Kumamoto Aso Volcano & Takachiho Train Full-Day Experience

We are not Chinese speaker but we really enjoyed our time, thanks for our guide Jiang Cui that always considered of us and explained everything or translated in English. Which made us feel uncomfortable. The timing are well kept even though feel a bit tight,due to the travel distance from each spot. On the day of our visit the mouth Aso Vocanic center closed, which we miss our chance but we enjoyed walking around in Kusasenri and explore local products. The transport was a mini bus which comfortable, safe and good temperature adjusted. In overall my family enjoyed our day trip with a value price.

Even though there wasn't a Korean-speaking guide, they were so kind and explained the meeting time and how we would move around to me personally in English. The schedule wasn't too tight, and they gave us plenty of time. We went to ride the Amaterasu Railway, reserved tickets, and then immediately went to see Takachiho Gorge before coming back to ride the Amaterasu train again. The railway itself isn't particularly fun or anything, but it was still good? Hehe. The gorge is also amazing. You just follow the guide. Even if you're a bit late taking pictures, you can find the guide by looking for their yellow flag, and they'll tell you when and where to meet when returning. They also kindly took pictures for us. Then, they gave us time to eat lunch at Kusasenri and plenty of time to look around. And we went to Nakadake Crater, but unfortunately, it was closed off, so we only saw it from below. Still, it was great. I recommend this tour.

Because transportation and timing for Mt. Aso and Takachiho are a bit inconvenient, I joined a one-day tour. Our guide, Jiang Cui, was enthusiastic and friendly. We went in June 2026 during the rainy season, so it was definitely raining in the mountains, which unfortunately made the scenery less beautiful. The first stop was the Takachiho Gorge Railway station (where disposable raincoats were sold). Next, there was a hiking trail to see the gorge, leading to the shuttle bus pick-up point (remember to take an earlier shuttle back to the original starting point for the group, don't try to walk back) (the shuttle is a 9-seater van, only one at a time). There was an old lady selling hot mochi and ice cream there, which were quite good. If you like any of the local specialties sold there, you should buy them then, as they might not be available on the way back down the mountain. The next stop was Takachiho Shrine to see the enormous sacred trees. Finally, we arrived at the Kusasenri rest stop. The second floor here sells full meals (very expensive), while the first floor has local specialties and a coffee shop. Again, if you like something, buy it, as some cookies are exclusive to this store. Overall, the timing of the tour was well-managed, and we didn't feel rushed when taking photos. I'm not sure if the driver had a set working time for the day, but it felt like he drove quite fast throughout the trip.

Everything was perfectly timed and interconnected, the tour guide, Shan Shan, was amazing. They know the terrain well. Today we went up and saw the crater, it was spectacular.

Our guide, Mr. Ge, was very kind and friendly. He carefully explained the itinerary and schedule in advance. Please note that the miniature train tickets can only be purchased on-site, which can easily affect the actual schedule. The guide helped us get tickets for the 11:40 AM train. We went to Takachiho Gorge first and then came back to take the train. Therefore, we do not recommend booking the boat ride in advance.

Our tour guide, Ge Ning (Ning Ning), was incredibly kind, and her commentary was detailed and engaging. She also took photos for us throughout the trip. We were lucky enough to ride the train this time and see the beautiful Mount Aso—it was absolutely worth it!

I chose this tour because there were no Korean-speaking guides available on weekdays. I was a little worried since it was a Mandarin Chinese-speaking guide, but thanks to guide Ningning, it was a pleasant tour. She explained in Chinese and then explained again in English. And it was nice that she wrote down the meeting times on paper. First, she offered to take photos at the photo spots, so even though I was traveling alone, I was able to get some great shots thanks to her. After the tour, I said thank you in short Chinese, and thank you again ^^

I joined a Klook 1-day tour, and our guide, Mr. Ge, provided excellent service. The itinerary wasn't too rushed, and he explained the features of each attraction in detail. Mr. Ge has a very pleasant voice. Next time I take a day trip to Kumamoto, I hope to have Mr. Ge as my guide again.

Unfortunately, we encountered a three-day holiday in Japan, which lengthened travel times along the way. So, we were hoping to shorten the time spent on each itinerary. I wonder if it's usually this rushed? Also, the long-awaited little train ride wasn't a pre-booked seat, but rather the tour guide tried their luck to buy tickets on the spot. As a result, we couldn't get on at all and had to cancel this itinerary, changing it to a visit to Takachiho Shrine. Although the price of the little train ticket wasn't included in the itinerary to begin with, it was still a bit disappointing. However, Takachiho Shrine has a great energy field, so taking a walk there to purify our minds was also nice.

The tour was well organized and the guide, Ning Ning was helpful and patient. We didn't get to ride on the small train as tickets were sold out for the day. But overall the tour is still fun and enjoyable.