Explore Kumamoto on a private or small group tour
enjoy the great outdoors on this tour for nature lovers
Activity level
'volcanic scenery & beautiful nature'
The Mt Aso and Kikuchi Gorge Tour is for any lover of the outdoors. Get off the beaten track and into the fresh air and enjoy exploring two very different landscapes in just one day. Take a walk through the natural forest and by the pure waters of the beautiful Kikuchi Gorge and then visit the vast grasslands, active volcano and lush volcanic scenery of Aso
Mount Aso & Kikuchi Gorge tour
This tour takes you to
- Kikuchi Gorge
- Daikanbo Viewpoint
- Komezuka volcano
- Kusasenri Plateau
- Nakadake Volcano crater
09:00 to 17:30
1 to 6 people
English
From 16,000 PP
Mt Aso & Kikuchi Gorge Small Group Tour information
- 1 to 6 people
- Tour duration 8.5 hours
- Language - English
- Price from 16,000 Yen per person
- Discount for children
- Activity level - Moderate
- Includes free time
- Choice of places for lunch
- Starts from Higo Ozu station, Kumamoto
- Experience the healthy and relaxing Japanese custom of ‘Shinrinyoku’ (forest bathing) on a leisurely hike through the lush green valley and waterfalls of Kikuchi Gorge
- Daikanbo Viewpoint – walk to 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
- Guided visit to Aso’s active volcano: Nakadake crater, learn about and take a look inside Japan’s second most active volcano!
- No need to rush, plenty of time to enjoy both locations
- Small group tour
- Transport by Toyota Alphard
- Highly rated, friendly, informative English speaking guide
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.
09:00 Meet up with your guide in front of Higo Ozu Station (you can take the 08:15 train from Kumamoto City to Higo Ozu station)
We take a 40 minute drive to Kikuchi Gorge
09:45 Kikuchi Gorge Walk (aprox 90 minutes)
Here you can enjoy the Japanese art of ‘forest bathing’ or ‘Shinrin Yoku’ – no getting wet just a leisurely and health boosting walk at your own pace along the riverside through the fragrant forest and around the gorge, passing many waterfalls on the way. Hiking boots are not necessary but sensible footwear is recommended.
11:45 Daikanbo viewpoint – Aso’s top viewpoint, take in the fantastic views of one of the world’s biggest caldera and see Mount Aso and its active volcano in the distance (30 minutes)
12:45 to 13:45 Lunch – we head down into the caldera to Ichinomiya in Aso town, here you have free time for lunch and to explore the Monja Machi shopping street or visit Aso Shrine
13:45 to Mt Aso – we take a scenic drive up the mountain road to the Nakadake volcano on top of Mount Aso, stopping for the views of the grasslands and Komezuka volcano on the way
14:40 We arrive at the Nakadake Crater – Mount Aso’s active volcano, when the active volcano is at Level 1 and conditions are safe we drive all the way up to the crater area where you will be able to look into the active volcano crater and walk around the crater area and the Sunasenri plateau – a surreal lunar landscape made of volcanic ash and rocks deposited by the volcano. If the crater area is closed we will have more time to enjoy Kusasenri.
15:40 Kusasenri – On top of Mount Aso there is a vast plateau called Kusasenri – this is the remains of a kilometer wide volcanic crater active 27,000 years ago. Nowadays it’s a beautiful grassland surrounded by volcanic peaks offering impressive views of the active volcano. Here you have free time to explore; take a walk around the different viewing platforms, visit the Mount Aso visitor center or Aso Volcano Museum. Visit a cafe, try an Aso gelato or do a little souvenir shopping. From spring to late autumn horse riding is also possible.
16:40 We will finish our day by heading down the northern route past Komezuka, Aso’s ‘baby’ volcano, then winding through the grasslands and out of the caldera via the dramatic Tateno Valley
17:30 Arrive back at Higo Ozu Station
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 6
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 and Aso Volcano
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 – 38,000 Yen
2 people – 20,000 Yen per person
3 people – 19,000 Yen per person
4 people – 18,000 Yen per person
5 people – 17,000 Yen per person
6 people – 16,000 Yen per person
These prices refer to the total number of people on a tour. So if you book a tour for 1 person and no-one else joins then your price is 38,000 yen, if 2 more people join then your price is 20,000 Yen per person etc.
