mt aso helicopter tour

Aso Helicopter Tours

Sendai & Matsushima

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Street address.

• Take the JR Hohi Line and get off at Aso Station. Cuddly Dominion is about 1.5 km away from the station, which takes about 3 minutes by taxi.
• Take the Intercity Kumamoto-Oita “Yamabiko-go Bus”, or the Intercity Kumamoto-Beppu “Kyushu Odan Bus”, and get off at the Cuddly Dominion-mae bus stop.

Opening Hours

Best season.

Spots around

Viewing the Aso Volcano Crater

Learn the spirit of Miyamoto Musashi, the strongest samurai in Japan - Samurai experience

Kumamoto Prefectural Office Promenade

Aso Kumamoto Airport

Kumamoto Castle

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Nabegataki falls

Daikanbo Paragliding experience

Amakusa Airport

Tsuetate Onsen

Takamori Dengaku

Dolphin watching (sea cruise)

Kusa-Senrigahama

Aso Shrine and Aso Monzen Shopping Street

Shirakawa Suigen (Wellspring)

Kumamon Square

Kurokawa Onsen

Sakitsu-Tenshudo Church

Kyusendo (Kyusen Cave)

Misumi Port

Sakuranobaba Josaien

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THE ABDITORY

ARTIFACT X VIEW

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EXPERIENCE THE QUINTESSENTIAL

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Mount Aso (���h�R, Asosan) is an active volcano in the center of Kyushu which most recently erupted in 2021 and 2016. Aso's ancient caldera ranks among the world's largest, with a diameter of up to 25 kilometers and a circumference of over 100 kilometers. In the center of the caldera stand the mountain's active volcanic peaks, including Mount Nakadake , whose spectacular crater is accessible to tourists.

Note, however, that the crater area is often partially and sometimes completely closed off to visitors due to poisonous volcanic gases, bad weather or the risk of volcanic activity. So, make sure to check the volcano's current state before traveling there. Even when the area around the summit is open, gases can be intense, and people with respiratory problems should refrain from approaching the crater.

Not far from the Nakadake crater, Kusasenri (or Kusasenri-ga-hama) is a grass-covered plain with grazing cows and a few horses. Horse riding is possible from early March to mid December. On the opposite side of the road stands the Aso Volcano Museum with explanations about the volcano.

Komezuka is a small, beautifully shaped volcanic cone on the northern slopes of Nakadake. There are pleasant walking trails in the vicinity (but not to the top) of Komezuka, however, easy access by public transportation is not provided.

Getting there and around

The Nakadake Crater can be reached in a 30-40 minute bus ride from JR Aso Station. There is one bus about every 1-2 hours. The one way trip costs 730 yen and is not covered by the Japan Rail Pass . Buses travel as far as Asosan Sancho Terminal, from where a shuttle bus gets visitors to the crater (600 yen one way). Alternatively you can walk to the crater in about 30 minutes one way. Cars can drive all the way to a parking lot just next to the crater, but must pay 800 yen for the last kilometers, which is a toll road.

Make sure to check the volcano's current state before your visit. During times of heightened volcanic activity, the crater can be off-limits and the road and walking trail to the crater closed.

How to get to and around Aso

Hours and Fees

Aso volcano museum.

Questions? Ask in our forum .

Links and Resources

Asosan crater information, asosan loop shuttle, hotels around aso.

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MT. ASO HELICOPTER TOUR - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

2-Day Aso Itinerary

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• Aso in 2 days
• 1-Day Aso Itinerary
• 3-Day Aso Itinerary
• 4-Day Aso Itinerary
• 5-Day Aso Itinerary

Table of contents

Day 1: most popular attractions, day 2: keep it simple, daikanbō lookout.

Namino Kaguraen Roadside Station

Aso Roadside Station

Aso cuddly dominion, new kusasenri, kusasenri observatory, where to eat, あか牛丼専門店 ごとう屋 本店, aso volcano museum, kusasenrigahama, aso-kuju national park, usopp statue, shiroyama scenic overlook, aso skyline observatory, el patio ranch, noka restaurant tangoyama, popular road trips from aso, what's the weather like in aso.

It depends on when you visit! We've compiled data from NASA on what the weather is like in Aso for each month of the year: see the links below for more information.

• Weather in Aso in January
• Weather in Aso in February
• Weather in Aso in March
• Weather in Aso in April
• Weather in Aso in May
• Weather in Aso in June
• Weather in Aso in July
• Weather in Aso in August
• Weather in Aso in September
• Weather in Aso in October
• Weather in Aso in November
• Weather in Aso in December

All road trips from Aso

• Aso to Fukuoka drive
• Aso to Nagasaki drive
• Aso to Oita drive
• Aso to Ibusuki drive
• Aso to Mine drive

Explore nearby places

• Ubuyama-mura
• Takamori-machi
• Minamioguni-machi
• Minamiaso-mura
• Nishihara-mura
• Oguni-machi
• Kikuyo-machi
• Kokonoe-machi
• Mashiki-machi
• Takachiho-cho
• Mifune-machi
• Kashima-machi
• Misato-machi
• Gyokuto-machi
• Hinokage-cho
• Morotsuka-son
• Nagomi-machi

