Blogs from Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan, Asia

Monday, 19th October 2015 The JR Kyushu 5-Day Rail Pass is a worthwhile investment as I travelled extensively on the island during my week-long stay in Japan. The Pass cost me 18,000 Yen (SGD 201) for 5 consecutive days of usage starting from first validation. At first glance, 18,000 Yen seemed like a lot of money. But considering the ground that I managed to cover using the 5 Day Pass, this was one of the best bargains that I had for this trip as I probably clocked more than 30,000 Yen worth of train fares. Some of the sample one-way fares on selected routes that I travelled using this pass :- 1) Hakata to Kagoshima-Chuo (10,450 Yen - Shinkansen) - Kagoshima is the gateway to the Sakura-Jima Volcano with a relaxed sea-front vibe and charming city ... read more

Friday 2nd October 2015 So I ended the previous blog quite abruptly as we boarded the train in Hiroshima and headed south to Kitakyushu (train station confusingly called Kokura). We decided on this ghost town as it was only a 20 min Shinkansen ride from Fukuoka which is where we would be getting the ferry to South Korea. We found a nice hotel room which was cheaper than staying directly in the centre of Fukuoka and a stones throw from the station. Upon arrival we walked around to get our bearings and made our way over to the castle. The castle itself was closing so we didn't venture inside, but had a good gander from the outside. As far as castles go and my limited experience of rating them, I would say it was a nice ... read more

KIN4 meeting landed me in Japan for the first time in June 2007. It wasn't a smooth journey considering it took almost a day to reach Kitakyushu from Sibu, my lovely hometown in Malaysia. I took Malaysia Airlines from Sibu to Kuala Lumpur at 1150 on 23/7, the capital City of Malaysia. From Malaysia, I took Thai Airways to Bangkok and onward to Fukuoka International Airport in Japan after few hours transit. It was 0800 upon arrival in Fukuoka. A bus took us from the airport at 0930 to Kitakyushu. We arrived at about 1110 on 24/7 at Kokura Station, Kitakyushu.JR Kyushu's Kokura Station is the main rail hub of Kitakyushu, and the Sanyo Shinkansen stops there. Our hotel, Royal Righa Hotel is about 5 minutes walk from Kokura Station. It is strict with the check-in ... read more