Kitakyushu, Port city in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.
Kitakyushu is a port city in Fukuoka Prefecture at the northernmost tip of Kyushu island. Bridges and tunnels across the Kanmon Straits connect the urban area to the main island of Honshu, creating a direct land route between both islands.
The modern city formed in 1963 through the merger of five separate towns: Kokura, Moji, Yahata, Tobata, and Wakamatsu. This consolidation created an industrial center focused on steel production and shipbuilding that drove Japan's postwar economic recovery.
The summer Tobata Gion Yamagasa festival shows teams carrying decorated floats through the streets of the Tobata district. Local communities gather along the route and accompany the processions with traditional chants and rhythmic calls that shape the social life of the area.
Central Kokura Station serves as a transport hub with local trains, bullet trains, and connections to the artificial island airport. The city covers a wide area, so using public transport or a rental car helps when exploring different districts.
The TOTO Museum presents the complete evolution of bathroom technology through detailed exhibits and interactive displays. Visitors can see how the Japanese company developed from ceramic production into modern sanitary solutions that influenced bathroom standards worldwide.
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