aso | Japanese Countryside Travel Notes

2025-07-082025-07-08

Numerous waterfalls created by the eruption of Mt. Aso

The area was completely covered by pyroclastic flows from the great eruption of Mt. Aso 90,000 years ago, and the heat of the eruption transformed this into welded tuff. As it cooled further, its volume contracted, creating countless long vertical cracks, and subsequent erosion revealed columnar joints that can be seen everywhere. This is clearly visible in the waterfall.

Bat Falls

You can’t get close to the waterfall, it can only be seen from above, the road isn’t shown on car navigation systems, and the road to get there is so narrow that even a compact car would likely go off the rails, so the whole experience of getting there is filled with a sense of unease and a sense of being in a remote area. Suddenly, a parking space and a space to turn around appear. This is thanks to the local people who have maintained the area. Please check the entrance (“Park golf course” sign) from the main road (National Route 502) and the terrain from an aerial photograph beforehand. Cars cannot pass each other, but it seems that the road has been widened recently.

The waterfall is shaped like a bat with its wings spread, and in the Edo period, a wooden slide was built on part of it to allow ships to pass through. People in the past were amazing. The Kuju mountain range can be seen beautifully beyond the waterfall. It’s a place worth visiting.

bat fall1 and kuju mountains

bat fall3

Harajiri Falls is like Niagara Falls

The collapse of the tuff rocks over a width of 120m created a circular waterfall similar to Niagara Falls. The waterfall and the surrounding scenery are so beautiful that they make you think of a movie set or Disneyland. There is a suspension bridge that offers a panoramic view of the falls, but once you cross it the road is closed off beyond that point.

harajiri fall1

harajiri fall4

harajiri fall8

Chinda Falls

The collapse occurred over a width of 100m, creating a 20m-high step. It is famous for being depicted in a sumi-e painting by Sesshu during the Muromachi period. Unfortunately, the original painting was destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake, and only copies remain. Sesshu also painted Amanohashidate in Kyoto, so people really did travel a lot by foot in the past.

chinda fall by sesshu source yuagariart — chinda fall by sesshu at source “yuagariart.com”

In modern times, a dam was built behind the falls to generate hydroelectric power, and the structure remains. At first, I thought it was just part of the falls. The welded tuff that forms the foundation of the waterfall is a geology that is weak against vertical shocks, and has repeatedly collapsed due to being unable to withstand large-scale flooding. As a result, the waterfall has gradually moved upstream over a long period of time. Kyushu Electric Power Co. reinforced the rocks around the base of the waterfall, and now it is in its current form. Even man-made structures like dams can sometimes help preserve the natural landscape. There was a lot of water and it was making a roaring noise.

climbing18 mitsumata mountain from kutsukake mountain — Go back to itinerary

2025-06-222025-06-23

Getting lost in search of a water source in Ubuyama Village

The village of Ubuyama, located on the outer rim of Mt. Aso, is a laid-back place. The outer rim area is made up of many alternating high hills and deep valleys, and once you enter a valley, it’s hard to tell where you are. There are countless water sources in these valleys. One of them, the Yamabuki Spring, has been selected as one of the 100 famous water sources in Kumamoto Prefecture, and gushes out 30 tons of water every minute. The way the green and autumn leaves of the trees are reflected on the clear water is beautiful.

yamabuki water source2

yamabuki water source1

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yamabuki water source4

yamabuki water source6

ubuyama village3 ohgi tanada (rice terrace)

Please note that navigation systems do not work this far, so you need to keep a close eye on the map. The terrain is so complex that it is difficult to know where you are once you enter the valley of the outer rim of the volcano. There are stacked fan-shaped rice terraces nearby, and you’ll want to take photos of the way they are filled with water before rice planting and the stars reflected in them at night.

ubuyama village1 sobosan(grandmother mountain) and sea of clouds

ubuyama village2 aso mountains

ubuyama village5 cattle grazing

yamanami21 ranch near hotel

yamanami23 satoimo with a sticky texture

There are also pastures everywhere. There were calves right in front of the Yamanami Inn, but I hope it wasn’t used as an ingredient in the barbecue at the inn last night. There is also a buffet with nearly 30 kinds of homemade pickles. I was impressed that even these things can be made into pickles. If you can’t finish rice, they will make it into rice balls for you to have as a midnight snack.

