門司港・小倉だけじゃない！ほぼ知られていない北九州の自然がすごすぎた。【福岡観光・平尾台】

門司港・小倉だけじゃない！ほぼ知られていない北九州の自然がすごすぎた。【福岡観光・平尾台】

Good morning. Right now, I’m at Yahata Station in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture. The mountain you can see behind me is Mount Sarakura. On New Year’s Day this year, 2025, I came here to see the first sunrise. I also introduced it in a previous Kitakyushu video, and it’s a place I really like. Before, I enjoyed places like Kokura and Mojiko in Kitakyushu, mainly around the city area. But Kitakyushu’s charm isn’t just in the city. So this time, I’ll fully enjoy the nature of Kitakyushu! I’ve rented a car, and let’s head out right away. We’re heading from the city center of Kitakyushu toward the mountains. This convenience store sells bread you can’t buy anywhere else. I bought my lunch here. Now, let’s head toward Hiraodai. Driving along a winding mountain road. Wow, this is amazing. There were 29 curves in total. I made it through the winding mountain road. I’ve arrived in the Hiraodai area. What a nice view. Oh! The karst landscape is coming into view. That’s incredible. The road is narrow, but the view is absolutely stunning. Even on a weekday, the parking lot was pretty full. Here we are—Hiraodai. Look at the scenery behind me! Amazing. Since I came all this way, even though it’s insanely hot, let’s go hiking! Seriously, it’s scorching hot, but I’ve taken precautions against sunburn, and I’ll go as far as I can without overdoing it. It’s about a 30-minute drive from Kitakyushu’s city center. This vast area here is Hiraodai. Together with Akiyoshidai in Yamaguchi Prefecture and the Shikoku Karst across Kochi and Ehime Prefectures, Hiraodai is one of the “Three Great Karsts of Japan.” A karst landscape is formed when limestone, which dissolves easily in water, is eroded by rain or groundwater. It really is like a vast sculpture carved by nature over time. Right now, I’m at Chagatoko Enchi. There’s a parking lot here, and from here I’ll start hiking. Alright, let’s start the climb! It’s already mid-September, but it’s still extremely hot. This sense of scale is just incredible. Into the mountain we go. The clouds look great too, making the scenery feel dynamic. There’s no shade at all, so you really need to take sun protection seriously. Just ten minutes into the hike, and I’m drenched in sweat. It’s so hot. I’ve reached a fork in the trail. This is Nakatoge Pass. From here, I’ll head toward Ohirayama. Leaving the paved road, the trail is turning into a real mountain path. Apparently, there’s an unusual spot up ahead, so I’m going there. Wow. The view just opened up. Kyushu Nature Trail. Beautiful. It’s insanely hot though. The rocks scattered across this grassland are called pinnacles. They’re formed when limestone is eroded by rain, leaving only the harder parts behind. It looks like they’re jutting out from the ground, but actually it’s the opposite— these are the parts that resisted erosion and remained. Because they’re scattered around like sheep, this area is also called “Yōgunbaru,” meaning “Sheep Plain.” If you look closely, you can see the crystals in the limestone. Here they are. Found them. The “Gutsy Tree.” The tree is growing right into the rock. It really looks like a tree growing out of sheer willpower. Amazing. In summer, the vegetation grows so thick that it’s hard to see the path. I can’t see my feet at all, haha. There it is. I found it. The “Kiss Rock.” A spot where the rocks look like they’re kissing. Now that I’ve checked out the Gutsy Tree and Kiss Rock, next I’ll hike up toward Shihōdai. I’m already drenched in sweat. It’s tough, but I’ll keep going. It might be hard to tell on video, but the slope here is really steep. Climbing endlessly uphill while exposed to the blazing sun is pretty harsh. I think autumn is the best season for hiking, but with this heat in mid-September, I’m wondering—where did autumn go? Just keep climbing. Wow. Amazing. I can see the cityscape of Kitakyushu. Climbing is tough, but walking along the ridge is fun. That must be Shihōdai up ahead. Almost there. The clouds rolled in, and it suddenly got cooler. The clouds are like a natural curtain. So thankful for that. Since it’s over 30 degrees Celsius, there are hardly any people climbing. I see what looks like a huge hole ahead. That’s a depression commonly seen on karst plateaus, called a doline. Rainwater dissolves the limestone ground, gradually creating those depressions. That’s what a doline is. And when water goes deeper underground and erodes further, it forms a limestone cave. You can literally study geography while standing in front of nature. When multiple dolines join together and expand, they form what are called “uvalas” or “poljes.” This reminds me of cramming for geography tests back in high school. The doline right in front of me is massive. It feels so dangerous, like you’d be in serious trouble if you fell in. Now that I’m higher up the mountain, I can see dolines scattered across the karst plateau. Seeing it in person teaches you more than words ever could. I made it. I’ve arrived at Shihōdai! Getting here was tougher than I expected. It’s about noon now, so time for lunch. Still, it’s rough having no shade. Here’s what I bought earlier at Daily Yamazaki on the way here. The Hiraodai bread. Packed with cream. Delicious! There’s also red bean paste inside. It’s filled with so much cream and bean paste— a real energy boost. I’m drenched in sweat—if there were a river, I’d dive right in. I also bought a big rice ball with mentaiko (spicy cod roe). So good. It’s so hot and exhausting, honestly, I barely had the energy to keep filming. I hope I can edit this well. And right in front of me is the highest peak of Hiraodai, Mount Nukisan. I feel a huge sense of accomplishment, but this is only a stop along the way. I really want to go to Nukisan too, but with the heat, my stamina, and time, it’s just not possible. So I’ll give up for now. Still, I’m glad I made it this far. Time to head down quietly. This spot is incredible. It might be the best viewpoint of them