Geotourism in Aso:Recommended Routes
1. Komezuka
Komezuka is one of Aso’s youngest volcanoes, formed about 3,000 years ago. Despite its modest size, it is easy to spot, as the conical mound is almost perfectly symmetrical. During the tour, guides point out rocks created by the volcano.
2. Kusasenri
This vast grassland is located near a crater on the side of Mt. Eboshidake. Created some 30,000 years ago, it is a prime example of Aso’s verdant grasslands, on which cows and horses grazed for generations.
3. Mt. Nakadake Crater
Mt. Nakadake is still active today. When conditions are stable, visitors can peek into the crater and see the emerald-colored acid pool below. Visiting Mt. Nakadake offers a chance to get an up-close look at a live volcano.
4. Sunasenri ga hama
A crater basin formed several thousand years ago, Sunasenri is covered in black sand and volcanic cinders, and dotted with a few tough plants that manage to survive there, such as Japanese knotweed. This desert-like landscape is a world apart from the grasslands of Kusasenri and exemplifies the range of geological diversity found throughout the Geopark.
5. Uchinomaki Onsen
The steaming waters in this hot spring district come from deep within the caldera, where they are heated. Visitors can relax after a day of hiking by stopping by the various inns and public baths to soak in the clear, naturally heated waters.
