Review of Fuji Dream Airlines flight from Kitakyūshū to Nagoya in Economy

Background:
This series will cover a daytrip down to Kitaky'sh? (???) aboard Fuji Dream Airlines (FDA).
Part 1 – NKM-KKJ [JH401, Embraer E-175, Economy] – http://flight-report.com/en/report-11463.html
Part 2 – KKJ-NKM [JH408, Embraer E-175, Economy] – You are here
Pre-flight:
To get to Kitaky'sh? Airport (KKJ), I took the airport bus from Kokura Station for ¥620 (~40 min). There is a booth to pre-purchase bus tickets (or you can pay when you get off using exact change). I actually really like the logo for the airport and how they stylized “?” into an airplane.

The bus ride to the airport was actually very beautiful since it was at dusk. KKJ is on an artificial island to the south of the city. Driving to the airport, we get a beautiful view of the moon rising and the sun setting.

KKJ as we approach on the toll bridge.

The bus loops around the 7G headquarters.

The bus drops us off at the same place where you catch the bus. KKJ was built in 2006 and has a nice glass façade.

Inside, the check-in area is on the left hand side. Only 4 airlines operate at KKJ: JL, NH, JH, and 7G. The JH counter is next to the JL counters. The JH agent was busy helping the gentleman who was buying a ticket for the flight. Yep, Japan is still like the good old days when people can just show up at the airport and buy a ticket for a plane on the spot. Since there was no one checking in at JL, the JL agent called me over to her counter and she did the check-in for me. This just shows how closely allianced the two carriers are. She gives me my boarding pass and sends me on my way quickly.

The FIDS at KKJ.

I head up to the observation decks. There are two decks on each side of the main lobby. The south observation deck even had a free foot bath (under repair when I was there).

Getting to the observation deck, I just missed the 7G A320 landing. Here she is taxing back to the terminal. I’ve never noticed this before, but the 7G livery is unsymmetrical. The right side of the tail is white and the left side of the tail is black.

A standard AstroTurf observation deck.

Walking back into the lobby, there is a big banner on the wall welcoming JH to KKJ.

Aerial views of the main lobby.

All of the omiyage shops. I stop and pick up some for my coworkers.

I then head back upstairs to the restaurants and grab a quick dinner. Tonkotsu ramen since we are in Ky'sh?.

Back to the observation deck to catch the arrival of my plane from NKM. Unfortunately, none of the landing shots were up to my standards. Believe it or not, it will be Gold again! I still can’t figure out how JH does this, but the same plane that took my here in the morning will take me back to NKM. She looks great at dusk.

Right after my JH Embraer E-175 arrives, the 7G A320 with sharklets gets pushed back for service to HND. You can now see the unsymmetric tail better (left side is black and right side is white).

The ground crew wave her goodbye and she heads off to the runway.

And she is off at twilight, which wrecks havoc on photography.

I head back inside and towards security. There is only one line at KKJ but there was a minimal line and I was airside in a couple of minutes.

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Fuji Dream Airlines, JH408
Equipment: Embraer E-175 [JA09FJ, delivered March 2015]
Departure: 20:10 (ATD: 20:14)
Arrival: 21:30 (ATA: 21:16)
Flight time: 1:02
Arriving at the gate, they had already started boarding. Ground services are done by JL staff.

A view of our bird from the start of the jetbridge.

Walking down the first jetbridge.

Then down the second jetbridge, which gives a glimpse back at the terminal.

Then the third and final jetbridge that brings us to the mouth of the beast where a friendly FA greets me with a “good evening” and a bow.

The plane is already full at this point, but here is a picture of my seat for the next 1 hour.

The cross-cabin view where my neighbors are already settled in. The seat next to me would remain empty, but the overall load was around 85% (much better than the inbound flight).

The FA had already finished her pass with blankets and newspapers so she came back to me and asked me if I wanted either. I requested a blanket, but declined a newspaper. Here is a picture of my FDA red blanket and the seat pitch.

Since I was one of the last passengers on-board, the door closed shortly after I got on and we began our pushback. We get one last look at KKJ before we taxi off to the runway.

As we taxi to the runway, the FAs do the safety demonstration in Japanese only. With no traffic at KKJ, we turn onto the runway and get a rolling start as the GE turbines wind up.

It’s a dark night over the ocean so not too much to see out of the window. Here are the seatback contents: a barf bag, the safety card, DREAM3776 magazine, and the NKM airport information sheet. If you want to see the complete safety card, check out an earlier report from me aboard JH.

The empty seat next to me with folded seat belt. The floor is pristine, not a crumb in site; Marathon would be happy.

View of the cabin from my seat before service starts up.

As usual, a cart departs from each galley. Being near the back of the plane, I’m served pretty quickly. I ask for a cup of coffee and decline milk/sugar. The smiling FA hands me my cup of coffee, an oshibori, and small chocolate brownie. Between the croissants in the morning and the brownies at night, the small little touches stand out in the service department. I have some mid-day flights booked for next month so we will see what they give in the middle of the day.

The FAs then make a pass to collect the garbage. I take this opportunity to head to the front to use the restroom. Clean E-Jet bathroom.

The FA was busy unloading the cart when I got out of the restroom so I didn’t bother her and just headed back to my seat. She came through the cabin shortly thereafter to collect the remaining service items and I stopped her and asked for a cup of water. She immediately went back to the galley, poured me a cup, and handed it to me with a smile. If this was AZ, the FA would have rolled their eyes and let out a sigh.

By this time, we were already well into our final descent into Nagoya. Not the greatest of shots, but it was hard to battle the cabin lights.

Landing in Komaki is always way better than Tokoname (Centrair), my neighbors were even peeled to the windows.

Flying past central Nagoya before we coast into Komaki from the south.

We have a smooth touchdown and this time the pilots were not so heavy footed on the braking. We turn off the runway and taxi past the Aero Asahi hangar before pulling into our spot next to the terminal.

The front door opens and the stairs are positioned. I wait for the masses to deplane before I get up to go. Reaching the front, the FAs thank me for flying and bow. I bid them a good night before heading down the stairs into the retractable jetbridge. One last look at our bird from the end of the jetbridge.

Walking back to the terminal, I spot Purple (JA06FJ), another E-175, for the first time.

The hallway from the tarmac to the terminal.

From the end of the walkway, we get a better shot of my plane and Green (JA04FJ) basking in the spotlights.

Yellow (JA07FJ) is already tucked into bed for the night.

Entering the Arrivals Hall.

I have no bag to claim so I walk right through and outside to catch the bus back to the city, which leaves once everyone on my flight is on board. It was a packed bus back to the city that night (¥700, ~20min).

Thanks for reading this report and/or series! For those of you interested in the tourism bonus, keep reading. For those of you here for the business end of things, scroll down to the bottom for the summary and scoring.
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Kitaky'sh? is a modern day homologation of five smaller cities (Moji, Kokura, Tobata, Yahata, and Wakamatsu). As it’s name literally states, Kitaky'sh? (???) means “North Ky'sh?” and it is nestled into the top corner of the island of Ky'sh?. It sits across the Kanmon Straits (????) from Honsh? (the main island) making it an important transportation hub.
The largest city in Kitaky'sh? is Kokura (??), which is where the Shinkansen station is and where I will begin my adventures. Kokura is a city that nobody knows, yet if the weather had been slightly different one morning, it would be a household name today. So this city is perhaps most famous for what didn’t happen here on the morning of August 9, 1945. Kokura was the original target for Fat Man given the city’s industrial and transportation importance, but poor visibility prevented Bockscar from making the visual attack during three passes so they were forced to abort the target and proceeded to their secondary target, Nagasaki, before making an emergency landing in Okinawa. Poorly executed by the US, who had sent ~250 B-29s to level the neighboring city of Yahata the day before, so the smoke from the fires obscured Kokura's city center.
Kokura Station and the city’s monorail.

Kokura Castle.

Next to Kokura is the former city of Moji (??), which sits right along the Kanmon Straits and is the closest city to Yamaguchi Prefecture on the main island of Honsh?. The city has a typical Meiji feel with European style buildings. Their train station is a replica of Roma-Termini, but is currently behind scaffolding due to repairs.
Recreational harbor with the Kanmon Bridge in the distance.

Chinese Eastern Railway Office.

Old Moji Customs Building.

Moji also has a large park nestled around the Kanmon Bridge (???). The Mekari Park (?????) provides nice aerial views of the Straits as well as plenty of hydrangeas (????) in bloom.

An unusual experience is walking from Ky'sh? to Honsh?. Although cars go across the Kanmon Bridge, pedestrians and cyclists have a different opportunity. There is an underwater tunnel that is almost 1km long. The tunnel is free (you have to pay for a bike).

The walk under the water dumps you into Shimonoseki (??) on the island of Honsh?. Shimonoseki is also a historically important port, but now is very low key with a pretty plain downtown.

Kaiky? Yume Tower (???????).

Akama Shrine (????).

Otoshi Shrine (????) and their statue of the blowfish (??). Interestingly, Google Maps has this shrine mislabeled.

Shimonoseki water front.

Former Akita Co., Ltd. Building.

Former British Consulate.

The place where St. Francis Xavier first set foot on Honsh?.

And now the main event for Cobra: Karato Market (????). Shimonoseki’s fish market is one of the most famous in Japan. In the early morning, the wholesale fish market is quite active, but the market also provides an excellent place to grab lunch. Fresh fish is quickly gobbled up by thousands of hungry Japanese.

I bought my lunch and joined the crowds outside on the promenade to take in some great views and weather while enjoying my meal. An elderly couple from Nagasaki settled in next to me so I spent some time talking with them.

And with that, I wrap up this spotlight into Kitaky'sh? and Shimonoseki. A place most tourists zip through on their way from Hiroshima to Fukuoka, but a historically relevant area with beautiful scenery and good food. Thanks for stopping by and tune in next time for the pilgrimage back to the motherland!