All related maps of Aso

• Map of Ubuyama-mura
• Map of Takamori-machi
• Map of Minamioguni-machi
• Map of Minamiaso-mura
• Map of Nishihara-mura
• Map of Oguni-machi
• Map of Ozu-machi
• Map of Kikuchi
• Map of Kikuyo-machi
• Map of Taketa
• Map of Kokonoe-machi
• Map of Mashiki-machi
• Map of Yamato-cho
• Map of Koshi
• Map of Takachiho-cho
• Map of Gokase-cho
• Map of Mifune-machi
• Map of Kusu-machi
• Map of Yamaga
• Map of Kumamoto
• Map of Kashima-machi
• Map of Kosa-machi
• Map of Misato-machi
• Map of Yufu
• Map of Gyokuto-machi
• Map of Hinokage-cho
• Map of Hita
• Map of Morotsuka-son
• Map of Nagomi-machi

Aso throughout the year

• Aso in January
• Aso in February
• Aso in March
• Aso in April
• Aso in June
• Aso in July
• Aso in August
• Aso in September
• Aso in October
• Aso in November
• Aso in December

Looking for other day-by-day itineraries in Aso?

Check out our other curated itineraries that are also filled with jam-packed days:

Day itineraries for nearby cities

• 2-Day Yufu Itinerary
• 2-Day Hita Itinerary
• 2-Day Kokonoe-machi Itinerary
• 2-Day Minamiaso-mura Itinerary
• 2-Day Takachiho-cho Itinerary

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• 1 Understand
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Mount Aso (阿蘇山 Aso-san ), in Kyushu 's Kumamoto prefecture , is an active volcano that has one of the largest calderas in the world.

The active volcano of Aso brings a lot of tourists to the small town of Aso.

You can find Aso Tourist Information in Aso station or at Michi No Eki Aso (road rest area; the building on the left when you get of the train station).

Check www.aso.ne.jp/~volcano/eng/ before setting out to see if the Nakadake crater is accessible to its rim, or whether noxious or poisonous fumes are rendering it inaccessible.

Aso is on the JR Hohi line , 1 hour and 40 minutes from Kumamoto by local train (¥1080, change of trains may be required). There is also a limited express, the Kyushu Odan Express (九州横断特急), which makes 4 daily round trips with no change of trains required (65 minutes; ¥2180).

Kumamoto connects to Hakata in Fukuoka via the Relay Tsubame and Ariake limited express trains, and to Kagoshima via the Relay Tsubame and the Kyushu Shinkansen.

From Beppu you can get there in about 2 hours by train (¥3740)

The bus connecting Kumamoto and Beppu stops at the Aso JR station, and often at Aso Nishi cable car station. From Kumamoto, it takes 2 hours (¥1760) to reach the cable car, et 2:30 (¥3350) for the JR station. From Beppu, the two morning bus services reach the cable car in 3 hr 30 min (¥2950) and the JR station in 4 hours (¥3450). Timetables: Kumamoto-Beppu , Beppu-Kumamoto , Fares .

There are helicopter tours to mount Aso from the nearby Aso Cuddly Dominion , 2164 Kurokawa, Aso (around US$160 per trip for three persons).

There are luggage lockers at Aso Station.

• 32.819553 131.122561 1 Takamori Line ( 高森線, takamori-sen ). A tourist-oriented railway which passes through stunning scenery on its way to Takamori, a village within the Aso caldera. Board it at the Tateno train station, which is a 40-minute ride on the main train line from Kumamoto. The route is 18km long, and is most spectacular in spring, summer, or early November (when the leaves on the trees turn to bright autumn colors). ¥1220 .  

• 32.885278 131.051944 1 Aso Volcano Museum ( 阿蘇火山博物館, Aso-kazan Hakubutsukan ) ( on the road between Aso station and Mount Aso; some buses stops there. ).  
• 32.947905 131.113695 2 Aso Shrine ( 阿蘇神社, aso jinja ). An old shrine dedicated to the god of transportation and traffic safety.  
• 32.9478 131.11597 3 Aso Saru Mawashi Gekijō ( 阿蘇猿まわし劇場 ), 793 Shimono , ☏ +81 967 351341 . This theater has man and a monkey stage shows.  
• 32.88202 131.08543 4 Aso-san ( 阿蘇山 ). The volcano is still active and sulphuric steam can be seen coming from the Mt. Nakadake crater. However, you should be aware that the summit of the crater has been extensively geared for Japanese mass tourism - paved roads can take you right up to the crater and it can get quite crowded during the peak season. However, if you want to get away from the crowds, you don't have to walk too far. The site is not limited to immediate surroundings of the crater. Do not hesitate to spend one hour or more walking on the path to explore the beautiful scenery.  
• 32.905885 131.044061 5 Komezuka ( 米塚 ). A nice small volcano cone to see on the way. It erupted 3000 years ago and now stands 80 meters high, with a perfectly symmetric shape. Climbing it is forbidden, in order to protect its cute green slopes. ( updated Feb 2016 )

The mountain spews sulphurous gases from the crater of Mt. Nakadake. Sometimes, when the winds blow from the crater towards the crowds, the cable car lines are shut down, so you might not be able to reach the summit. They will start operating again when the winds turn - sometimes you will only have to wait half an hour or so. If you want to check before starting your hike, the owner of the youth hostel is able to tell whether everything is in operation.

