Overview
A three-minute aerial walkway connects RIHGA Royal Hotel Kokura to Kokura Station. On the Asano side of Kokura Station Area, the hotel is close to the Shinkansen platforms, airport-bus stops, convention venues, and stadium.
This is a full-service city hotel. Its 30-story building contains 295 rooms, seven restaurants and bars, meeting facilities, a pool, and a gym, with broad views across Kitakyushu toward the Kanmon Strait and Genkai Sea.
Rooms
Every room measures at least 30 square metres, giving even the entry categories more space than many business hotels near the station. Standard doubles and twins are joined by larger deluxe rooms and suites ranging from 59 to 121 square metres.
Superior Floors occupy levels 14 through 25, with Kokura-ori textile details used on the upper two. Selected rooms accommodate three or four guests with stacking beds. More than 100 metres above ground, the Tower Floors on levels 26 and 27 add a private library lounge, a dedicated high-floor breakfast, and complimentary fitness and spa access.
Facilities
The sixth-floor fitness area contains a heated 25-metre indoor pool, whirlpool, dry and steam saunas, and gym. Access costs extra with most room categories, while Tower Floor guests receive it as part of their room benefits.
Other facilities include a business center, laundry service, small shopping arcade, room service, and paid parking for 164 vehicles. The 15 meeting and conference rooms support events at the hotel as well as visits to the nearby convention facilities.
Dining
Seven restaurants and bars cover Japanese, French, Chinese, teppanyaki, and buffet dining, alongside a lounge and bar. Breakfast is served in the all-day dining restaurant, while Tower Floor guests can choose a separate breakfast on the 28th floor.
That range is handy after a late arrival, during a meeting, or whenever you'd rather dine without crossing the station. For a more casual evening, the shopping arcades and restaurants south of the tracks provide a wider neighborhood choice.
Location and transport
The aerial walkway meets Kokura Station at the Shinkansen exit. From there, trains reach Hakata in roughly 15 to 20 minutes, while local JR services continue to Mojiko in about 15 minutes. Limited express trains run toward Beppu and Oita, and the Kitakyushu Monorail serves central Kokura.
The hotel is on the quieter north side of the station, near Mikuni World Stadium and the international convention zone. Downtown shopping, Tanga Market, and Kokura Castle lie to the south, reached by walking through or around the station.
Airport access
Direct buses from Kitakyushu Airport take about 35 minutes on the faster service. Buses stopping at the Kokura Station Shinkansen exit leave guests immediately beside the hotel, while services using the main bus center require a walk through the station.
From Fukuoka Airport, take the subway to Hakata and change to the Shinkansen for Kokura. There is no hotel airport shuttle, so check the current airport-bus stop and timetable when planning an early departure.
Why stay here
The covered walkway takes much of the friction out of Shinkansen arrivals, while airport buses can stop close by. Larger rooms, broad dining choices, and extensive meeting facilities support both leisure trips and business stays without giving up station convenience.
The location also works for a city break. Kokura Castle is about 15 minutes from the station on foot, with covered shopping arcades and Tanga Market along the south-side route. Mojiko's historic waterfront is about 15 minutes away by local train.
Good to know
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM, and checkout is by 11:00 AM. Pool, sauna, and gym access costs extra for most room categories, and age and tattoo restrictions apply. Tower Floor bookings include access, but other floors do not.
The hotel is beside the Shinkansen exit rather than the main downtown shopping streets. Reaching the arcades, market, monorail, and castle route requires crossing to the station's south side.
1-minute walk
