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 and its caldera, and the nature and culture of the Aso region.
The highlights of the museum are the live cameras broadcasting footage from inside the crater and the short film ‘Four seasons of Aso’ which runs every half hour on the 3rd floor, the film is a bit dated – check out the late 80’s fashion and haircuts! But if you happen to be on the plateau on a day with poor visibility it’s worth watching to see what you are missing. (Visibility on Mount Aso can often be poor.) The museum has some signage in English but to make the most of the information on display take advantage of the free audio guide available in English, Chinese or Korean. On the ground floor there is a cafe, a shop with souvenirs and volcano related items and a tourist information booth, some staff can speak English or Chinese, ask there for a free hiking map of the Aso area.
On the ground floor there is a Visitor Center which is free to look around. There are displays in English and a short projection mapping and video of what it’s like to hike the Takadake mountain peak behind the active volcano. You can also pick up lots of information leaflets in a variety of languages about sights around the Aso region.
Pre Covid-19 it was also possible to don a virtual reality headset and look inside the active volcano in real time as well as seeing it at different eruptive levels. If the crater cannot be accessed due to high levels of volcanic gas or the eruptive level has risen this is a great experience and it’s free. At busy periods you might need to write your names down and wait your turn though.
Entrance:
Adult – 880 Yen
Child – 440 yen (6 – 12 Years old)
Over 65 – 690 Yen
Opening Times:
09:00 to 17:00 Last entrance at 16:30
Recommended Length of Visit:
40 to 50 minutes
Travel Tip:
Pick up a discount ticket from Aso Station before you board the bus to Mt. Aso.