Departing from Kyushu Kumamoto | Aso Kusasenri & Minami Aso Railway & Takachiho Gorge Day Trip (Boat Ride Optional)

This was my first time taking a day tour in Japan; before, I always traveled independently. However, Takachiho and Mount Aso are really far and inconvenient to get to, so taking a day tour was absolutely worth it! Our guide, Ningning, was fantastic. She shared a lot about local customs and culture along the way, and her Japanese voice was very pleasant (we had a Japanese person in our group 😂). She was cheerful and very thoughtful, always offering to take photos for everyone at each stop. Having her look after us made us feel very at ease. The next day, we even ran into Ningning on her day off in Kumamoto city, and she still remembered our family, which was incredibly sweet 🥺. I heard the driver, who is learning Chinese, was also shy and cute, and his safe driving kept us secure throughout the trip 🫡. We came to Aso in March, right after a controlled burn, so the mountains were yellow and black, which was quite unique. If you want to see lush green, I recommend coming in the summer! Unfortunately, Mount Aso was still closed due to a helicopter accident, so we could only view it from a distance. Inside the Takachiho train station and the Takachiho shop, they sell local handmade cheese sandwich cookies (or steamed buns?). They were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, truly delicious, but they lost their initial amazing texture after being brought back to the hotel because the outer layer softened. I brought them back to Taiwan and revived them in an air fryer, which also worked well (it's a shame they have a short shelf life). There's a delicious grilled horse meat stall in the Takachiho parking lot; if you want to try horse meat, this is a great place to start (the owner uses sashimi-grade meat). The Kusasenri souvenir shop sells tomato cola, which is a must-try for those who like unique things. This day tour experience was truly wonderful, and I will definitely participate again in the future! Thank you, Guide Ningning, and thank you, Driver! 😍

This was my first time booking a one-day tour in Japan, heading to the suburban areas of Mount Aso and Takachiho. Having a bus and a guide allowed for a different kind of experience, and we didn't have to worry about transportation. Our guide, Ms. Sugiyama, was very enthusiastic and even recommended highly-rated local foods and souvenirs along the way, helping us avoid tourist traps. The Takachiho Gorge train ride was also very memorable; the bubbles floating through the canyon were beautiful, and the station staff collectively waved goodbye to the train as we departed, which was a heartwarming touch. The scenery at Takachiho Gorge was spectacular and breathtaking. The only downside was that Mount Aso was still closed and inaccessible, but the views, delicious food, and Ms. Sugiyama's engaging commentary still made this trip a beautiful memory.

Since traveling around Kumamoto on foot seemed to have many limitations, I booked a one-day tour package. There wasn't a Korean-speaking guide available, so I booked a Chinese-speaking guide tour, but thanks to our guide Ningning, I felt completely included and had a very fulfilling experience! Thanks to her, my father and I made some truly wonderful memories. There were a few minor disappointments due to the local conditions at Mount Aso and the weather on the day, but that also had its own charm. (Next time I visit, I'll definitely bring waterproof sneakers!) Even in the rainy weather, it was truly impressive how warmly she looked after each and every guest, and how she meticulously took photos for us, even getting wet herself. Thank you very much! ^___^

We were very satisfied with the tour! Our guide, Jade was incredibly helpful and supportive throughout the trip. Although we were among the minority of foreign guests in the group, Jet made sure we understood everything by translating all the important information, explanations, and things we needed to know. We truly appreciated his kindness and assistance, which made the whole experience much more comfortable and enjoyable. I would definitely recommend this tour to all my friends who are planning to visit Kumamoto and Miyazaki. Thank you so much, everyone! We had a wonderful experience and were very satisfied with the tour! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One of the best decisions we made for our Fukuoka trip! Jiang Cui was such a wonderful tour guide and truly made our experience pleasant and memorable. Although the tour is mainly designed for Chinese tourists, she made a genuine effort to communicate with foreign guests, which we really appreciated. Her hospitality and kindness meant so much to us ♡ The places we visited were all beautiful as well. Thank you for such a lovely experience!

