootani IC, Kitakyushu Urban Expressway

By car (5 minutes)

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Visit a symbolic monument that feels like modern art

1. Kōro-dai Park

Located on a hill in Yahatahigashi Ward, this park features a monument modeled after the blast furnace of the former Yahata Steel Works. Climb to the top of the structure and enjoy panoramic views of Yahata’s townscape and Mount Sarakura. The spacious park is dotted with artistic sculptures, and during spring, it's a popular spot for viewing azaleas in bloom.

📍 Basic Info

  • Address : 3-9 Chuo, Yahatahigashi-ku, Kitakyushu City

  • Phone : 093-671-0803 (City Planning and Development Division, Yahatahigashi Ward Office, Kitakyushu City)

  • Kōro-dai Park relevant page

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By car (15 minutes)

2. Former main office of the government-run Yahata Steel Works, view space

Guides are on-site and free VR experiences available!

This two-story red brick building, constructed in 1899, remains inside the operational plant and is not open to the public. However, you can view it from a special observation area staffed with guides. Learn about the Yahata Steel Works through digital signage and experience what it’s like inside the historic headquarters using VR goggles.

📍 Basic Info

  • Address : 5 Higashida, Yahatahigashi-ku, Kitakyushu City, next to the former Space World group bus parking lot

  • Phone : 093-582-2922 (General Affairs Division, Planning and Coordination Bureau, City of Kitakyushu)

  • Yahata Steel Works relevant page

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By car (5 minutes)

3. Takatoyama Park

A scenic spot overlooking Dokai Bay and the city of Kitakyushu

Takatoyama, 124 meters above sea level, is a historic place where a mountain castle was built in the Middle Ages. Today, it is a peaceful park surrounded by seasonal flowers. The summit observatory provides sweeping views over the Wakato Bridge, industrial skylines stretching from Yahata to Kokura, and the glittering nightscapes that earned it a Japan Night View Heritage designation.

📍 Basic Info

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By car (30 minutes)

4. Sarakurayama

Kitakyushu’s crown jewel – a spectacular, immersive nightscape

From the base station, take a scenic 10-minute ride up the mountain via cable car and slope car (round-trip ticket: 1,230 yen). Large windows let you enjoy shifting views as you ascend. The mountaintop provides a broad, close-range panorama of twinkling lights—an unforgettable experience and the city’s premier night view.

📍 Basic Info

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By car (7 minutes)

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Ootani IC, Kitakyushu Urban Expressway

🏁GOAL!