[2025 Aso District Attraction] Travel Guide for Kusasenri Observatory (Updated Jun)

📅 Travel Schedule Day 1: Airport - Kusasenri - Aso Shrine - Monzenmachi Street Day 2: Aso Station - Nakadake Crater - Kusasenri - Kumamoto Castle - Katsuretsutei - Sakuramachi Terminal - Doichi Day 3: Suizenji Jojuen - Kumamon Village 🏨 Recommended Accommodations Arc Hotel (Yukata available, free drinks, view of Tenshukaku) Yumeoiso (Dinner buffet, breakfast buffet, free private hot spring) 🍴 Recommended Restaurants Gokutei Ramen? Inside the Volcano Museum souvenir shop, horse meat croquettes are better than horse meat skewers. 📌 Useful Tips - The crater situation can change at the last minute, so don't give up and check. - On Day 2, consider visiting Suizenji Jojuen instead of Kumamoto Castle and returning to your accommodation. - Google Maps has many errors.

I visited during the Golden Week in May and walked over 2 hours to cover a distance of about 3 kilometers. It was absolutely worth it to see the lush green and expansive grasslands—perfect for a visit! Here's a tip: if there's heavy traffic, you can park your car along the roadside on the way up. At the time, the free parking lot near the observatory was closed, so I had to use the paid crater parking lot (1,000 yen), but parking took a very long time 😭. Access to the crater depends on the weather conditions on the day, so make sure to check the official website in advance! At the souvenir shop near the entrance to the crater trail, don't miss the sesame ice cream and Ikinaridango! These two are a must-try 🩷

These two spots are located near each other and are must-visit destinations. 📅 Itinerary: Start your morning at Mount Aso. Enjoy lunch at Kusasenri Scenic Restaurant at noon. Take a leisurely walk on the grasslands in the afternoon. 📍 Mount Aso - Helicopter ride to view the volcanic crater - Aso Volcano Museum 📍 Kusasenri - Horseback riding experience 📍 Kusasenri Scenic Restaurant - Enjoy delicious food with stunning views 📌 Practical Tips for Scenic Seats Arrive at Kusasenri Scenic Restaurant before 12 PM to have more seating options before the lunch crowd arrives. This greatly increases your chances of getting a window seat.

If you come to Kumamoto, you should definitely visit Mount Aso. It is an active volcano with one of the world's largest calderas, and is a place where you can truly experience the "scale of nature." If you're lucky, you can get close to the crater, and the view of the rising volcanic gases and the spreading crater is breathtaking. It's convenient to get there by rental car, and there are plenty of sights to see in the surrounding area, such as Kusasenri Beach and Aso Shrine. Taking a deep breath in the great outdoors will help you blow away all the fatigue of everyday life. It's especially recommended for those who love driving and nature! ⸻ Mount Aso | Kumamoto, Japan Mount Aso is one of the top must-visit spots in Kumamoto — and one of the largest active volcanic calderas in the world. If the conditions are right, you can get close to the crater and see the steam and volcanic gases rising right in front of you. The views are surreal and give you a powerful sense of nature’s scale. Driving there by rental car is ideal, and nearby spots like Kusasenri and Aso Shrine are also worth visiting. It’s the kind of place that refreshes your mind just by being surrounded by wide-open nature. Perfect for road trip lovers and outdoor adventurers!

Minamiaso Volcano🌋 It is an active volcano located in the center of Kyushu, Japan. It is the general name for a volcanic group. The surrounding area is called the "Aso area". The outer ring mountain here is a rare caldera (caldera) that can be seen intact in the world. The entire caldera is about 18 kilometers wide from east to west and about 25 kilometers wide from north to south. There are nearly 50,000 people living in this caldera terrain. Mount Aso is also the origin of Kumamoto Prefecture's nickname "Land of Fire". The entire volcanic area is now included in the Aso Kuju National Park. Because it is close to the city and has convenient transportation, it is planned as a tourist attraction for the general public to observe volcanoes. There is a volcano museum next to the volcano. In the past, there was a cable car that could directly reach the Nakadake crater, but it was damaged after the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake and was demolished in 2018. Currently, you can drive directly to the crater, but when the volcanic activity is more intense, it will be temporarily closed due to toxic gas. In order to prevent emergencies, "retreats" are set up around the crater so that tourists can take emergency refuge. On the other hand, due to volcanic activity, the surrounding Aso area has a large number of natural hot springs. Two tons of natural underground water wells up every second, and the residents of Aso enjoy natural resources and coexist with nature. Mount Aso is not a single mountain, but a collective name for a group of volcanoes located in the center of the Aso Caldera. The five highest mountains are called the "Aso Five Mountains", including: Gaoyue (1,592m) Zhongyue (1,506m) Nekodake (1,408m) Mount Eboshi（1,337m） Mount Kishima (1,270m)