all. This is the ridge I just walked along. The overlapping mountain ridges are beautiful. That doline right in front of me is insanely powerful. I don’t think the video really does it justice, but this route on this side is insanely steep. It’s a ridiculously steep slope. So scary. And that mountain over there is Ohirayama. I could have come to Shihōdai from that route too, but if I had, I would’ve had to climb this slope— it would’ve been brutal. This route is just too extreme. Steep slopes and unstable footing. If you slip, you’d fall straight into a doline. Somehow, I managed to get down. Going down is fine, but those who climb this way are amazing. I couldn’t do it. Here, you can see a doline up close. It really looks like the “Sheep Plain” (Yōgunbaru). I’ve come down from the summit. I’m near the trailhead now. That was pretty tough. Still, hiking leaves you feeling refreshed. I thought hiking in the morning would be cooler, but in the afternoon, clouds came out and it actually felt cooler on the way back. You never know until you go. Still, it’s really hot this season. In a little while, when autumn fully arrives, the hiking will feel amazing. Even so, hiking with this view was wonderful. Finally made it back to the parking lot. I’m back. Completely drenched in sweat. I wanted to go all the way to Nukisan, but it just wasn’t possible. Still, the hike felt really good. I changed clothes, took a short rest, and refreshed myself. Including the filming time, I spent about three hours round trip. I’ve cooled down from the sweat now, and I’m heading out to cool off even more. When you think of karst, you definitely think of limestone caves. This is the largest limestone cave in the Hiraodai karst area. Much more than I expected— you actually have to go down from the parking lot. That means climbing back will be tough. I’ve come down pretty far already. This is a cross-section of Senbutsu Limestone Cave. You can walk in with shoes part of the way, but further in, you have to wade through underground water. They rent sandals here, but I brought my own and put them on. There are also paid lockers to store your belongings. This cave stretches on for 1.2 kilometers. It’s the largest limestone cave in the Hiraodai area. Here’s what the cave entrance looks like. Amazing. You enter through here. I brought a jacket for waterproofing and warmth. Alright, let’s head in. It feels like entering a dungeon—what an atmosphere. Inside the cave, it feels like a natural air conditioner. So cool. This is amazing. This atmosphere is something every guy would love. It’s so exciting. The impact is incredible. Since I brought a flashlight, I can clearly see the shapes of the stalactites as I shine the light. Places that look like dead ends actually continue further when you shine the light. There are some narrow paths where larger people can’t pass. The light and shadow created by the stalactites are like nature’s artwork. It’s incredible to see up close the traces carved out over hundreds of years. Truly amazing. From here, you have to wade into the underground water. Alright, here we go. !!!?? The water is freezing cold…! I don’t know if my legs can handle this chill. Moving forward while soaked in this underground water might be too much for my feet. Since it keeps flowing, it feels even colder. I’m running out of words. It feels like an endurance game of whether I can handle the cold. So thrilling and exciting. I can tell they’ve added touches to make the cave more enjoyable. This is one of the most popular spots in Senbutsu Cave. The naming instantly brings something to mind. This is nothing like the caves I imagined (in a good way!). There are places where the water gets knee-deep. How far does this go on? I’ve reached the deepest point with lighting—900 meters in. The cave is only lit up to this 900-meter point. I checked in advance, and with a flashlight, I went just a bit further. But beyond here, it’s dark, narrow, and the footing is poor, so you shouldn’t go in lightly. As you can see, it’s pitch dark beyond this point. Flashlight, on! It really feels like Indiana Jones. And I’ve arrived— this is the “Hell Tunnel.” Beyond the Hell Tunnel, you’d have to crawl through a narrow passage. That’s true caving territory, so I won’t go further. Wow, that was fun! But unless it’s summer, it might be too cold to do this. I’ve made it back to the dungeon entrance. Man, that was awesome. I’ve returned. My honest impression— it was 100 times more amazing than I imagined! The sense of adventure and thrill— I had so much fun! The cave was super long. A mini adventure of about 40 minutes round trip. I just explored Senbutsu Cave. I didn’t expect it to be this amazing. I’m lost for words—simply incredible. Anyone visiting for the first time would be impressed. I never thought such stunning nature existed in Kitakyushu. At the entrance, you can also try Hiraodai’s famous “karst manju” buns. Of course, I had to try one. It’s sweet potato inside. The filling is sweet potato paste. It’s delicious. That was so much fun. But the uphill walk back was rough. Even after cooling down, I worked up another sweat climbing the stairs (lol). The karst plateau and limestone caves of Hiraodai— I fully enjoyed both above and below ground. It was so much fun. Pretty active, too. Now I’ll head back to the city and visit one more place I wanted to see. Back in the city, this is my last stop. This place is known as a sunset spot in Kitakyushu. In front of me stretches Hibikinada Sea. The offshore wind turbines add to the atmosphere nicely. There’s also an abandoned observation restaurant here. Not sure if I’ll make it in time, but I’m going to see the sunset. Tōmigahana (a stunning sunset spot on the northern coast of Wakamatsu). And with that, this was Kitakyushu Part 2, showcasing the charms of Kitakyushu. Feeling the nature of the karst plateau— it turned into quite an active day. I’d be happy if this video conveyed that “Kitakyushu’s nature is amazing too.” I hope this video was helpful. Thanks so much for watching until the end.

