Kyushu Landscape Overview | Mount Aso & Minami Aso Train Experience & Takachiho Gorge (Optional Boat Ride) Day Tour
- Get up close to the Nakadake crater of Mount Aso, and experience the powerful and awe-inspiring natural force of an active volcano.
- Stroll across the vast grasslands of Kusasenri, and admire the magnificent scenery of volcanic mountains intertwined with pastures.
- Take the Minami Aso Railway, traveling through mountains, forests, and rural landscapes, enjoying the beautiful views of the Aso Five Peaks along the way.
- Delve into the secret realm of Takachiho Gorge, and visit classic natural attractions such as Manai Falls and the Three-Tiered Bridge.
- In autumn, admire the autumn leaves of Takachiho Gorge, where maple leaves reflect in the clear blue water, encountering a Kyushu-exclusive autumn beauty.
- Optionally experience a boat tour of Takachiho Gorge, getting a close-up view of the canyon cliffs and waterfalls from the water.
- Visit Takachiho Shrine and the Meoto Sugi (Husband and Wife Cedars), and experience Japanese mythological culture and the atmosphere of an ancient shrine.
What to expect
From the Nakadake crater of Mount Aso and the vast volcanic grasslands of Kusasenri, to the Minami Aso Railway, Takachiho Gorge, and Takachiho Shrine, journey through volcanic secrets, mountain trains, canyon wonders, and the land of Japanese mythology, unlocking a wonderful day intertwined with Kyushu's nature and culture.
- 🌋 Mount Aso: Experience the awe of an active volcano up close, gaze at the white smoke continuously rising from the Nakadake crater, then stroll through the vast Kusasenri grassland, enjoying the expanse and freedom of Aso's wilderness. You can also opt to experience horseback riding at Kusasenri, or visit the Aso Volcano Museum to delve deeper into the volcanic landscape and its formation history.
- 🚃 Minami Aso Railway: Ride a special train through the foothills of Mount Aso, admiring the scenery of mountains, fields, and streams intertwined in Minami Aso from the train window. Depending on the day's operation, there's also a chance to encounter a limited-time sightseeing train, adding an extra surprise to your journey.
- 🏞️ Takachiho Gorge: Delve into the canyon wonderland shaped by Mount Aso's lava, stroll along the walking path, and check out the Manai Falls, Oni-hachi's Power Stone, Sandanbashi Bridge, and Senjin no Byobuiwa (Screen Rock of the Immortals). Mid-to-late November in autumn is also the season for autumn leaves, with layers of maple leaves reflected in the emerald green stream, creating an exceptionally charming view; you can also choose a popular boat tour to experience the waterfalls and cliffs up close from the canyon's water surface.
- ⛩️ Takachiho Shrine: Step into this shrine with a long history, feel the rich atmosphere of Japanese mythology among the towering ancient trees and the Meoto Sugi (Husband and Wife Cedars), and learn about the enduring Takachiho culture and the tradition of Yo-Kagura.
✨ In one day, from volcanic landscapes to mountain railways, from canyon autumn leaves to mythical shrines, immerse yourself in the magnificent and mysterious nature and culture of southern Kyushu.





















Reviews
Our guide, Mr. Jiang, was fantastic! He was so enthusiastic, helping everyone take photos, introducing attractions, and even rushing to buy tickets for the scenic train. The weather was also perfect. Going on a day trip was incredibly comfortable; we rested on the bus and took photos at each stop. Departing from Kumamoto was quick, and we had more time at each attraction compared to starting from Fukuoka. If we had gone by ourselves, the transportation costs probably would have exceeded the day tour fee! Since we booked only two days before departure, we missed out on the boat ride. Next time, we'll be sure to book the boat tour in advance!!
view is panoramic 😍 take the mini train, it’s kinda fun. on your way back remember to pay attention to a small volcano, it looks like a pudding 🍮 ning ning has been such a sweet and passionate tour guide. we really love her ❤️ she’s the one who made the journey great.
In the cold weather, we were lucky to ride the Miyazaki small train, see the beauty of Takachiho Gorge with our own eyes, and successfully see the crater of Mount Aso. Before the end, light snow fell on Mount Aso to send us off. A special thanks to our professional, enthusiastic, and energetic guide, Mr. Sugiyama, for taking care of us, providing guidance, and recommending delicious food along the way. He gave our whole family a tight-scheduled but fulfilling and wonderful day trip.