The itinerary was well-planned, and the tour guide was very helpful and enthusiastic. Takachiho Gorge and Mount Aso are definitely worth seeing, the scenery is excellent, and we started enjoying it on the bus. The tour guide told us that a puddle in Kusasenri was a 30,000-year-old crater, and where Matcha Pudding Mountain is, small details like that were quite interesting. The ice cream and coffee at Kusasenri were delicious, highly recommended, but the line was very long. Although the bus broke down at the start, causing the trip to be delayed by an hour, the tour guide arranged a large bus, gave gifts, and arranged a shuttle bus at the crater to compensate everyone. Overall, I am very satisfied with this trip!

I highly recommend this tour! Unless you're someone who can drive a rental car and enjoy things at your own pace, it would be difficult to experience the gorge, Kusasenri, and the train so thoroughly. Most of the participants were Chinese, with only one Korean group and one group from another country. So, the tour explanations and guidance were given in Chinese. However, we used Google Translate in real-time to roughly understand, and for foreign guests, they kindly used a separate translator to provide important information and meeting times. They even contacted us separately via KakaoTalk and provided guidance in Korean, which I was very grateful for. The female guide (Guide Kangchwi) was truly wonderful; she was kind and had such a cheerful energy. My mom also said we were very lucky to have such a great guide! Oh, and for the gorge, I personally think it's better to just view it without taking the boat. The tour order seems to be slightly adjusted based on the available times for the mini-train reservation. In our case, it was Gorge - Mini-train - Mount Aso (Kusasenri). If there's one downside, I wish we had more time at Kusasenri, but we only had about 1 hour and 30-40 minutes, including lunch. We enjoyed lunch at the second-floor restaurant, but the time was quite tight for buying things at the first-floor cafe, getting ice cream, souvenirs, and taking photos of the Kusasenri grasslands. Instead, too much time was given at the gorge (if you're not taking the boat), so I recommend having a hearty lunch there and then at Kusasenri, just enjoy a cafe and spend more time taking photos! Oh, and Japan in late July is incredibly hot ^^ Please keep that in mind. I also recommend taking the mini-train because seeing the gorge from the high bridge in the middle is a great experience!

took a day tour from Kumamoto as the site was little difficult to access to due to limited public transport. In short, we enjoyed this day tour very much. Our tour guide 姜翠 was friendly and explained the day’s itinerary clearly. She took care of everyone’s needs and even provide local recommendation. The tour was well planned and on timely manner - the day went very smoothly. p/s and it was cherry blossom season too 🤍

Tour guide Jiang Cui was incredibly professional and friendly! From the start, she clearly explained the day's itinerary in the car, introducing the history and features of each attraction, as well as recommending local snacks and important considerations, which made everyone feel very at ease. Throughout the trip, she consistently reminded us of meeting times, and the itinerary was smooth and unhurried. She even proactively helped take photos and meticulously looked after every traveler, providing very thoughtful service. Although it was a bit disappointing that we couldn't enter Mount Aso due to weather or restrictions, the overall trip was still enriching and enjoyable, making for a wonderful day tour experience. I highly recommend this tour and am very grateful for Tour Guide Jiang Cui's dedicated leadership. ♡ I will definitely join again if I have the chance and will recommend it to friends!

This was a wonderful day trip and we enjoyed it immensely. Our guide San San was great—funny, personable, and helpful. Mt. Aso and the gorge were amazing, the open-air train ride was great fun with amazing views, and overall, it was a fantastic day. One word of advice: prepare for all seasons on this trip! The gorge can be quite warm on a sunny day, especially on the hike back up. Likewise, the volcano is windy and freezing cold at the top—take a warm jacket! I would also suggest taking a face mask up there as there is some sulphur gas you will smell. This is not an area you could easily visit on your own; it would be difficult to arrange even with a car. The tour guide took care of everything, showing us where to go while allowing enough time to enjoy each area. We would highly recommend this tour. it’s an awesome place!