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yamanami19 take out gift after dinner

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yamanami2 entrance

yamanami3 original hotspring

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yamanami7 dinner

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yamanami5 chabo house

yamanami6 chabo for dinner

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yamanami18 dagojiru

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yamanami26 breakfast

yamanami25 breakfast

2025-06-18

Mount Kuju, a mass of multiple volcanoes, loves sweets

climbing19 hossho mountain and nishisenrigahama

Mount Kuju is a place where you can enjoy a leisurely day of mountain hiking without having to stay overnight. However, here I would like to introduce a short 2-hour round trip trek to Mount Kuju, which shows off enough a variety of different faces, and the rewards that are well worth it.

climbing1 start from makinoto mountain pass

I would like to see the whole mountain covered in pink Kirishima Azalea flowers in May or June, but I have heard that the mountain gets congested. In the end, I end up just taking pictures of the line of climbers that stands out against the pink mountain. So this time, I went in late October to search for autumn leaves.

The easiest way to get to the summit is from Makinoto Pass along th road, which gives you the highest altitude possible as the starting point.

climbing2

climbing5 waita mountain like Mt.Fuji

climbing6 kutsukake mountain

climbing10 goal of kutsukake mountain

At first, the mountain trail is a long, gradual concrete slope that can be tiring. However, you can get past this point and head towards Mount Kutsukake.

climbing7 iida hights and yufudake over there

climbing9 aso mountains

Along the way, you can see Mt. Yufudake and the Aso mountain range, and at the end you can enjoy the autumn foliage of Mt. Hossho and Ohgigahana. I didn’t see anyone wearing high heels up here, but you can climb in normal shoes. The area around the summit of Mt. Kutsukake is full of rocks, but after that the trail continues along a gentle ridge. If you have the stamina and time, you can go a little further.

climbing11

climbing18 mitsumata mountain from kutsukake mountain

climbing19 hossho mountain and nishisenrigahama

climbing20 ohgigahana

A detour or a reward (Sweets Restaurant)

Return to Makinoto Pass and head south, cross the pass and the Aso mountain range will come into view, and you will then see Chez Tani Senomoto-Kogen store. The view of the Aso mountain range from the full-length windows is a sight to behold, but the 90-minute cake buffet for 3,300 yen is a menu that will make you forget all about it – a menu that is sure to satisfy any desire. If you can’t do something like that, the 1500 yen 2 cakes set with drinks is enough. The cake portions are too big, so you forget to enjoy the view.

chez tani mo mo roll

chez tani pudding

chez tani grape yogurt mousse

chez tani fruit cake

2025-06-172025-06-22

The charm of Kikuchi Gorge is its deep pools

The entrance is located quite a way down the slope from the northern outer rim of Mt. Aso to the west. This gorge has an abundant amount of water and is deep, so the sun does not penetrate to the bottom of the gorge. That’s why the color of the pool is a deep blue and mysterious. The only time the light penetrates to the bottom of the gorge, illuminating the curtain of water vapor rising from the pool, is early in the morning in early summer, when the gorge is apparently occupied by many photographers.

kikuchi gorge2 kakefu fall

kikuchi gorge6

kikuchi gorge11

kikuchi gorge13

kikuchi gorge15 tree on the rock

kikuchi gorge18 hirokawara

kikuchi gorge21

kikuchi gorge22

It’s a two-hour circular course that goes up and down and doesn’t have many ups and downs, but for some reason it takes longer than that. Perhaps it’s because you’re bathed in negative ions and there are a series of spectacular waterfalls and pools.

For your refference, I recommend sevral as below.

Narugo Gorge(Miyagi Prefecture)
Hugging Gorge(Akita Prefecture)
Nakatsugawa Valley(Fukushima Prefecture)
Geibikei Canyon(Iwate Prefecture)
Oirase Valley(Aomori Prefecture)

Detour (Aso Skyline Observatory)

There are several observation decks on the outer rim of Mt. Aso. The most representative of these is Daikanbo, which juts out slightly into the caldera basin from within the outer rim, and from there you can see the Aso mountain range directly ahead from due north. However, it takes a little time to get to the top of the observation deck, including the walking time, and the Aso Skyline Observatory solves this problem. The observation deck is right on the side of the road. It is on the way to Kikuchi Gorge.

aso viewpoint1 left

aso viewpoint2 kuju

aso viewpoint3 somma

aso viewpoint4

aso viewpoint5 nekodake

aso viewpoint6 kusasennri

aso viewpoint7 somma

aso viewpoint8 right

Detour (Lunch time)

Going back a little to Minamioguni Town, in a really small basin surrounded by mountains, there is an apple mint herb garden and a natural food restaurant called “Kaze no Mori (Forest with wind).” I love the plate with colorful vegetables, so I always stop by here. You can enjoy a leisurely lunch while looking at the farm. The assortment of various herbs is a great deal.

