Sanshudai, Three Peaks Vista
Gokasho Plateau’s Sanshudai (Three Peaks Vista) can be found a short distance down Miyazaki’s Prefectural Road No. 8 off from National Route 325. It is a grassy plateau open to the breeze often visited for its natural solitude and refreshing view of the surrounding area. On a clear day, visitors can gaze out from this plateau and see three Kyushu mountains all ranked among the top 100 mountains of Japan. These are Mt. Sobo (1,756 m), Mt. Kuju (1,791 m), and Mt. Aso (1,592 m), the largest active volcano in Japan. Rare wildflowers bloom in the Sanshudai area, including the red himeyuri (princess lily). A well-timed visit will find the surrounding mountain sides painted in bright colors.
A large 8-meter monument with a bell on the plateau commemorates the November 6, 1890 climb of Mt. Sobo by Walter Weston, an English clergyman who helped popularize recreational mountain climbing in Japan at the turn of the twentieth century. Years later, Weston became a founding member of the Japanese Alpine Club.