#Spring0yenTrip On a winter night, Kusasenrigahama, where snow quietly piles up, seemed like a completely different world from the daytime❄️When I stepped onto the pure white earth, the sound of snow crunching echoed, and even the cold air felt comfortable. Countless stars spread across the cloudless sky, and the fantastic sight of the Milky Way clearly visible took my breath away. It was a mysterious and luxurious time, as if I was alone between the universe and the earth✨The way the moonlight illuminated the snowy field, and even the shadows emerged beautifully was so moving that it cannot be conveyed in a photo. In the silence, my mind was sharpened, and I was reminded of the grandeur and beauty of nature. It was such an emotional experience that I forgot the cold, and I definitely want to come back again! #Kusasenrigahama #BreathtakingWinterScenery #StarrySkyAndSnowScenery #NatureOfAso #SceneryThatCleansTheSoul

Family members! Are you still worried about where to go during the holidays? In 8 days, we will take you to an exciting trip to Fukuoka. With the JR pass in hand, you can take the sightseeing train and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way. Local attractions Kumamon, hot spring hotel. The Aso Boy train heads to Mount Aso. The mountains are covered with snow and the cold is overwhelming. Standing at the foot of the volcano, the scene before us is shocking. The crater is filled with smoke, which forms a wonderful contrast with the white snow scene. The wonders of nature are amazing. Beppu's hot spring resort. The streets are filled with a faint smell of sulfur, and there are signs of various hot spring resorts everywhere. Walk into a hot spring hotel and soak in the steaming hot spring, and the fatigue of the journey will instantly disappear. Take the sightseeing train Double Star 4047 to appreciate the countryside and enjoy a relaxing time. Yufuin, experience the literary romance and hot spring cuisine of the small town. Finally, we went shopping in Hakata and ate wagyu beef and taiyaki. . . Follow my footsteps and start this fantastic journey to Kyushu together. Let's go! #Japan #Hot Springs #Kyushu #Fukuoka #March Destinations 2025 Local Attractions－

I went on a trip to Kyushu, Japan to welcome autumn! 🍂 Starting from downtown Fukuoka, I went all the way to Dazaifu Tenmangu → Yufuin → Lake Kinrinko → Beppu → Kumamoto → Mt. Aso → Kusasenri → Itoshima Beach, enjoying the nature and culture of Kyushu. First journey – Dazaifu Tenmangu ⛩️ I headed straight from Fukuoka to Dazaifu Tenmangu! This place, which enshrines the god of learning, is always crowded with people, but in autumn, the maple leaves turned red and it was really pretty. I bought an umegae mochi at the entrance of the shrine and walked slowly. The taste of the crispy outside and sweet red bean paste... It was special because this was the main branch. Hot spring town, Yufuin ♨️ I took a bus from Dazaifu to Yufuin! 🚍 Even though it is a small town, there are many pretty cafes and cute shops, so it was fun to walk around. And above all, Lake Kinrinko! Steam rises slightly from the clear lake, and it looks like a painting with the autumn scenery. Beppu - The city of hot springs! 🛁 We moved from Yufuin to Beppu and fully enjoyed the city of hot springs! We went on the Jigoku Meguri tour and saw various hot springs, but the cobalt blue **Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell)** was especially impressive. 💙 In the evening, we relieved our fatigue in an open-air bath full of sulfur scent and healed ourselves! Kumamoto & Mt. Aso 🌋 The next day, we went to Kumamoto, toured Kumamoto Castle, and then headed to Mt. Aso! It was a place where you could really feel Kyushu's great nature, and the rough yet magnificent scenery unique to active volcanoes was amazing. And the grassland area of ​​Kusasenri was really peaceful and beautiful. The feeling of walking through a wide field while feeling the autumn breeze was the best! Last Journey - Itoshima Beach 🌊 The last stop of the trip was Itoshima near Fukuoka! The quiet and secluded beach was really impressive. In particular, the white sand, blue sea, and seaside cafes were so pretty. As I looked back on the trip while having a cup of coffee here, I could once again realize how beautiful Kyushu's nature is. Ending the trip 🚅 Kyushu was a place with really beautiful natural scenery and an impressive quiet and peaceful atmosphere. 🍁 A trip where I could experience perfect healing in the midst of autumn foliage, hot springs, and great nature! It was a place I would love to come back to again 💕 ✔️ Highly recommended as a fall travel destination! ✔️ A place where you can enjoy nature, hot springs, and delicious food!

