This just deals with the technical side of visiting Hetsu-myia (Munakata Taisha) by public transport from Fukuoka, and combining this visit with the other Unesco site in the region, the Yawata Imperial Steel works in Kitakyushu which is one of the sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution.

Go to Fukuoka Tenjin station that is very centrally located. Look for bus stop 19, close to the big post office building. If you have difficulties to locate the bus stop ask the people at the Tourist Information office, inside Tenjin station, very helpful staff indeed. Their opening time however is 9.30h. The first bus for the Munakata Taisha temple leaves at 9.00h, followed by two buses at 10.00h and 11.00h, the ride takes 57 minutes, and the bus stop is right in front of the temple. I was lucky to witness the ritual of a traditional wedding where I attach the photo.

At 11.01 there is a return bus to Togo station to connect you with a train of the Kagoshima Line that brings you in 36 minutes to the Space World Station where the Yawata Imperial Steel Factory is located. The train leaves from Togo at 11.18, so not much time left to buy the ticket, but if that connection is missed, there is another one at 11.34h.  In fact once you are on the main Kagoshima Line, there is plenty of trains going in both directions. Buses from Munakata to Togo Station however are very limited, for instance between 10.00 and 11.00h there is none. After visiting the Steel Factory (in fact you can just make photos from a viewing platform, you get also some brochures, as always in Japan) and there are English speaking guides to answer any questions. The train back to Fukuoka from Space World Station takes about one hour.

I left Fukuoka at 9.00h, and was back at 14.30h, ready for the Fukuoka Tower and the City Museum.