Mekari Park

On the northern Kyushu side of the Kanmon Strait, there is a 37-hectare park in the Seto Inland National Park overlooking the main island. The whole area around Mt. Kojo, including Moji Castle ruins, is made into a park that stretches to the waterfront.

From the observation deck, you can see Kanmon Strait with the torrent making whirls and boats crossing to and fro under your nose. A rare saltwater swimming pool is opened during summer, a 3m-tall, 44m-long Arita pottery mural depicting Genpei Battle, Norfolk Hiroba (Plaza) named after the sister city, Mekari Shrine, and many more spots are worth a look.

You can get to the park by Mojiko Retro Sightseeing Train / Kitakyushu Bank Retro Train’s Shiokaze-go which runs from Kyushutetsudo-Kinenkan Station near Mojiko Station to Norfolk Hiroba Station or Kanmon-Kaikyo Mekari Station.

Kanmon Strait between the main island and Kyushu offers the exceptional night view and was registered as Japan Nightscape Heritage in 2020. Kanmon bridge is lit up and the quaint cityscape of Mojiko Retro and Shimonoseki is enchanting. Many visit here to watch the sunset over Hibiki-nada Sea.