Driving all the way from Yufuin to Aso Volcano🌋 The journey was about 2 hours, and I wanted to give up this trip. Fortunately, only by persisting can you enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way Any photo can be used as a wallpaper This trip is worth it #Fukuoka #Kusasenri #Aso Volcano

#0yentripnovember The grassland is wide and many horses are kept! They also offer horse riding experiences! You can see Aso Nakadake clearly to the side, and sometimes you can even see the smoke! Also, on the other side you can see an interesting topography with a depression at the top of a mountain called Yonezuka! If it's clear, you can see as far as Unzen Fugendake! There is a shop at the observation point where you can get soft serve ice cream and milk! Please go and check it out!! 📍 1662-9 Nagakusa, Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture

Location: Kusasenri Observatory, Mount Aso, Kumamoto, Japan Highlights: Stunning volcanic views, everything covered in volcanic ash. You can smell volcanic gases in the air. An amazing experience! The scenery is so beautiful that it cannot be compared to anywhere else in Japan. Highly recommended if you visit Japan and have enough time to visit here, especially if you have the chance to see other places in Japan. Coordinates: 1662-9 Nagakusa, Aso, Kumamoto 869-2231, Japan

Mount Aso⛰️ One of the world's largest active volcanoes, located in Kumamoto, Japan. Its vast caldera and steaming Nakadake crater create a dramatic, otherworldly landscape, perfect for exploration and witnessing nature's raw power. You can try riding horse here! Location📍 32.8985064, 131.0874754 How to Go🚅 From Kumamoto Station, take JR Hohi Line to Aso Station. Then, take a bus to Aso Sanjyo Terminal Stop (To visit the volcano and take a carter) or to Kisasenri Volcano Museum (To see grassland, ride a horse, and museum) **Aso Boy! Train is available only weekend and holidays. Have to check on the website.** Price💴 Bus: 1-Day Pass Adult JPY 1,500 Children JPY 750 Carter: Adult JPY 600 Children JPY 300 (One Way) P.S. If you have a JR pass, the train ticket is included. (Including Aso Boy!) I recommend to book your seat in advance. #outdooradventures #aso #mountainview #mountain #kumamoto #kyushu #japan #asia #trip #travel #asiatrip #japantrip #japantravel

#Hotel Accommodation Event A grassland and crater located in the Aso region of Japan. You can see actual smoke rising from the crater of an active volcano that you can't see in Korea. If a lot of sulfur gas or smoke is emitted, it can't be considered an evacuation warning. It's an area that many people visit by renting rather than by public transportation.

Kusasenri Observatory #Travelwithme Address: 1662-9 Nagakusa, Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture, 869-2231 I went to Kusasenri Observatory in Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture! It's a really wide grassland The air is also very good! I went to Kusasenri Observatory on a weekday, but it's really crowded on weekends and holidays so there's a possibility of traffic jams! But it's a recommended spot to visit when you visit Kumamoto. There are horses, so you can experience horseback riding. At the rest area, there's the popular Kusasenri Cafe and Kumamoto's famous red beef bowl! Please go and check it out!

"Kusa Senri Coffee Roastery" 2391-15 Nagakusa, Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture 10:00-18:00 Irregular holidays I've been wanting to go to this place for a long time Finally!! ️ ︎︎︎︎☑︎Charcoal latte 600 yen ︎︎︎︎☑︎Yame latte 600 yen My son and I got charcoal lattes🖤 My daughter got Yame tea latte💚 I just love the interior and exterior of the store!! ️ I love the inorganic feel of concrete 🤤 The latte was absolutely delicious ✨ The latte art was beautiful too ☺️ To get here, you have to pay 500 yen for the parking lot at Kusasenri, but it was really nice and I was very satisfied 🥺✨ Thank you for the meal ✨ #Mt.Aso #MatchaLatte #KumamotoCafe #AsoCafe #Kusasenri #KumamotoTrip #FamilyTrip #SpringBreak #FukuokaCafe #Sakura2024

#JapanTravel Kumamon and volcanic crater near Fukuoka🚘 Aso in Kumamoto, home to Kumamon, a famous Japanese regional character! Isn't the road to see the crater of Mt. Aso especially beautiful? 📍Mt. Aso Kusasenri Observatory 1662-9 Nagakusa, Aso, Kumamoto 869-2231 It feels like you're meeting the nature of Japan as it is🥹🥹 I was overwhelmed by the grandeur the whole time I was driving there...!!!! The altitude is so high that cell phones don't work well and my ears are ringing, but Once you get to the top, the dizzying scenery and the smoke from the Aso crater are amazing✨ You can take a walk near the crater and relax while enjoying the view of Aso at restaurants and cafes, a hot place near Japan💕 Tolls are expensive in Japan, but if you use KEP in the Kyushu region, You pay a certain amount for a certain period like a transportation pass and You don't have to pay the toll gate fee separately for the applicable section, which is nice!! However, the road to Mt. Aso is not in the applicable section, so I paid a separate fee later, but if you are planning to visit Yufuin, Beppu, or Dazaifu, You can save on tolls by using KEP, so be sure to use it ❤️