Kusasenri
The Kusasenri grassland encompasses 785,000 square meters of lush green grass on the flank of Mt. Eboshidake, and is one of Aso’s most iconic locations. A crater formed by volcanic eruptions around 30,000 years ago, it also houses a younger crater that rainwater has transformed into two ponds. The mound between these two ponds, Komadate, was created by more recent eruptions. Steam can occasionally be seen in the east, emanating from Mt. Nakadake, an active volcano.
Livestock is used to maintain Aso’s grasslands, and Kusasenri has long served as a grazing ground for cows and horses. Visitors can explore Kusasenri on horseback rides around the grasslands.
Visitors can learn more about Kusasenri and the origins of Aso at the nearby Aso Volcano Museum.
Mt. Eboshidake
Mt. Eboshidake, one of Mt. Aso’s five peaks, is a volcano that rises to 1,337 meters above sea level and towers above Kusasenri’s grasslands.
There are multiple trails to the peak, where hikers are rewarded with views of Mt. Nakadake, Mt. Takadake, Mt. Kishimadake, and Mt. Ojodake, as well as the southern caldera wall and the Kuju Mountains in the distance.
A range of flowers and plants grow on Eboshidake’s steep southeastern slope. These include Japanese nutmegs, iwakagami (fringebell; Schizocodon soldanelloides), Japanese leeks, autumn bellflowers, and Miyama Kirishima azaleas that paint the mountain pink and purple in the spring.