Kumamoto & Aso

Home of Kumamon, with the famous Kumamoto Castle, the grasslands of Mount Aso, one of the world's largest calderas, and Kurokawa Onsen: the highlight loop of a Kyushu road trip.

Kumamoto Prefecture lies in central Kyushu. Its capital, Kumamoto City, is Kyushu's third-largest city and is famous for Kumamoto Castle and its mascot Kumamon. About 40 km to the east, the Aso area has one of the world's largest calderas: the Aso caldera, about 25 km north to south and 18 km east to west, whose outer rim encloses rice paddies, towns and railways, with the still-active Five Peaks of Aso at its center. It was designated a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2014. A visit splits into two parts: 1 day in Kumamoto City for Kumamoto Castle, Josaien, Suizenji Jojuen Garden, and Kumamon Square at Tsuruya Department Store to see “Director” Kumamon at work (check the official website for appearance times); and 2 days in Aso for the Nakadake crater, Kusasenri, Aso Shrine and Daikanbo, staying at Kurokawa Onsen or Uchinomaki Onsen, plus a visit to Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine in Minamiaso. Seasons: Mar–Apr brings cherry blossoms and fresh green grass after Aso's noyaki (controlled grass burning); the grasslands are greenest May–Aug; Oct–Nov brings pampas grass and autumn leaves; in winter the grasslands turn golden-brown and soaking in Kurokawa's hot springs amid the snow has its own charm, though mountain roads may be icy. Getting there: the Kyushu Shinkansen from Hakata to Kumamoto takes about 35 minutes; buses run from Kumamoto Airport to the city. Trams make getting around Kumamoto City easy. For Aso, take the JR Hohi Line (about 1.5 hours) or the Kyushu Odan Bus, but sights are spread out and services are infrequent, so renting a car is the top recommendation (a mainland Chinese license requires a Japanese translation recognized by Japan, as an alternative to an International Driving Permit; follow Japanese police rules). Note: whether the Nakadake crater is open depends on the volcanic alert level and volcanic gas concentrations, so check the Aso Volcano West Station notices before setting out; people with asthma or heart conditions should not approach the crater. Local specialties include basashi (raw horse meat), taipien (glass noodle soup), Kumamoto ramen and Aso akaushi (red beef) rice bowls.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries