It was opened on January 9, 1985, between the station now called Heiwadori and Kikugaoka, and at the time was the first monorail in the world with high level platforms and trains with floors entirely above the bogies.

[1][2] This increased available floor space and now all but one of Japan's surviving Alweg monorails have high level platforms and employ podium-free trains.

The monorail is owned by the city of Kitakyushu, and did not begin to make a profit until the extension to Kokura station was completed.

This had been resisted by the businesses in Uomachi shopping district who feared they would lose customers, but that did not happen.

Once a year, there are beer and wine parties held on the monorail, with bookings made in advance.