Kitakyushu beat out Sapporo and Nagasaki to take the top spot in the Japan’s New Three Most Spectacular Night Views ranking. The symbolic Mt. Sarakura (622 m) affords one of the most beautiful night views in Japan in terms of both luminous intensity and scale, and combined with the geography of Kitakyushu, with its many mountains and close proximity to the sea, the view from the summit is breathtaking.

Having flourished as the gateway to the Kyushu region, a major feature of Kitakyushu is the many attractive night view spots scattered throughout the city. If you visit the Mekari Park No. 2 Observatory overlooking Kanmon Bridge right at sunset, the entire area glows in romantic hues. Meanwhile, in the Mojiko Retro district, there is a glass-walled observation room on the top floor (103 m) of an apartment building designed by a leading Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa where you can enjoy the view without worrying about the weather conditions outside.

Visitors to the city can enjoy a variety of night views, including a cruise where you can see Kitakyushu’s factory night views from the sea and light-ups of the Wakato Bridge, which glows in a deep red color, and the keep of Kokura Castle, located in the center of the city, which is lit up until 22:00 year-round.