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apple mint3 pumpkin soup

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apple mint2

2025-06-14

Yamanami Highway is Mountain wave itself

The Yamanami Highway is a road that connects Yufuin to Aso, passing through the Kuju mountain range. The scenery overlooking the mountain range changes rapidly, and the road has moderate curves, so you can enjoy an exhilarating drive while listening to music. Along the way, stop at the observation deck where you can get a full view of Mt. Yufu-dake. Mt. Yufu-dake is also known as Bungo Fuji, and its summit is made up of two well-balanced peaks. Although it is different from the shape of Mount Fuji that is generally associated with it, the Mount Fuji as it is called in various regions is probably a mountain that constitutes a representative mental landscape of each region.

yamanami highway1

yamanami highway2 yufudake

yamanami highway3 mitumata mountain

yamanami highway4 evening sun on kuju mountain

Just because you’re not driving doesn’t mean you should fall asleep. This is a route where you should enjoy the beauty of mountain waves. It’s especially amazing to pass through the Kuju mountain range to the south and see the Aso mountain range in the sunset from the pass.

yamanami highway5 aso view left

yamanami highway6 aso view right

We descend the mountain and head towards my usual lodging, Kurokawa Onsen Sanga, as the silver grass sways and sparkles towards the sunset. I came here again looking forward to the food. I apologize for the photos being all about food. But every dish and its tableware is a work of art.

Kurokawa Hotspring “Sanga”

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kurokawasanga dinner1

kurokawasanga dinner2

kurokawasanga dinner4

2024-01-302024-02-04

Revenge Aso under the blue sky

aso crater3

aso crater4

aso crater5 sunasenri

I was finally able to visit the core of Aso. Last time, I couldn’t see the whole thing in the rain clouds, but there was a swell of sticky lava, exposed bedrock towering as far as the eye could see, and it looked like there were cordons like construction sites all over the place.

aso crater1 with sticky lava

aso crater2 focus

aso crater6

aso crater7

When you look at it, you can feel that it is a volcano that is still active. The most recent eruption occurred in October 2016. Crater regulation information is updated daily, so if you don’t check it before you visit, you’ll be missing out even if the weather is nice.

Shiroyama view point on the edge of somma

aso caldera1 left

aso caldera2 center from shiroyama view point

aso caldera3 right

Aso approach

aso highway4 thin and aso left

aso highway5 thin and aso right

aso highway1

aso highway2 kuju

aso highway3 aso view

aso pasture1

aso komezuka

aso pasture3 bright thin

aso kuju mountains on somma

aso moutain

Aso crater and Kusasenri (The grass stretches for a thousand miles)

aso crater and kusasenri

Aso cattle are grazed on the mountain path along the way. If you approach them carelessly, their eyes will turn bright red and threaten you. I have seen bullfights, and when the fighting instinct comes to the fore, the bull’s eyes become bloodshot. I’m looking forward to tonight’s beef steak.

aso pasture2 red eyes expressing itimidation

2023-11-302023-12-03

Arched stone bridge created by God

Each arched stone bridge in Kumamoto prefecture exists in exquisite balance with the weight of the thousands of stones that make up it, and the shape is beautiful. It is said that there are approximately 320 existing stone bridges in Kumamoto, but why are there so many stone bridges in Kumamoto? Many factors seem to have contributed to this, including the presence of easy-to-work welded tuff formed by the Aso pyroclastic flow nearby, the presence of a technical group of masons, and the fact that people who learned Western techniques in Nagasaki moved there. There is also a story that the designer of stone bridge was even threatened with his life by other clans due to his high technical skills. This stone bridge is the result of a divine work. The steps involved creating an arch-shaped wooden frame according to the blueprint, fitting stones into it from above, and finally removing the wooden frame.

