Mount Aso

Mount Aso is the largest active volcano in Japan and is located in Aso Kuju National Park in Kumamoto on the island of Kyushu in southern Japan.

The day we went, the rope way and walking paths to the crater were closed due to volcanic activity so we could not walk right up to the rim of the crater.

However, we were still able to go quite close and we had a fantastic time exploring the surrounding area…

…and eating icecream! This area’s speciality is horse meat, however, it goes without saying that I did not try the horse meat kebabs.

Who would enjoy this…

The scenery in this area is absolutely magnificent and we loved driving through the countryside, it was a beautiful drive. However, the kids were a little nervous about being near the volcano and rightly so as it erupted with plumes of ash a few weeks after we left. This volcano is easy to access, with the museum and main car park within walking distance to the crater.

Please check the safety reports before heading out to Mount Aso. If there are high levels of activity, not only will you not be able to access the area but you need to consider the risks.

A few weeks after we visited in 2016 there was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in the Kumamoto region. Hundreds of homes were lost, landslides destroyed roads, and 50 people perished. Mount Aso spewed out ash which covered the surrounding areas in grey. Many parts of Japan are known hot spots of volcanic activity. Please enjoy and support this beautiful region while being aware of the risks of visiting an active volcano.

Tickets

Tickets are not needed to enter the parks and surrounding walks

Aso volcano museum
Adults (13 and older) ¥880
Opening Hours 9am to 5pm

The Cable Car to the crater has been replaced by a shuttle bus, ¥1200 return trip. Please note this will not run if there are high levels of volcanic activity – please check information here regarding accessing the crater.

How to get here

A bus runs from JR Aso station to the main parking lot of the Nakadake Crater. The bus trip takes 30-40 minutes, however, it only runs every 1-2 hours. Alternatively catch a taxi.

Need more info?

Mount Aso official site to check volcano activity
Japan Guide