Uomachi Gintengai | Review by 楊雅雯

Uomachi Gintengai

Renowned as Japan's first covered arcade shopping street, this historic commercial area remains a beloved destination for locals.

31 Oct 2026 See More

On this visit to Kokura in Kitakyushu, I made a point of stopping by Uomachi Gintengai to walk around and browse! It’s about a 5-minute walk from JR Kokura Station, so it’s really convenient to get to.

Uomachi Gintengai was Japan’s first covered shopping arcade and is also one of Kitakyushu’s busiest shopping streets, well loved by local residents.

Since I arrived early in the morning, most of the stores hadn’t opened yet. The entire shopping street was unusually quiet without the usual crowds, so I could take a leisurely walk, take some photos, and experience the atmosphere of the local streets.

Although I didn’t get to see the shopping street at its busiest, it was still a nice travel experience! If I have a chance to come back, I’d like to visit when the stores are open and take my time exploring this historic shopping street.

Other Reviews by 楊雅雯

Sarakurayama Observatory

It's an observatory from which you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Kitakyushu city area. To reach the observatory at the summit of the 622-meter-high mountain, visitors take a cable car and a slope car.
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On this trip to Kitakyushu, I made a special point of visiting the Sarakurayama Observatory, and it definitely didn’t disappoint! To reach the summit, you can take a cable car and then transfer to a small monorail called the slope car. Along the way, you can enjoy the mountain scenery, and as the car slowly climbs, the view becomes more and more expansive. Just riding up was a lot of fun.

After reaching the summit, the view was even more stunning! You can see Kitakyushu, the mountains, and the bay in the distance. At night, the entire city sparkles with lights, and together with the winding waterways and bridges, it creates an incredibly beautiful million-dollar night view. I really couldn’t stop taking pictures.

This isn’t just a great place to enjoy the scenery—the cable car ride up the mountain is also well worth experiencing. If you’re traveling to Kitakyushu, I highly recommend adding the Sarakurayama Observatory to your itinerary and seeing this captivating night view for yourself. It’s definitely worth the trip!
Shiranoe Botanical Garden

Open for nearly 80 years as a botanical park, this spot on a gentle hill offers natural landscapes woven by plants throughout the year. Visitors can enjoy seasonal views including spring cherry blossoms, peonies, hydrangeas, lotuses, autumn wildflowers, and foliage. The park exudes an authentic Japanese ambiance throughout, with over 700 cherry trees of 60 varieties from Kyushu, making it one of the most significant collections in the region.
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On this trip to Kitakyushu, I found another place that made me feel relaxed—Shiranoe Botanical Garden. The entire park is beautifully maintained, and you can enjoy all kinds of flowers, plants, and trees along the way. Walking through the park feels especially pleasant.

The best thing about this place is that it offers different scenery in every season. You can enjoy soft pink cherry blossoms in spring and romantic red maple leaves in fall. Each season brings a different kind of natural beauty.

The park never feels rushed. It’s perfect for slowing down, enjoying the scenery as you walk, finding a place to sit and rest, and spending some leisurely time.

Compared with busy tourist attractions, I prefer quiet places like this where I can get close to nature and take a peaceful walk.
Kurume Centennial Park

Kurume Centennial Park in Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture, is a nature-rich park that opened in 1989 to mark the city’s 100th anniversary. In spring, azaleas bloom in profusion, wrapping the park in vivid color. You can admire a wide variety of flowers while experiencing Kurume’s azalea-growing tradition that has continued since the Edo period. It’s also a popular cherry blossom spot, with Approx. 200 cherry trees in full bloom during sakura season.
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If you're in Kurume, Fukuoka, and looking for a place to take a walk and enjoy the natural scenery, Kurume Centennial Park is also a good choice! It's a well-known cherry blossom viewing spot in Kurume and is beautiful when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom in spring. During azalea season, you can also enjoy the colorful flowers.

There's also the large Yume Town Kurume shopping center (ゆめタウン久留米) nearby, so after visiting the park, you can stop by to shop and get something to eat. It's very convenient to plan them together.