Aso travel guide
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Aso gives a lot of unforgettable experiences. The active volcano Mount Aso and world’s largest
caldera offer a lot of excitements. And numerous unforgettable experiences in the rural area can
be made including Onsen, variety of sports and local cuisines.
Exploring Aso
Mount Aso
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The largest active volcano in Japan. Its peak is 1592 m above sea level.
Its caldera is 25 km across north to south and 18 km across east to west.
The caldera has a circumference of around 120 km, although sources
vary on the exact distance.
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Kusasenri-ga-hama
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The beautiful prairie of 785,000 square meter in the crater spreads in
northern part of Mt. Eboshi that is one of the Aso Five Mountains.
A big pond at its center and grazing horses round about make an
idyllic scene.
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Daikanbo
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The perfect spot view the five peak of Mount Aso. Daikanbo literally means
a big observatory peak. The circumference of the Aso caldera is about
130 kilometers. From the observation site, you can clearly see its conical
shape.
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Aso Shrine
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Aso Shrine is popular as a god protecting worshipers from traffic
accidents, and exorcism, marriage, and learning. Aso shrine one of the
oldest and most prominent shrines in Japan, and was built in 281 before
accession of the 1st Emperor Jinmu.
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Kurokawa Onsen
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The most popular hot spring resort in Aso region, located on the northern
side of Mount Aso. Widely known for its open-air baths, it is one of the
best places to enjoy the atmosphere of old town in Japan, where more
than 20 Inns (Ryokan)and gift shops standing in a row along the
Tanoharu River, a headstream of the Chikugo River.
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Nabegataki Waterfall
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Nabegataki Waterfall is a hidden tourist spot in Kumamoto prefecture,
located just outside Oguni town in Aso region. One of the area’s more
well-known waterfalls. Looking like a mini-Niagara.
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Shirakawa fountain
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Shirakawa suigen is the fountain to Shirakawa river that is one of the
first class rivers of Japan. The quantity of water that spouts with the
sand at the bottom of the pond is approximately 60 tons per minute.
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Tourist Tram / Minami Aso Rail Way
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The Minami Aso railway is a private railroad offering a very scenic
ride from Takamori to Nakamatsu in the south east of the caldera.
Lovely and magnificent scenery of Aso can be enjoyed.
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Kikuchi Valley
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Enjoy short trekking in the Nature. Kikuchi Valley is located in Aso
Kuju National Park and underground water flows out of the subsoil
for 4km along the valley floor. It is also called the Kikuchi water
source and its water was selected as one of the 100 best waters
in Japan.
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Local cuisines, Featured restaurant
Takamori Dengaku-no sato
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Enjoy Aso beef and local cuisines called dengaku. The restaurant
uses the old private house with thatch roof built more than 200
years ago. Bake the meat and local ingredients with charcoal at
a Japanese traditional style fire place.
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Aso Akaushi beef rice bowl
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Aso Akaushi laterally means red beef that is unique in that it has
a higher proportion of red meat with just the right amount of fat.
Aso Akaushi beer rice bowl is a local cuisine in Aso consisting
of a bowl of rice put in a mildly sweet sauce and topped with
Akaushi beef and egg.
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General information
Address |
City hall : 504-1 Miyaji, Ichinomiya, Aso-city, Kumamoto-prefecture |
Access |
70 minutes by a vehicle from Kumamoto-city
70 minutes by a vehicle from Takachiho
140 minutes by a vehicle from Fukuoka-city
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Population |
234,000 Population density 540 |
Aso

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