Takachiho & Aso Tour
1.Places
(1) Takachiho
Takachiho is located in the center of Kyushu island, a mountainous region neighboring Aso caldera. Despite the remote location, a lot of foreign tourists as well as domestic gather here all through the year because it leaves fabulous nature and relaxing atmosphere.
Surprisingly, Takachiho is known as a sacred ground where the god descended to earth at the first time. There also are a lot of mythologies how deities in ancient times created Japan here. Residents here have handed down Takachiho Kagura, sacred dance rituals reenacting these mythologies.
Takachiho is such a wonderful place filled with beauty and mystery.
Although Takachiho is in Miyazaki prefecture, it is located in the north-western edge of Miyazaki and adjacent to Aso. Therefore we recommend to start the tour in Kumamoto city and head there via the southern part of Aso caldera.
【Takachiho Gorge】
The highlight here is Takachiho gorge. The spectacular steep walls of this gorge were formed by the columnar jointing, due to the rapid cooling of an ancient lava flow from Mt. Aso.
The best way to enjoy the grandeur and beauty of the gorge is to row a boat and look up from the surface of the river. You can take a lot of fabulous photos of the gorge with the beautiful Manai waterfall. This waterfall is designated as one of Japan’s top 100 beautiful waterfalls. After the boat-ride, we will walk on the promenade along the river to enjoy beautiful scenery of the gorge again from a different angle. It is about 700 meter long for 15-20 minutes’ walk one way.
≪The boat service≫
capacity: 3 passengers per boat
time: 30 minutes
price: boat rental fee 3,000 yen per boat
boarding fee 1,000 yen per passenger (500 yen for 6 years old or younger)
(2) Aso
When we talk about Aso, it is not a single mountain, but it is the huge caldera including extensive grassland, beautiful mountains with one active volcano, farmland and residential areas. It is one of the largest calderas in the world, the total area of 380km2, the diameter of 18km east-west and 25km north-south, covered with the rim which forms a gently-sloping pyroclastic plateau of 900m above sea level. The circumference is more than 120 km. This unique geography was formed by the several huge eruptions occurred 270,000 ～9,000 years ago. You will be intrigued by the grandeur and beauty of this caldera. This area is also designated as UNESCO’s Global Geopark.
【Nakadake Crater】
Nakadake is the mountain located in the center of Aso caldera along with 4 other beautiful mountains, and is the only one active volcano. It is amazing that people can come close to the edge of this active crater by car and look into it. There is a crater lake with the beautiful color of emerald green.
The activity of this volcano is always monitored and the crater area is sometime closed for security reasons. Even though we are not allowed to reach the edge of the crater, we are sure you will be moved to feel the dynamism of the earth by looking at the fuming of this volcano from a distance.
_JPG.jpg)
【Kusasenri Grassland】
Kusasenri is a huge grassland area, located at the upper part of Aso mountains, 1,100 meter above sea level. It literally means the grassland of thousand miles. Here was originally a double crater in which the crater of about 400 meter was produced inside a crater of about 1km in diameter. This extensive grassland with 2 ponds allows you to forget about time and relax in the idyllic scenery.
We can also observe the fuming Nakadake from here and feel the dynamism of the earth.
【Komezuka】
Komezuka is located on the way driving down from the top of mountainous area, and was shaped most recently among mountains in Aso (about 3,000 years ago!). Although it is only about 80 meters high, it is such an instagrammable sight because of its beautiful cone shape as if you turned a bowl down. It is also covered with only grass, no tree.
Just before spring starts, dried grass of this mountain is totally burned in order to keep its beautiful surface covered with green grass like other grassland in Aso every year.
【Daikanbo Observatory】
Daikanbo is the observatory located in the northern edge of Aso caldera. Here is a fantastic lookout site that allows you to command Aso mountains and surrounding vast grassland. The shape of Aso mountains looks like the Buddha reclining in the extensive grassland. You will be overwhelmed by this breathtaking and mysterious view.
【Driving through extensive Pastureland】
When we move from one spot to another in Aso, we drive through pastureland and encounter a lot of cows and horses. You will feel so comfortable and relaxed while looking at slowly moving cows and horses in the vast pastureland.
A cow representing Aso is called “Red Cow”, although it is brown colored. About 7,000 red cows are grazed here from spring to autumn. A grown one weighs about 600kg, and eats 60 kg grass a day, 10% of its weight.
【Minami Aso Road Station】
Located in the southern part of Aso caldera, this road station sells seasonal local crops and processed foods. You will also enjoy the spacious wooden deck offering fanastic views of the southern slopes of Aso mountains.
We will make a short stop here in the morning on the way to Takachiho.
2.Timetable
(duration: 10 hours)
07:30 pickup in Kumamoto
Minami Aso Road Station
(short break)
09:45～12:30 Takachiho
Takachiho Gorge
lunch
13:30～16:00 Aso
Nakadake Crater
Kusasenri Grassland
Komezuka
Daikanbo
17:30 farewell in Kumamoto
3.Price
(1) Guiding fee: 8,000 yen per person
(2) Transportation: shared by tour member
* Big group discount and children discount are available. Please make contact with us.
* Boat service, lunch and admission fees are not included above.
4.Lunch
We can provide 2 options.
(1) We prepare a traditional handmade lunch box. If the weather is fine, we can eat outside.
Please refer to "Special Treat" tag.
(2) We take you to a local restaurant near Takachiho Gorge. There is a very unique but traditional
and popular Japanese restaurant which serves Nagashi Somen, thin wheat noodle. There also is a
restaurant which serves delicious Miyazaki Beef with reasonable price.