福岡県で福岡市に次いで大きな都市である北九州市。九州と本州が接続する場所であり、門司港や小倉の街が観光地としては有名です。ただね、北九州、自然もすごいんです！

今回訪れたのは、小倉から車で30分の場所にある平尾台。ここは日本三大カルストのひとつにも数えられていて、自然が作り出す雄大な景観が楽しめる場所。アクセスも良い、景色も最高。なのに、観光客にはほとんど知られていません。まさに穴場！今回は、北九州の自然を思う存分楽しんできました。

動画が良ければチャンネル登録、グッドボタンよろしくお願いします👍

📹️ 福岡県の関連動画
北九州パート1（小倉・門司港ほか）

福岡観光の再生リスト

📍 今回訪れた場所
デイリーヤマザキ 小倉新道寺店
https://maps.app.goo.gl/CYLhRWWfNEYncaZCA
平尾台・茶ヶ床園地
https://maps.app.goo.gl/HnC36MaZd6m963FCA
千仏鍾乳洞
https://maps.app.goo.gl/EwRNFBPJ7fGgJkSN9
若松北海岸
https://maps.app.goo.gl/cM3xNPaQCd8P2tBc7
遠見ヶ鼻
https://maps.app.goo.gl/w5VszcsHtzLkgMNCA

🎵使用している音楽
Artlist（めっちゃ良い音楽、揃ってます。以下から2ヶ月分付与の特典をゲットできます。）
https://artlist.io/referral/c48a3ef8-a079-4f03-82ba-aa274ebf0700