Mt Aso (阿蘇山)
The third mountain I climbed in my Kyushu trip last year was Mt Aso (阿蘇山, aso-san). This is the largest active volcano in Japan, and so depending on its activity level it can be closed off to visitors. As of writing this post it is open, but it was closed as recently as July so it pays to check!
After climbing Mt Kuju the day before, I had a good night's rest at nearby hotel before beginning my day at Aso station, which has a shuttle bus up to the mountain.
Being in Kumamoto prefecture, Kumamon was absolutely everywhere. (No complaints, I love him).
The bus will take you up most of the way, but the last 2km requires you to get onto a second shuttle bus to reach the Nakadake crater, where you begin your hike.
The drive up to Mt Aso is quite scenic, so even if you don't want to climb to its peak, plenty of tourists come just to visit the crater and the nearby shops and museum.
The hiking trail starts off with a long flat stretch across a boardwalk. With just sand, rocks and mountains around you, it feels like you are on Mars or somewhere completely remote.
As you leave the boardwalk, you can see the route stretch out in front of you.
Although the course was fairly short, this was my third day in a row of climbing after Mt Sobo and Mt Kuju and so I was feeling pretty tired as I made the climb up.
Once you make it up to the ridgeline, you can see out to the Nakadake crater below.
From here the trail continues to the actual peak of Mt Nakadake (中岳, naka-dake).
Once past Mt Nakadake, the trail continues along to Mt Takadake (高岳, taka-dake), the highest point on Mt Aso.
From here, you retrace your steps back to the trailhead.
I skipped waiting for the first shuttle bus on the way back, since it was only a downhill 2km walk to the second shuttle bus.
Back at the visitor centre, I was yet again graced by Kumamon's presence, before I got a bus back to Aso station.
I stopped by the local onsen before getting on a train towards Kagoshima. I had one final mountain, Kaimondake, left in my Kyushu trip.
Hiking course details
| Date climbed | Length | Course time |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-04 | 9km | 5h40min (the expected time for an average hiker without breaks) |
Toilets are available at the visitor centre.
Public transportation access
Mt Aso is accessible via a shuttle bus from Mt Aso station. The first shuttle bus leaves the station at 9:55, so to give you enough time to hike, this is the one you'll want to aim for.
To get to the station, you have two options: a local train to Aso station, or the highway bus.
I spent the night near Higo-Ozu station, and opted for the highway bus in the morning, which got me to the station at about 9:30. It costs a bit more money than the train, but it gave me time to line up for the shuttle bus. A lot of people came by train instead, which arrived at 9:45, and a couple of people actually couldn't make it onto the bus and had to wait an hour for the next shuttle.
The last buses back to Aso station are at 15:50 and 16:30 so as long as you are mindful to finish your hike in time for those, you should be good!
