The most popular touring area in Kyushu! 6 Kumamoto and Aso areas

Hello, I am Tetsuma Photographer, a photographer who loves traveling in Kyushu! I will be introducing selected recommended touring spots in the Kyushu area from the viewpoint of Tetsuma Photographer, using the know-how I have gained from my coverage activities for touring magazines that I started in 2017. In this 24th installment, we will introduce recommended touring spots in the Aso area of Kumamoto Prefecture, an area that every rider dreams of visiting at least once!

Recommended Touring Spots in Seven Selected Prefectures in Kyushu㉔".

The Aso area is the most popular area for Kyushu touring, where the huge caldera, meaning a big pot, and the five Aso peaks sit. Particularly recommended is the Aso Panorama Line, where you can enjoy the idyllic scenery.

1. Fully recovered from the Kumamoto earthquake! Aso Shrine."

This is the first shrine in Higo Province, said to have a history of more than 2,500 years. It is the head shrine of about 500 Aso shrines throughout Japan and is also a center of volcanic worship where Mount Aso itself is worshipped as a god. The shrine suffered extensive damage in the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, including the collapse of the tower gate, a national important cultural property, and the total destruction of the worship hall. After years of restoration work, all disaster recovery projects from the Kumamoto earthquake were completed as of February 17, 2025.

It is one of the "three great tower gates" in Japan, along with Kashima Shrine (Kashima City, Ibaraki Prefecture) and Hakozaki Shrine (Fukuoka City).

2. Roadside Station Aso, a rest spot at the entrance to Mt.

Michi no Eki Aso is a roadside station adjacent to JR Aso Station, with a beautiful view of the five Aso mountains in front of it. The roadside station is located next to JR Aso Station, with a beautiful view of the five Aso mountains in front of the station. The entrance to the Aso Panorama Line is also located here, making it the perfect place to take a break from touring!

ICHIOSHI MICHINOEKI Grand Prix selected by JAF members for 9 consecutive years! It is the number one roadside station in Kumamoto Prefecture.

3. Aso Panorama Line, where you can enjoy spectacular views throughout the four seasons

The Aso Panorama Line offers access to the summit (Nakadake crater and Kusasenri direction) from three main directions. The Bonaka Line is the main route up from Aso Station, where the beautiful formations of rice mounds (Komezuka) can be seen. The Akamizu Line, with its gentle curves and easy driving, offers a panoramic view of the Aso Outer Rim and the city. The Yoshida Line, which climbs up from Minamiaso Village, offers a peaceful view of the countryside of Minamiaso.

The northern route from the direction of Aso Station to the Aso Gogaku (Nakadake crater) is a popular route that offers dynamic scenery, with cattle and horses grazing and spectacular views of the outer rim of the mountain.

This route offers a panoramic view of the rice mounds and outer rim mountains, and is a section with a series of moderately tight corners.

This route takes you from Minami Aso to Aso, and the view from the Minami Aso Panorama Line Observation Station is particularly spectacular, with a spectacular view of the caldera spread out below.

4. Like green tea pudding? Rice Mound

Formed by the volcanic activity of Aso, it has a distinctive hollow at the top and is also called "Aso no Ekubo" (the hollow of Aso) because legend has it that the god of Aso piled up the rice he harvested there. A typical scoria hill formed about 3,000 years ago, it is one of the most homogenous in Japan and is about 80 meters high.

It is a new volcano, formed about 3,000 years ago, and the depression at the top is a remnant of an eruption.

5. Kusasenrigahama, a vast expanse of grassland

Kusasenrigahama is a vast grassland about 1 km in diameter that stretches over the ruins of a crater created by an eruption about 30,000 years ago. Located at an elevation of 1,100 meters above sea level, the beach takes on a completely different appearance depending on the season and time of day. The dynamic sight of the volcanic fumes rising from "Nakadake" (Mt. Nakadake) behind the grassland is a powerful sight unique to Aso.

From the observation deck on a hill a short distance away, you can enjoy a 360-degree view not only of Kusasenri, but also of the Ariake Sea and Mt. Unzen Fugen in the distance, weather permitting.

At Kusasenrigahama, you can experience sightseeing horseback riding (by hand), which will surely make the magnificent scenery of Aso look even more impressive!

6. Aso Nakadake Crater," an active volcano still in operation

Aso Nakadake is a rare active volcano in the world that continues to be active even today. Its greatest attraction is the dynamic view of the "Nakadake Crater No. 1," which can be observed up close. When the activity is calm, a beautiful emerald-green pool of hot water (crater lake) can be seen at the bottom of the crater.

You can get to the parking lot in front of the crater (e.g., Aso Sanjo Plaza) via the "Mt. Aso Park Toll Road." *Cars cost 1,000 yen, motorcycles 400 yen

Due to the emission of toxic gases (mainly sulfur dioxide) around the Nakadake Crater, access to the area may be restricted for safety reasons.

The most popular touring spots in Kyushu! 6 of the most popular areas in Aso, Kumamoto (10)