Kokura Castle is the centrepiece of the Kokura district, a five-storey white castle tower rising above the stone base walls in the middle of the city. The castle was built by Lord Hosokawa Tadaoki in 1602 and survived multiple sieges before being deliberately dismantled in the 19th century. The current reconstruction houses a museum of Kokura domain history including samurai weapons, armour, and period documents.
The castle grounds (Katsuyama Park) are a popular cherry blossom viewing spot in April. The adjacent Kokura Castle Garden is a traditional Japanese landscape garden with tea ceremony facilities. The surrounding Riverwalk Kitakyushu shopping complex — built right next to the castle moat — creates an odd juxtaposition of heritage and retail that is somehow very Japanese. The castle is the obvious starting point for any Kitakyushu itinerary.