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.
Cancellation Policy
Free up to 7 days before, 50% up to 24 hours before the tour and 100% on the day of the tour
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
Travel in style
Transport by comfortable and spacious 7 seater Toyota Alphard
Book a Mount Aso & Kikuchi Gorge tour
If the date on the calendar is white it can be booked for any tour of your choice. Just click on the icon and fill in the contact form with your request.
If there is already a Mount Aso & Kikuchi Gorge tour running for the date you want, check the number of places available and then contact us to make a booking.
Tour Calendar
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| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |||
| 1Golden week - Unavailable all day | 2Golden week - Unavailable all day | 3Golden week - Unavailable all day | |||||||
| 4Golden week - Unavailable all day | 5Golden week - Unavailable all day | 6Golden week - Unavailable all day | 7Golden week - Unavailable all day | 8Golden week - Unavailable all day | 9Golden week - Unavailable all day | 10 | |||
| 11Unavailable all day | 12One Piece statue tour 8 statues & Aso volcano all day 1 place available
Contact for details
| 13Takachiho & Kamishikimi shrine Tour all day full | 14Unavailable all day | 15One Piece statue tour all day3 places available
Contact for details
| 16Unavailable all day | 17Unavailable all day | |||
18Around Aso Tour all day Full
| 19Unavailable all day | 20Private One Piece statue tour all dayBooked
| 21Private Takachiho Tour all day Booked
| 22Private Takachiho, Aso & Kamishikimi shrine Tour all day Booked
| 23Unavailable all day | 24Kikuchi gorge and Aso tour all day Private tour - booked
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| 25Unavailable all day | 26One Piece statue tour 8 statues all dayFull
| 27One Piece statue tour 8 statues all day5 places available
Contact for details
| 28Unavailable all day | 29Takachiho & Aso Tour all day 4 places available
Contact for details
| 30Unavailable all day | 31Unavailable all day | |||
Yellow means either a tour is scheduled or the date is unavailable, hover over the date to see
If the date you want is unavailable, it may be possible to put you in touch with a freelance English speaking guide, contact us with your details to find out more.
Why take this tour?
Kikuchi Gorge is not reachable by public transport and is much less crowded than Takachiho gorge, it’s also more fun to hike along with several places where you can get down to the riverside and close to the waterfalls and even dip your feet in the very chilly but refreshing 13C water. Takachiho gorge and Kikuchi gorge are similarly created from ancient volcanic eruptions of Aso, they are both beautiful locations but quite different, Takachiho gorge is more dramatic but is a shorter walk and definitely more touristy so if you want a more active and refreshing experience, I think Kikuchi Gorge is the better choice.
This tour has the most walking however, it’s not rushed or challenging so if you want to experience fresh air & ‘forest bathing’, getting out in nature, enjoying some gentle excercise and want to find out more about the stunning volcanic landscape, mythology and history of Mount Aso and its connection to the pristine Kikuchi river and gorge you will love this tour!
If you want to walk more there’s also freetime at Kusasenri plateau, but if you’d prefer to relax there are also cafes, the volcano museum, a visitor center and a couple of shops to browse in.
This is also my favourite summer tour to escape the heat and humidity; the waters of Kikuchi gorge are so cool they act like natural air conditioning the peaks of Mount Aso are also considerably fresher than the city, these are both places the locals go to cool off!
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A fantastic day trip that takes you to the top of Japan’s largest volcano and to the most scenic sights in the Aso caldera.
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Two of Kyushu’s top sights in just one day…
Take a scenic drive through the southern side of the Aso caldera to the fantastic Takachiho gorge. Spend the morning there, then after lunch head to the top of Mt Aso to visit the active volcano
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