Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [559]
ASO VOLCANIC MUSEUM
This unique museum (34-2111; www.asomuse.jp, in Japanese; admission with/without cable-car return ¥1480/840; 9am-5pm) has a real-time video feed from a camera mounted inside the active crater wall, which you can direct from inside the museum. There are English-language brochures and a video presentation of Aso friends showing off.
KUSASENRI & KOME-ZUKA
Opposite the volcanic museum, Kusasenri is a grassy meadow with two ‘lakes’ in the flattened crater of an ancient volcano. It’s a postcard-perfect picture on a clear day, or sorely disappointing if there hasn’t been any rain.
Just off the road that runs from the museum to Aso town is the perfectly shaped cone of Kome-zuka (954m), another extinct volcano.
NAKA-DAKE
Naka-dake (1506m) has been very active in recent years. The cable car to the summit was closed from August 1989 to March 1990 due to eruptions, and it had only been opened for a few weeks when the volcano erupted again in April 1990, spewing ash over a large area.
In 1958, after an eruption killed 12 onlookers, concrete bunkers were built around the rim to protect sightseers from such events. Nevertheless, an eruption in 1979 killed three visitors over 1km from the cone, in an area that was thought to be safe.
From the Aso Volcanic Museum (above), it’s 3km up to the cable-car station. If Naka-dake is behaving, the cable car (ropeway; each way ¥410; 9am-5pm) whisks you up to the summit in just four minutes, or it’s ¥560 in tolls and parking if driving yourself. From there, the walk to the top takes less than 30 minutes. The 100m-deep crater varies in width from 400m to 1100m and there’s a walk around the southern edge of the crater rim. Arrive early in the morning to glimpse a sea of clouds hovering inside the crater, with Kujū-san (1787m) on the horizon.
Activities
From the top of the cable-car run you can walk around the crater rim to the peak of Naka-dake, on to the top of Taka-dake and then descend to Sensui Gorge (Sensui-kyō), which blooms with azaleas in mid-May, or to the road that runs between Taka-dake and Neko-dake. Either way will lead you to Miyaji, the next train station east of Aso. The direct descent to Sensui Gorge is steep, so it’s easier to continue back from Taka-dake to the Naka-dake rim and then follow the old Aso-higashi cable-car route down to Sensui Gorge. Allow four to five hours from the Aso-nishi cable-car station walking uphill to Sensui Gorge, then another 1½ hours for the descent.
Shorter walks include the easy ascent of Kijima-dake from the Aso Volcanic Museum, about 25 minutes to the top. You can then return to the museum or take the branch trail to the Naka-dake ropeway in about 30 minutes. You can also climb to the top of Eboshi-dake in about 50 minutes.
Perfect after a long hike, Yume-no-yu Onsen (35-5777; admission ¥400; 10am-10pm), just in front of JR Aso Station, has wonderful indoor and outdoor pools and a large sauna. Family baths are available (¥1000 per hour).
Festivals & Events
A spectacular fire festival, Hi-furi-matsuri, is held at Aso-jinja (22-0064) one day in mid-March (dates vary). The shrine, dedicated to the 12 gods of the mountain, is about a 300m walk north of JR Miyaji Station, and is one of only three shrines in Japan with its original gate. The drinking water here is said to be delicious, and at dusk visitors fill canteens to take home.
Sleeping & Eating
Finding a bed in the area is easy, with most accommodation in Aso, Akamizu or Takamori. Away from the towns, restaurants and lodgings are scattered and hard to reach by public transport. Stocking up on snacks is a good idea and there’s a cluster of eateries on Hwy 57 near JR Aso Station.
ASO TOWN
Bōchū Kyampu-jo (34-0351; campsites per person