2.5 hour cycle ride around Minami Aso 

Lunch 

Afternoon hike – 

Meeting Point: The tour begins and ends from Higo Ozu Station, a 35 to 40 minute train ride from Kumamoto City. However, it may also be possible to arrange a pick up from your hotel if you are staying in the Minami Aso area. Please contact us with your hotel details to find out more.

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

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

Activity level: Moderate, the tour involves some walking up and down hill and on steps on the gorge walk. Please let us know if this would be physically difficult and we will try and accommodate you. On Mount Aso you can walk as much or little as you like.

Tour Inclusions:

English guide fee, dedicated transport, parking fees, 

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.

Time is allowed for rowing* but rowing boat rental and lunch are not included as standard. The price of rowing is 3000 Yen per boat plus 1000 Yen per person. A maximum of 3 people can ride in one boat. Life jackets are provided. (We do not include rowing as not everyone wants to do it and after heavy rain the river level can rise quickly which means rowing can be cancelled at short notice.)

*If rowing is not possible we will usually fit in an extra stop into your tour such as the Kunimigaoka viewpoint, offering 360 views of the Sobo mountains scenery or Takachiho shrine.

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 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

Standard Price                                               

1 person –          26,000 Yen

2 people –         15,000 Yen per person                     

3 to 4 people – 13,000 Yen per person                     

5 to 8 people  – 12,000 Yen per person

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.

Autumn and Winter Tour Campaign!

2000 Yen per person discount off the standard price.                                            

About Takachiho

Kumamoto is the nearest city to Takachiho which is just over the border in Miyazaki Prefecture, the romantic Takachiho Gorge winds its way through the sleepy mountain town of Takachiho. The gorge was formed from the pyroclastic flow of the Aso volcanos, when sudden cooling led to the formation of dramatic columnar rocks and sheer cliffs that rise above the river between 80 to 100 m high. At the base the blue green Gokase river runs, and sightseers row at a leisurely pace past the stunning Manai waterfall that falls over the gorge edge. The gorge is renowned as one of the most uniquely, beautiful scenic spots in Kyushu and was designated a National Scenic and Natural Monument in 1934. Takachiho also has a deep connection with the mythology of Japan, it is connected with the legend of Amaterasu the sun goddess and said to be the birthplace of the first Emperor of Japan. 

 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 visit

Covid 19 Precautions

Our priority is to continue to offer fun, friendly and informative tours but to also run tours as safely as possible. 

Due to the continued spread of the Covid 19 virus, we have put safety measures into place to make booking a tour with Explore Kumamoto as risk free as possible. Read our safety measures below also please note  no tour deposit is needed and there is free cancellation when you book an Explore Kumamoto tour.

Below are the measures we will be taking in order to prevent the spread of Covid 19:

 1. Reduced number of guests

To ensure proper ventilation and space for social distance in the tour van, we will limit the number of tour participants. If one group is booking then we can cater to 8 people. If 2 groups are booking we will limit the numbers to 5 participants, this will allow the groups to be separated by one row of vacant seats.

 2. Frequent disinfection and cleaning

We will ensure that good hygiene is a priority by cleaning and disinfecting the tour van before each tour. During the tour we will also ventilate the van by opening the doors and windows regularly and disinfect parts of the van that are often touched.

 3. Social Distancing

Different groups will be asked to remain at least 1 metre apart from each other as we walk around. We will also follow all the social distancing requirements in place at the different sites we visit during the tour.

 4. Body Temperature Check

Before the tour begins we will conduct a body temperature check on all participants.

 5. Hand Sanitizer

Hand sanitizer will be provided in the tour van for all participants to use. There are plenty of places to wash your hands at the scheduled tour stops as well, however, please note soap may not always be available.

 6. Face Masks

All participants will be required to wear a face covering or mask while in the tour van, any inside location and outside in the presence of other people.