Imagine yourself standing on the rim of the largest inhabited volcanic caldera in the world, gazing down through the clouds at the patchwork of fields below. Across the vast expanse the peaceful form of a giant sleeping buddha with a smoking belly button formed by the silhouette of five huge volcanic peaks. Welcome to Mount Aso!
Mount Aso sightseeing places
Below you will find activities and sights you can explore in and around the Mount Aso area. The Aso area is one of my favourite places in Japan, with amazing views and gorgeous grasslands that change in every season. Click on the picture links to find out more about the sightseeing places in the Mount Aso region. Below read more about why the Aso region is so special and how the Aso caldera was formed.
If you don’t have a car why not plan your own customised tour or take an Explore Kumamoto tour that covers the Aso region. Contact Explore Kumamoto to find out more.
Sorafune Pier- そらふねの桟橋 Uchinomaki Sorafune Pier known as Sorafune no sanbashi そらふねの桟橋 is a viewing platform on top of Mt. Tangoyama 田子山. A great photo spot with views looking out over the peaceful farmland of the caldera basin to the smoking central peak of Asozan.Tangoyama , also known as Tagoyama … read on
Yamabuki Springhead – Ubuyama The Aso area is famed for its springwaters, a wonderful side effect of the volcanic activity that has been a constant in the area for millenia. After visiting many of them I have to say, Ubuyama Village has two of the best; Ikeyama Suigen 池山水源 and Yamabuki Suigen … read on
Higotai Park ヒゴタイ公園- Ubuyama Set on a grassy plateau at the foot of the Kuju Mountains, surrounded by undulating hills formed from ancient pyroclastic flows, Higotai Park offers panoramic views of both the Kuju Mountains and Mount Aso. The park is around 900m in altitude so it’s a good place … read on
Cosmos コスモス Flower Viewing When you think of autumn in Japan the image that first comes to mind is probably bright red maple leaves not a sea of pink and white flowers. But for many Japanese the cheerful blooms of the Cosmos flower are one of the country’s most typical … read on
Kamishikimi Kumano-imasu Shrine If you only have time to visit one shrine in the Aso area, visit the one with the longest name. Kamishikimi Kumano-imasu Shrine is definitely worth the journey even if you’re not a huge fan of shrines. Situated a few kilometres from Takamori Town in Minami Aso, … read on
Oshitoishi Hill 押戸石- Minami Oguni Oshitoishi has the reputation of a powerspot, a group of mysterious standing stones situated on a hill on the pyroclastic flows above the northern caldera edge of the giant Aso caldera. On top of the grassy hillside there is a mysterious line of rocks. The … read on
Noyaki – the burning of the grasslands If you visit the Aso area in late February or March you might be surprised to find the lush green grasslands you saw in all the photos scorched and blackened. Don’t worry a war has not broken out it’s only the yearly Noyaki. Noyaki season … read on
Aso Sankinkotai Road Walk Parts of an ancient highway dating from the end of the 16th century still remain in the Aso region, this short walk takes you from the village of Akamizu (Redwater) up to the top of the caldera wall and back down again. The route follows the path the Kumamoto … read on
Ogidake View Point A neighbour’s recommendation took us to the Ogidake view point 荻岳(Mount Ogi) east of Aso one sunny Sunday in February. The Ogidake lookout is one of the few points from where you can get panoramic views of Kyushu’s 3 major mountain ranges, Aso, Kuju and Sobo. On a … read on
Ikeyama Springs Of all the springs I’ve visited in the Aso area, the Ikeyama Springs one has the biggest wow factor. Possibly because I visited in early February and to come across this lush green oasis in the middle of winter was something special. Situated a few km north of the tiny village … read on
Kokuzo Shrine Tucked away in the shade of the caldera wall in the hamlet of Teno you will find the Kokuzo Shrine 国造神社. Situated only 6 km north of the better known Aso Shrine if you have time the Kokuzo shrine is definitely worth a detour. Why visit? Primarily because here … read on
Kusasenri The view of Kusasenri is one of the iconic scenes of Kumamoto; a vast emerald green grassland plateau with peacefully grazing cows and horses reflected in the still crater ponds on the top of the central peaks of Aso. The name Kusasenri 草千里 means a thousand leagues of grass and the peaceful vista today belies its … read on
Daikanbo Viewpoint The name given to the prime viewpoint of Aso, from here dramatic 360 degree views reveal the panoramic expanse of the whole caldera and the rolling grasslands behind. On a clear day this point gives you the best views of ‘Nehanzo’, the sleeping buddha, its silhouette formed by … read on
Very sadly one of my favorite spots in Aso, the Laputa Road Viewpoint was badly damaged in the earthquakes of April 2016 and can no longer safely be visited. The photos below show the landslides and road damage that occurred. Before the earthquakes One of the top spots to see … read on
Located at Kusasenri, Mount Aso’s vast green plateau on top of the mountains. The Aso Volcano Museum is a 3 storey concrete building with views of the steaming crater of Nakadake Volcano in the distance. The Aso Volcano Museum consists of displays relating to the formation of the Aso volcanos … read on
Shirakawa Source Also known as the Shirakawa Suigen 白川水源 in Japanese, this is the most well-known of a cluster of mineral water springs that bubble up in the southern part of the Aso region called ‘Minami Aso’. Famed as one of the top 100 springs in Japan many people gather here to bottle the spring … read on
If you are travelling from Kumamoto to Takachiho or Gokase you will pass through the beautiful Minami Aso or Southern Aso area. The charm of the countryside, stunning views, relaxing hotsprings and the simple, traditional rural way of life that can still be found in this area makes the area a … read on
Aso Paragliding How about taking to the air during your Aso trip? Paragliding is a wonderful way to enjoy the panorama of Aso’s nature and get some fresh air and adrenaline. The experience is family friendly and can be booked from Elementary School (age 6) and upwards. Though certain weight limits apply. … read on
The Aso region covers an area of roughly 350 square kilometers, as it’s a very rural area public transport is limited. There is so much to see that using public transport you could easily spend several days looking around, however if time is an issue we reccomend either renting a … read on
The title Mount Aso Volcano is a little misleading as the whole central mountain range within the Aso caldera is comprised of volcanos, fortunately only one is still active. Mt. Nakadake – Mount Aso’s active volcano Nakadake long worshipped as a powerful god, the active volcano at the center of … read on
Earthquake update: The main gate and hall of worship of Aso Shrine sadly collapsed in the Kumamoto earthquake of April 16th 2016. However, the shrine can still be visited and festivals will still be held throughout the year. In fact witnessing the damage first hand is a very humbling experience. … read on
Blazing torches light the sky and in the darkness a multitude of flaming reed straw ropes are swung around in an exciting spectacle to welcome the kami of Aso Shrine. The dramatic Hifuri-shinji festival takes place in mid March in the grounds of Aso Shrine. The holy ritual has been designated as one of Japan’s … read on
The Formation of the Aso Caldera
A caldera is the largest kind of volcanic structure on the planet, huge ‘super eruptions’ cause calderas to form when so much magma is released and with such force the land beneath caves in creating a giant basin or crater in the land.
The awe inspiring Aso caldera was formed in a series of 4 colossal eruptions which took place between 300,000 and 90,000 years ago. The final super eruption was so powerful traces of ash reached as far as the south pole, the pyroclastic flow travelled over the sea to the neighbouring islands of Shikoku and Yamaguchi in Honshu and Hokkaido was covered in 15 cm of ash.
When the huge deposits of magma collapsed they formed a vast caldera out of which more volcanic peaks arose in the center. The roughly circular caldera that was created measures 25 km north-south and 18 km east-west with a circumference of around 120 km. In the centre the 5 peaks of Asozan rise to a height of 1592m. (Mt. Neko, Mt. Taka, Mt. Naka (also called Nakadake) Mt. Eboshi, and Mt. Kishima. Naka dake, the only volcano that is still active, is accessible by road and is the only volcano in the world that can be accessed by ropeway. When the volcano is at Level 1 and the wind is in the right direction you can look into the crater itself.
View of the Nakadake volcano from the mountain plateau at Kusasenri[/caption]
The landscape the eruption left behind has long attracted people to Aso. Signs of human presence are some of the earliest in Japan, dating back 30,000 years. At that time the caldera was a huge lake and pre-historic people camped on the rim, visiting the area to make obsidian tools from the pyroclastic flow deposits. Nowadays the vast flat, fertile lands inside the caldera produce rice and many other crops supporting several villages and towns.
One of the unique features of Aso are its lush, green grasslands circling the outside of the caldera and covering the central peaks. The grasslands form a unique habitat and have a history of at least 1000 years, the grasslands are ‘semi-natural’ and maintained by the grazing of the ‘Aka ushi’ (Japanese brown cattle) and controlled burning every spring.
standing on the edge of the active crater of Nakadake Volcano
View of the Nakadake volcano from the mountain plateau at Kusasenri[/caption]
