Mount Aso & Kikuchi Gorge Tour

• Experience the healthy and relaxing Japanese custom of ‘Shinrinyoku’ (forest bathing) on a gentle hike through the lush green valley of Kikuchi Gorge
• Daikanbo Viewpoint – a gorgeous panoramic viewpoint on the edge of the Aso caldera, one of the world’s largest volcanic craters with views of Mount Aso; one of Japan’s most active volcanos
• Free time for lunch and a little shopping at Monja Machi in Aso town or to take a look at the historic Aso Shrine
• See Komezuka – Mount Aso’s youngest and definitely cutest volcano.
• Plenty of photo stops for scenic views of Mount Aso and it’s beautiful grasslands
•  Free time at the Kusasenri plateau on top of Mount Aso; take a hike, visit the Volcano museum, grab an ice cream or just take in the views
• Visit the Nakadake crater and see inside Japan’s second most active volcano!

Mt Aso & Kikuchi Gorge Tour Sample Itinerary:

Timings are approximate and the schedule and itinerary order may change according to the weather and time constraints.

*It is possible to customise the tour schedule if you request a private tour or are the only participants, there may be extra charges for this. Contact us to find out more.

08:51 Meet up with your guide in front of Higo Ozu Station (you can take the 08:12 train from Kumamoto City to Higo Ozu station)

13:45 to Mt Aso – scenic drive up the mountain road to the top of Mount Aso, stopping for the views of the grasslands and Komezuka volcano on the way

Meeting Point: The tour begins and ends from Higo Ozu Station, a 35 to 40 minute train ride from Kumamoto City. 

Tour duration: 09:00 to 17:30 (8.5 hours)

No. of guests: Minimum 1 person, maximum 8.

Activity Level: Moderate, the tour does involve quite a lot of walking but the pace is gentle and not up any steep hills at both Kikuchi Gorge and Daikanbo. On Mount Aso you are free to choose whether to go for a proper hike or just relax and take a stroll

Tour Inclusions:

English guide fee, dedicated transport, parking fees, entrance to Kikuchi Gorge

Tour Exclusions:

Lunch is not included in the tour price. But please notify us of any special dietary preferences when booking so we can advise you where to eat.

Weather: Depending on the weather forecast the itinerary may take place the opposite way round to ensure we can get the best views possible.  The Mount Aso area can become very foggy at times, in this case we may change the schedule to avoid the mountainous areas. If the forecast is for heavy rain or snow all day we will either offer you the chance to cancel or to change to a different tour itinerary.

Visiting the volcano: The Nakadake volcano is always active even when it is at Level 1 (its lowest level) this means that it usually releases volcanic gases. The crater area is monitored very closely and if the wind is in the wrong direction and gas concentrations are too high the crater area will be temporarily closed. If you have a heart condition or asthma please tell us when making a booking so we can make sure of your safety.

If it is not possible to visit the active crater we will either visit an extra place or have more time at other locations.

Drop off: The drop off is at Higo Ozu station around 17:30. Trains back to Kumamoto City run approximately every 20 minutes, you will usually be in time for either the 17:27 or 17:44 departure. A drop off in the Aso area may also be possible with advance booking. Please contact us with your hotel details to find out

Mount Aso and Kikuchi Gorge Tour                                               

1 person –          26,000 Yen                                         

2 to 3 people –  15,000 Yen per person                     

4 to 6 people –  13,000 Yen per person

Private & customised tours are available

Family discounts available. 

(Please contact us with your children’s ages to find out more)

All tours are paid for in cash on the day, no deposit is required.    

About Kikuchi Gorge

Background The Aso caldera is famed for its abundant spring waters, giving birth to 6 different rivers, one of them is the Kikuchi river which flows out across the fertile plains of northern Kumamoto. Kikuchi Gorge is near the source of the river, where the water is at its purest and cascades over pyroclastic flows through a lush, green native forest. It’s beautiful in every season and sublime in the spring and autumn. Kikuchi Gorge is a popular spot for keen photographers, botanists and bird watchers, in the summer many families visit to enjoy playing in the cooling waters.

 About Aso

First thing to know is the Aso area is big, the circumference of the caldera is over 100 km. Sights are scattered around four areas; the northern caldera rim,  the northern caldera basin, Minami Aso (the southern caldera basin)  and  the central volcanic peaks including Nakadake – Mount Aso’s active volcano.

The Aso region is definitely one of the ‘must see’ sights if you are visiting Japan’s southern island of Kyushu. Mount Aso is the largest inhabited volcanic caldera in the world and Japan’s largest active volcanic region. (When a volcanic crater is more than 2 km wide it is called a caldera, the Aso caldera is 25 km wide.) In the center of the caldera a chain of  volcanic mountains runs east to west. In the center of these mountains is the Nakadake Volcano, currently Mount Aso’s only active volcano. It is Japan’s second most active volcano and a very rare one as when conditions are safe you can go right up to the edge of the crater.  The volcano has been worshipped as a powerful shinto deity for thousands of years. Inside the crater you may be able to see a beautiful steaming turquoise lake. 

Aso is also Japan’s largest grassland area making a unique and very beautiful landscape which changes every season. Japan is generally a land of forested mountains so the mountain grasslands of Aso offer views rarely found in the rest of the country. The lush susuki grass provides grazing for horses and the local Akaushi beef cattle.  The grasslands are burnt every February and by late spring the new growth is a lush, vibrant green. By summer the grass has grown tall, silver seed heads form in the autumn and then turn golden over the winter. The grasslands also reveal the rollling contours of ancient pyroclastic flows deposited by volcanic activity over hundreds of thousands of years. 

If you are interested in learning more about the Aso area take a look at the Aso section in Places to vis