Komezuka
米塚
A small cone-shaped volcano west of Aso that looks like an overturned rice bowl, with a dimpled top as if a scoop of rice had been taken out. It is an Aso landmark.
Komezuka is a pyroclastic cone formed in an eruption about 3,000 years ago. It stands 954 meters above sea level, about 80 meters high, and its rounded shape resembles an overturned mound of rice. A small crater dip on its top is said, in legend, to have been left when an Aso deity scooped out a spoonful of rice to share with the people. The slopes are covered in grassland, which turns black after the early-spring grass burning (nōyaki) and bright green in summer. To protect the vegetation, climbing is prohibited. The hill can be viewed and photographed for free from the roadside parking area along the Aso mountain road (Prefectural Route 111). It is about a 5-minute drive from Kusasenri on the way down. Without public transport, driving or joining a sightseeing bus is recommended.
Opening hours
All day (roadside viewing only)
Nearby sights
- Aso Volcano Museum
- Kusasenri
- Aso Farm Land
- Mt. Aso Nakadake Crater
- Uchinomaki Onsen
- Aso Shrine
- Daikanbo
- Shirakawa Spring