Mt. Aso in Kumamoto is an active volcano. When I actually went, the air was still full of smoke and the smell of sulfur. The volcano itself was fascinating, but the scenery around it is gorgeous and there’s plenty to eat, so if you’re anywhere near Kumamoto and have the time, I really recommend going at least once. It’s a mountain with a different kind of fun from Mt. Fuji.
A shot from the observation point on the way to the crater.
As I drove up a road that felt like it was at almost 70 degrees, the volcano’s smoke came into view. The view was stunning, but sadly I didn’t manage to get a photo. If you get the chance, go see it for yourself. It rained the whole trip, but luckily this day – well, only while I was on Mt. Aso – the weather was nice. So I actually got a few decent shots ^_^ From Sasebo and Nagasaki I only have gloomy photos, OTL..
This is a hill..
Photos just can’t convey how majestic it is in person..
This is a lake
Taken from the parking lot before heading up to the crater
It costs 400 yen and it’s insanely crowded, but it’s still worth using. It’s linked with the parking lot right above it in front of the crater (you only pay once), so you can park your car there and walk up. I just drove all the way to the top, though..
There was this kind of plain.
It feels like the kind of place where cows or horses running around wouldn’t look out of place at all.
You can hardly tell the volcano’s smoke from the clouds.
It’s a truly spectacular sight, so I recommend -_- going at least once in your life. But places like this are a total bust if the weather’s bad..
There are horses too.
Those tourist-targeted businesses and I just don’t mix..
The scenery is a true work of art..
It would’ve been even better if it had been filled with water, but I was in a situation where I just had to be grateful the sun was out..
I climbed the mountain in the middle and took this.
Over here there’s a bit of water pooled..
Chinese tourists on the hill..
There were lots of Chinese tourists at Aso. At Huis Ten Bosch there were lots of Korean tourists..
The volcano again
I’m heading up there soon.
The rest area
As you can see, there are quite a lot of cars. There were jams at the entrance and exit..
The view from above..
The traffic was pretty bad even getting up here, and the road ahead was jammed too. On top of that there was an accident, with one car completely wrecked, which made the jam even worse.. Still, it was worth all the hassle of getting up there. ^_^