On March 4th, the finalists for the 2025 "Green Destinations Top 100" (the world's top 100 sustainable tourist destinations), conducted by the international certification body for sustainable tourist destinations "Green Destinations," were selected, and the Kanmon area (including Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture) received a brilliant ranking of 3rd in the "Destination Management" category. This is the first time a Japanese area has been selected as one of the top 3 in this category.

The project has been recognized worldwide for discovering the potential of "infrastructure tourism" as a solution to the challenges of regional collaboration in the Kanmon Strait area, which spans Kitakyushu City and Shimonoseki City, and for its contributions to area management as "one tourism zone" by involving infrastructure businesses in the tourism circle.

◆Green Destinations Top 100 Story Awards◆
Every year, from the areas selected for the "Top 100 Stories," the top 3 in the following 6 categories are awarded after a finalist selection process.
①Destination Management, ②Nature & Scenery, ③Environment & Climate
④Culture & Tradition, ⑤Thriving Communities, ⑥Business & Marketing
[Destination Management TOP3]
1st Place: Van Gogh National Park, Netherlands
2nd place: Occitanie, France
3rd place: Japan, Kanmon area (Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture; Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture)

◆Main initiatives in the Kanmon area◆
- Holding of a "Study Session on Sustainable Tourism in the Kanmon Area"
• New collaborations with infrastructure operators in the tourism sector
(Holding infrastructure tourism events such as tours of infrastructure backyards (non-public areas such as maintenance passages))
- Providing historical and cultural experiences starting with infrastructure tourism at Mojiko Station and the former Mojiko Mitsui Club, which are cultural properties that make up the "Kanmon 'Nostalgic' Strait" Japan Heritage site.

Taking this award as an opportunity, we will accelerate this project and also contribute to the Kanmon Strait City Association.
The DMO established the Public-Private Partnership Liaison Council for the Promotion of Infrastructure Tourism in January 2026.
Furthermore, the infrastructure of the Kanmon area will be used as a new tourist resource, and Kitakyushu City will become a world leader in sustainability.
We aim to create a "Nable City."