Art, pottery, café time, and tofu sweets—reset your mind with a relaxing half-day in Kitakyushu.

A Mind-Refreshing Art & Craft Journey

Thinking about visiting Japan? Kitakyushu offers a peaceful, creative escape perfect for travelers seeking a slower pace.
Start with inspiring museum views, enjoy a hotel-made lunch, immerse yourself in pottery making, and finish with light, healthy tofu desserts.
This gentle half-day itinerary is designed to refresh your heart and mind in the charming city of Kokura.

Duration : Half day

Transportation : Car & Walking

📍Places to visit on this course

  1. Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art

  2. Café Musée

  3. Matsuo Pottery Studio

  4. Tsuruga Tofu Studio

🚩START!

Kitakyushu Urban Expressway – Kokura Station Yamaji IC

By car (8 minutes)

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1. Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art

🖼️ “Binoculars on the Hill”: Art with a Panoramic View

Founded in 1974, this landmark museum sits atop a hill overlooking the city. Designed by world-renowned architect Arata Isozaki, its iconic exterior is instantly recognizable.
The museum houses around 8,000 works, including modern and contemporary art from Japan and abroad, as well as a collection of ukiyo-e prints.

📍 Basic Info

Inside the building

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2. Cafe MUSE

☕ Scenic Café with Ocean & City Views

Located on the 2nd floor of the museum, this café is operated by the local Chigusa Hotel group.
The sweeping 180-degree panorama of Hibikinada Sea and the city is simply breathtaking.
Enjoy dishes crafted by hotel chefs—such as the monthly recommended plate lunch or hotel-made raspberry chocolate cake —while relaxing in an elegant setting.

📍 Basic Info

By car (15 minutes)

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🎨 Create Freely in a Calm, Green Atelier

3. Matsuo Pottery Studio

Hidden in a quiet residential area of Kokura, this studio offers pottery experiences ideal for beginners.
You can choose between hand-building and electric wheel. With 1 kg of clay, hand-building allows even beginners to create freely—cups, plates, bowls, anything you like.
Choose from 10 glaze colors such as blue, pink, and white. Finished pieces are fired and delivered 1–3 months later.

📍 Basic Info

  • Address : 3-3-13 Nakai, Kokurakita-Ku, Kitakyushu City

  • Phone : 093-582-1952

By car (10 minutes)

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4. Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art

🖼️ A Landmark Museum with Stunning City Views

Perched on a hill overlooking Kokura, this 1974 masterpiece by architect Arata Isozaki is nicknamed the “Binoculars on the Hill.” The museum houses around 8,000 works, including modern Japanese and Western art, ukiyo-e, and notable pieces such as Edgar Degas’ Portrait of Monsieur and Madame Manet.

📍 Basic Info

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By car (8 minutes)

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Kitakyushu Urban Expressway – Yamaji IC

🏁GOAL!

  • A bowl of udon noodle soup topped with green onions, tempura, beef, and a fish cake, served alongside onigiri rice balls wrapped in seaweed.
  • A modern building with glass doors and windows, decorated with flags and signs, including a cartoon tiger mascot wearing a white hat and cape, outdoors on a sunny day with trees in the background.
  • A dessert served in a tall glass with various toppings like fruit, beans, and cookies, viewed on a tray with a blurred background.
  • Young girl dressed in traditional Japanese attire hitting a large taiko drum during a cultural festival.