Nature
Nature in Kumamoto
Kumamoto prefecture has some beautiful natural sites
Landscape & Geography
The landscape and geography has been formed from tectonic movement and hugely devasting volcanic eruptions over hundreds of thousands of years. This activity has left behind one of the world’s biggest volcanic calderas, several volcanic mountain ranges, waterfalls, gorges and caves. The Nakadake volcano in Mount Aso is one of Japan’s most active volcanoes, second only to Sakurajima in Kagoshima. The Aso volcano has been a place of worship for thousands of years and is highly unusual as despite its activity it is often possible to visit the crater area and look inside.
People living in harmony with nature
People have been living and farming the land for thousands of years. Using volcanic rock to terrace the mountains of Kinpozan, engineer beautiful stone bridges and build Japan’s strongest castle.
Hiking
There are plenty of hiking opportunities and the grasslands that dominate the Aso and Kuju mountain areas are beautiful in every season changing from lush green in spring to golden in the winter. Another aspect of the volcanic activity is Kumamoto prefecture has Japan’s largest underground water supply; clean, fresh mineral water bubbles up in a variety of springs and spring fed lakes. Geo thermal heat also provides some of the best quality hot springs in Japan.
Kumamoto Prefecture also has a chain of islands called Amakusa which jut out into the shallow Ariake sea, home to schools of dolphins, fossils, a wealth of sealife and some great beaches and sunset views.
Take a look below at a selection of the wonderful nature you can enjoy in and around Kumamoto Prefecture.
Shiramizu Falls 白水滝 - Taketa Shiramizu falls in Ogimachi, Taketa is a beautiful waterfall walk only a 30 minute drive from Takamori Town in Aso. It is a little known spot but definitely worth a visit. In the summer it's a perfect place to escape the heat & even though ...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
Higanbana 彼岸花 Spider Lily viewing After a long, hot summer the arrival of the spider lillies in mid September heralds the beginning of autumn. The tall stalks and dramatic bright red blooms seem to shoot up out of nowhere appearing around paddy fields, embankments and verges. The flowering season is ...read on
Senjokawara - the perfect place to stay cool in the summer Summers in Japan are hot and humid so heading to a river to splash around or take a swim is one of the best ways to cool down and stay sane. Unfortunately, though there are plenty of rivers around ...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
Meototaki Falls 夫婦滝 - Oguni Meototaki 夫婦滝 or Meoto Falls situated nearby the village of Kurokawa Onsen is not one waterfall but two. Meoto translates as 'male and female' and the waterfall comprises two adjacent waterfalls; a male and a female one that meet together and blend to form one ...read on
The Chojabaru plateau is a lovely stopping off point on the Yamanami Highway midway between Aso and Yufuin in the midst of the Kuju mountains. Famed for the Tadawara Marsh, a Ramsar designated wetland of international importance which is situated on the north west side of the Kuju mountain range. The marshland offers ...read on
With its extensive white sands and crystal-clear emerald-green sea, the completely unspoilt Mogushi Beach is a rarity in Japan. It is one of the most beautiful natural beaches in Kyushu and has a deserved place in Japan's top 100 beaches. The beach is in an out of the way location only accessible by car ...read on
Amakusa Dolphin Watching In the beautiful blue sea between the Shimabara peninsula and the northern point of the Amakusa Shimoshima Island there lives a pod of around 200 wild Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins. Man and dolphin have long lived in harmony in this area, the dolphins are present year round due to the ...read on
Tucked away in the foothills of Mount Waita, within sight of the Oita border, lies the little known Waita onsen area, a collection of six small onsen resorts. This is a remarkable area, everywhere you look you will see, smell and hear the violently gushing steam and bubbling vents. These puncture ...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
Tonkararin If you love a good mystery - or dark, narrow spaces! - , then you are bound to be intrigued by Tonkararin. The many questions surrounding Tonkararin serve to make the site more interesting and you cannot help but come up with your own theories as you explore. Tonkararin is so mysterious ...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
So what's the Kumamoto region like in its different seasons? These seasonal photos taken while exploring the region should give you an idea! Summer Autumn Autumn leaves Hitoyoshi autumn Hitoyoshi autumn Hitoyoshi autumn Hitoyoshi autumn Hitoyoshi autumn Hitoyoshi autumn Hitoyoshi autumn Hitoyoshi autumn Hitoyoshi autumn Hitoyoshi autumn Kikuchi valley autumn Kikuchi valley autumn Kikuchi ...read on
After the hot spring heaven of Kurokawa why not take a trip to Hell? Sparrow Hell - or Suzume Jigoku in Japanese. This is a cold water volcanic sulphur spring, the gas is so powerful it can kill sparrows and even tanuki and fox have been found killed by the ...read on
Ama No Yasukawara Cave From the Ama No Iwato Shrine take a 10-minute walk along the Iwato River, past many delicious looking icecream stalls, descend a steepish path over a simple, arched bridge into the river valley, follow the river path for a few minutes and rounding a corner you will suddenly come to a vast ...read on
Just over the border into Miyazaki Prefecture, the romantic Takachiho Gorge winds its way through the sleepy town of Takachiho. The gorge was formed from the pyroclastic flow of the Aso volcanos, when sudden cooling led to dramatic columnar formations and sheer cliffs that rise above the river between 80 to ...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
https://explore-kumamoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Nabegataki-Falls.mp4 If you are visiting Kurokawa Onsen, Aso or just a fan of waterfalls put the Nabegataki Falls high on your list to see. Only recently discovered as a tourist location, the fall itself is a wide sheet of water; though not particularly high at 10 meters it makes up for it with ...read on
The Healing Forest Kikuchi Valley, known as Kikuchi Keikoku 菊地渓谷 in Japanese is renowned as one of Japan's 44 'Shinrin Yoku' or 'Forest Bathing' sites. The Japanese developed Forest bathing in the 1980s, the idea being to boost your health and well being by engaging with nature using all five senses, luxuriating ...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
Tatsuda Nature Park is well worth putting on your itinerary for a day out in the city. Tucked away behind Kumamoto University, perhaps its difficult to find location means that it is not more well-known. The park stands on Mt. Tatsuda, a forested hill in the north eastern part of the ...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
An oasis just a few km from the heart of the city, Ezu Lake (江津湖 Ezuko) is a natural lake fed by the underground springs Kumamoto is famous for. The springs bubble up from Suizenji Gardens and feed the lake with crystal clear, refreshingly cool water. The gourd shaped lake has ...read on