.We first rode a train to see a very beautiful hill,where the train conductor even had a bubble machine to blow out bubbles in the sky.Next we climbed 3km to we thre natural bridges which were spectacular. After that we went to eat lunch.The lunch was quite average however the ice cream was very nice and the shop there also had a lot of things to shop from soft toys to keychains to coffee to even masks and cream.After that was headed to our final destination the Aso volcano we were super luck on that day as ten minutes before we arrived the volcano erupted and our tour guide said that if we could see blue green water we were super duper lucky and in fact we did. So beautiful 🤩 Overall I think that this trip was definitely worth it because we got to see many cool things and experience many amazing rides and eat a lot of traditional Okinawa and our tour guide was super smiley,always ready to take photos and explained everything very detailed if u want to know her name it was ning ning.🌟
This was my first time participating in a day trip, and it was a great experience. We were very lucky to see the smoke and green parts at the bottom of Mount Aso, and there was still some snow on the mountain. In addition, the scenery of the Chiho Gorge was very pleasant, the round trip was not too tiring, and the experience of riding the small train was also great. The conductor even sang a song, which created a great atmosphere.
Our tour guide, Ning Ning, was excellent. She helped us understand Japanese culture correctly. We were originally scheduled to take the Sky Train, but due to the hot summer weather and concerns about sunburn, we switched to the Minami Aso Railway, which was equally beautiful.
We had such a wonderful experience with Jade ( Chinese lady do this mandarin tour) as our tour guide! As a mum traveling with two young kids, I really appreciated how well she looked after us. She made sure we were safe at all times, walking with us and keeping a close eye on everything. Jade kept us entertained throughout and brought us to many beautiful places we wouldn’t have discovered on our own. The trip was very well organised, smooth, and stress-free. Highly recommended , we truly enjoyed every place we visited! 😊
If you come to Kumamoto, you must visit Mount Aso. Since we can't rent a car in Japan with a domestic driver's license, a one-day tour is the only option. Luckily, our guide from yesterday was working today, so we joined the group again. It's really hard to get a taxi in Kumamoto early in the morning. We left more than 40 minutes early and still couldn't find one, and the streetcar is too complicated and time-consuming. Fortunately, our guide, Li Xiaodong, helped us by arranging for the bus to pass near our hotel, which was really convenient. Xiaodong was as enthusiastic as ever. Although we spent a lot of time on the road traveling during the day trip, it was unavoidable. We were very lucky that the weather and wind direction were especially favorable for visiting Mount Aso, and we got to see the amazing volcanic lava as we wished. On the way back, Xiaodong had the bus drop us off near our hotel, saving us time and money on transportation, which was really thoughtful. In short, highly recommended! We will definitely look for Xiaodong again next time.
A very fulfilling trip. The weather was excellent, so we walked through Takachiho Gorge and rode the Takachiho Railway. We were very lucky to see the vast expanse of Kusasenri Plateau, and we also got to see Mount Aso smoothly. 🥰
Our Chinese guide was incredibly kind and provided detailed explanations. The itinerary was very well-planned, and we thoroughly enjoyed the entire trip.
Contact us
You might also like...
Kyushu Miyazaki Mythical Secret Realm: Takachiho Gorge (optional boating)・Amanoiwato Shrine・Kamishikimi Kumanoza Shrine (includes Japanese sweets & shuttle bus)
[Kyushu | Miyazaki Boat Ride with Beef Lunch] Takachiho Gorge & Mt. Aso & Kusasenri Day Trip (From Fukuoka)
One-day trip to Kyushu Miyazaki: Kamishikimi Kumanoza Shrine & Takachiho Gorge & Ama-no-Iwato Shrine & Ama-no-Yasugawara (Departure from Fukuoka, including a special lunch)
VISIT MIYAZAKI BUS PASS
JR Kyushu Rail Pass
Departing from Kyushu Kumamoto | Aso Kusasenri & Minami Aso Railway & Takachiho Gorge Day Trip (Boat Ride Optional)
Kyushu Takachiho One-Day Tour | Takachiho Gorge Boat Ride・Kamishikimi Kumanoza Shrine/Takachiho Mini-Train・Mount Aso・Kusasenri (Departing from Kumamoto)
Kyushu Miyazaki & Aso Natural Scenery: Optional Takachiho Gorge Boat Experience, Daikanbo, Kurokawa Onsen (Departing from Kumamoto)




