Aso National Park, in the center of Kyushu, the most southerly of the main Japanese islands, is a region of scenic contrasts in which lush green meadows and dense forests alternate with bare blackish-brown lava fields and bizarrely shaped mountain ranges. This beautiful tract of country is very characteristic of the scenery of the volcanic island of Kyushu.
The National Park takes in the massifs of the volcano, Mount Aso, and Mount Kuju, together with the Tsurumi, Yufu and Takasakiyama summits to the west of Beppu. The crater region of Mount Aso is bounded on the north by the River Kurokawa and on the south by the Shirakawa, which have their own sources in the park and join at Toshita, on the west side of the volcano.
The most notable feature in Aso National Park is the crater basin of Mount Aso, one of the largest calderas in the world (diameter 11-15mi/ 18-24km). Within the basin five volcanic cones have been formed in recent times; one of these is still active, the most recent recorded eruptions being in 1933, 1953 and 1958-65, when it spewed out great masses of ash which darkened the sky over Kumamoto, 30mi 50km to the west.
Aso National Park has been developed as a holiday and recreational area with many scenic attractions and an extensive system of mountain paths.
The Kuju Plateau is a popular holiday area, covered in summer with great tracts of red azaleas and frequented in winter by large numbers of skiers. A major element in the economy of the area is stock farming. To the north are the Kuju Mountains, covered with forest at the lower levels and with varied alpine vegetation higher up. The most southerly and highest peak is Mount Kuju (5,840ft/ 1,780m), which is also the highest point on the island of Kyushu. Other considerable peaks are Daisen, Waita, Hossho, Ogihana and Mimata. The gateway to this region from the south is the town of Miyaji (railway station).
There are a number of different routes up Mount Kuju. Below the north side of the mountain is Kuju-tozanguchi, from which it is 4mi/ 6km to the summit. There is also a route from Minami-Tozanguchi. The most popular route starts from Shuchikujo, below the south side of the mountain. From here it is a 4 hours' climb by way of the Tembodai viewpoint to the summit, from which there are fine views of the Aso region and Beppu Bay to the east.
To the south of Mount Kuju rises the Mount Aso Massif. Within the old crater, lying at an average height of 2.625-2,950ft/ 800-900m, are the volcano's five cones - Takadake, the highest (5,223ft/ 1,592m); Nekodake (4,620ft/ 1,408m); Eboshidake (4,387ft/ 1,337m); Nakadake (4,341ft/ 1,323m), the only one which is still active; and Kishimadake (4,334ft/ 1,321m). The crater area extends from 14mi/ 23km from north to south and 10mi/ 16km from east to west, with a total area of 98sq.mi/ 255sw.km, making it one of the largest craters in the world. This area, with the spacious Asodani Valley and the towns of Aso and Ichinomiya in the north and the Nangodani Valley and the town of Takamori in the south, is now densely populated (some 70,000 inhabitants), and the volcanic soil provides good agricultural land.
Very different from the rugged beauty of the seething crater and its surrounding lava fields is the green landscape of the Mount Aso Basin, with its gentle rounded summits, its evergreen forests and its little villages. In the northern part of the region, 3/4mi/ 1km north of Miyaji Station, we find the Aso Shrine, dedicated to the divinity Takeiwatatsu-no-Mikoto. Legend has it that the shrine was founded in the year AD 100, making it the oldest in the historic province of Higo. The present buildings (main hall and gate) date from 1842. From early times this was the starting point of the pilgrimage to the Sanjo Shrine on Mount Nakadake.
One of the finest viewpoints in the Aso-onsen (Uchinomaki), northwest of Aso Station. From here the bus takes passengers to Mount Daikambo (3,071ft/ 936m), the northern summit of the old crater rim, from which there are extensive views of the crater with its five peaks.
There are a number of thermal springs in the Aso area, which have made it a busy holiday region. Half way up Mount Eboshidake, is Yunotani-onsen (2,625ft/ 800m), the highest health resort in the crater area, and from which there are views of the Kumamoto Plain, Ariake Bay and the area around Unzen.
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