Mojiko Retro District

Mojiko Retro is the preserved Meiji and Taisho-era port district of the Moji ward, at the northern tip of Kitakyushu where the city meets the Kanmon Strait. A cluster of grand redbrick and stone buildings — the former Customs House, the Moji Mitsui Club, the Osaka Shosen Building — have been preserved and converted into restaurants, galleries, and tourist facilities.

The area is compact and walkable, with the strait and the bridge to Honshu visible at the end of every street. A pedestrian tunnel runs under the strait to Shimonoseki — the crossing takes about 15 minutes on foot and costs almost nothing, giving the claim to have walked between Kyushu and Honshu. The Kanmon Bridge, visible from the waterfront, is illuminated at night. The retro district is most enjoyable on a clear day; the food scene — particularly the Kitakyushu-style yakitori — gives a good reason to stay for dinner.

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A story
Moji's Meiji-era prosperity came from being the transfer point for coal from the Chikuho coalfields onto ships heading to the rest of Asia. At its peak in the early 20th century, more coal passed through Moji port than any other port in Asia. The customs house, trading company buildings, and railroad hotels built during that era are what remain as the "Retro" district — preserved because the coal trade collapsed before the buildings were demolished for something newer.