Around the same time, a huge wooden arch bridge was built in Iwakuni. This is Kintaikyo Bridge.

stone bridge tsujyunkyo1

stone bridge tsujyunkyo3 a little water

stone bridge tsujyunkyo2 Anna and the Beast — stone bridge tsujyunkyo behind “Anna and the Beast”

Anyway, the Midori River basin in southern Kumamoto Prefecture is full of stone bridges. Some are stone bridges for people to cross valleys, but many are also used to carry waterways to irrigate higher ground. A typical example is the Tsujun Bridge, but for some reason there is an object depicting “Beauty(Anna) and the Beast” in front of it. Let’s visit your favorite stone bridge. Depending on the time of day at Futamata bridge, light from the arch opening and light reflected on the river surface overlaps to form a heart shape.

stone bridge futamatabashi2 — stone bridge futamata

Furthermore, in order to distribute the precious water carried by stone bridges to the fields, it is necessary to distribute the water equally in proportion to the cultivated area. A mechanism for this purpose is a circular water diversion system, in which water rises from the center of the circle using a U-shaped pipe, spills into partitions set up along the circumference in proportion to the cultivated area, and is distributed in various directions. You can see places where this device is still in use today. You might read the same story at the travel note “Akita in winter”. Forthermore, there is one in the metropolitan area as well as in Mizonokuchi in Kawasaki City.

circular divertsion1 distributing water according to the rice field

circular diversion2 divided water flows above the river

A detour

Mizutama (Polka dots) cafe, a cafe tucked away on top of a mountain. A good place to relax and do nothing. Aso can also be seen in the distance.

polka dots cafe2

polka dots cafe3

polka dots cafe4

polka dots cafe in yamato

polka dots cafe5 lunch

polka dots cafe6 lunch

polka dots cafe7 cheese cake

polka dots cafe8 aso

polka dots cafe10

It’s difficult to get here. Don’t overlook the small landmarks at junctions on narrow roads. It seems that reservations are now required recently.

Another detour

At first glance it looks like an octagonal tunnel, but numerous so-called nut-like shapes are lined up along the cliff. Although it is the remains of a former railroad (Yuen railway), it seems to be a preventative measure against landslides. There seems to be a demonic realm ahead, but at the end of the tunnel is a　tranquil landscape.

aso statute of nirvana left — go back to itinerary

2023-11-202023-11-26

A ray of light in the pouring rain in Aso

When traveling to enjoy the scenery, the weather is crucial. The scenery shines with the reflection of light, and the wind with just the right amount of humidity makes you feel refreshed. The sun is great! But this time, it’s the complete opposite. The rain was pouring down so hard that I couldn’t even step out of the car in Kusasenri, so I turned on the heater inside the car max to stay warm.

Still, the eruption alert level for Mt. Aso is at its lowest level, so this is a great opportunity to get up close. As we braved the wind and rain, a shelter covered with thick concrete suddenly appeared in front of us. I am reminded of the recent incident on Mt. Ontake in Kiso where climbers were caught in volcanic bombs. Then, for a moment, an emerald blue volcanic lake could be seen through the gap between the clouds and volcanic smoke. The weather was terrible, but it was an unforgettable sight, even though it was only for a short time.

aso crater2

aso crater1

aso crater3

After lunch at an herb farm* in Minami-oguni town, I went to Daikanbo, which has an observation deck for Aso mountain range, without high expectations. Although the clouds were not clear, I could see the Aso mountain range, which has been compared to the reclining statue of Buddha, and the somma with deep valleys surrounding it. It’s not all that the weather is bad. It seemed like a ray of light was shining.

aso statute of nirvana left

aso statute of nirvana right

aso somma2 water vapor

aso somma4 burnt remains

aso somma1

aso somma3

Detour (an herb farm* in Minami-oguni town)

wind forest 2 café

wind forest 1

wind forest 3

wind forest 4 lunch plate

wind forest 5

wind forest 6 dessert

wind forest 7 terrace

Overnight at Kurokawa Onsen ”Sanga”

The garden is well-maintained while retaining the atmosphere of deep in the mountain, but I was surprised to learn that it was all planted by hand. I fell in love with the richness of the ingredients and the delicious taste, and now I stay here regularly. It seems that all the accommodations in Kurokawa Onsen are wonderful, but I hope that the regular accommodations do not suffer from the negative effects of overtourism.