• If you have extra cash to spare or you want to have an aerial view of Mount Aso, you can take the helicopter ride, which is not far from the Mount Aso Museum. It costs ¥5000 for an adult, ¥4500 for a child per person for a 4-minute ride, but the view is astonishing!

• Various hiking trails around Aso-san can provide you anything from a nice afternoon walk to a good days hiking. The landscape is full of greenery in summer, while in autumn the mountains turn orange. If you're interested, be sure to pickup a hiking map (don't expect a detailed map, it will probably be just an illustrative map) from the friendly Aso youth hostel or from the Aso Tourist Information. Besides - the routes just around the Mt. Nakadake are marked very well, you get a small map with routes and 'You are here' mark every 15-20 minutes of hiking. If you are in front of the crater, walk along it to the right (south) to join the actual trail. Allow two good hours (photos breaks included) if you want to climb the mountain (200 m up) and enjoy beautiful views on the crater and the whole area, and a bit less for the way back down. Even if you cannot/don't want to spend so much time, it worth strolling on this path (which does not start to climb seriously before the foot of the mountain) and then turn back (which will take you as much time).
• There are also several hot spring resorts around Aso. Contact Aso tourist information office for more information.

Just next to the train station, at Michi No Eki Aso , various local products are on sale. You can find fresh fruits and vegetables, rice, milk, handmade lunchboxes, sweets and so on. Everything here is cultivated or produced in Aso city.

Besides the usual tourist trinkets you can buy from the Aso Nishi cable car station, there's not much shopping to do around here. Your usual supermarket is a couple blocks south from the Aso station.

• 32.939307 131.080796 1 Kojirō-buchi ( 小次郎渕 ), 1303-2 Kurokawa ( facing the Aso JR station, turn right and follow the road round and over the railway line; turn right just before the fire station (look out for the tower), and it's on the left ), ☏ +81 967-34-0945 . Friendly, reasonably-priced restaurant. Most dishes involve cooking your own meat using a fire in the centre of the table. Generous portions. ¥1500-2000 .  

There are some restaurants and a noodle bar near the station. In Aso Heights, there is a delicious cheese cake. Japanese lunch box can be bought at Michi No Eki Aso just next to the station. The aso noodles are amazing.

• 32.92853 131.0768 1 Aso Youth Hostel ( 阿蘇ユースホステル ), 922-2 Kurokawa , ☏ +81 967 340804 . The youth hostel is quite ascetic, but is cheap and the owner is very helpful. No breakfast, but they sell stuff like instant noodles you can have in the morning. They also have a simple Aso hiking map revealing the different trails around the mountain. It's about 20 minutes walking uphill from Aso-station. They have a very small public bath open from 17:00 to 21:00. No Wi-Fi and to use Internet, you have to use the prehistoric Windows 98 computer in the hall (if it works), or you can gently ask for a network cable if you are lucky enough. Dorm ¥2000 .  
• 32.93573 131.08045 2 Aso Base Backpackers ( 阿蘇バックパッカーズホステル ) ( 500m from JR station ), ☏ +81 967-34-0408 , [email protected] . Check-out: 11:00 . It is extremely expensive. However, if you do find yourself staying here, they have spotlessly clean, perfectly organized, nice kitchen, cozy fire, you name it - they have it. Free Wi-Fi, but you have to pay ¥100 for 30 minutes on the provided computers. Dorm ¥2800, twin ¥6000, double ¥6600, single ¥5500 .  
• 32.8428 131.00245 3 Little Asia Minamiaso Guest House ( リトルアジア南阿蘇 ), 3617-7 Kain, Minamiaso , ☏ +81 967-67-2155 , [email protected] . Check-in: 15:00-22:00 , check-out: 10:00 . This was a really nice family-run operation close to Aso-san. It's easy to get to if you have a car, but you might miss the sign if you're not looking closely. The owners were very welcoming, as were the other guests. There is free Wi-Fi available, and they do a family-style dinner every night at 19:00. Guests who want to attend are asked to contribute a ¥280 fee to help pay for the food. There is a natural hot spring out back that you can pay ¥300 to use. There is a trail that will take you to a "secret" waterfall. Dorm ¥2500, double rooms ¥3000, single ¥4000 .  
• 32.93675 131.0732 4 Guest House Asora ( ゲストハウス阿蘇楽 ), 73-2 Kurokawa , ☏ +81 967-34-1115 , [email protected] . Dorm ¥2500, private room ¥3000/person .  
• 33.076913 131.139695 2 Kurokawa onsen . A small village known for its hot spring, located at the north within 1 hour by car or (infrequent) bus. ( updated Feb 2016 )
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Experience the Grasslands and Volcanic Grandeur of Mount Aso

Surrounding Mount Aso is one of the world's largest calderas, or volcanic craters, where grasslands have flourished for more than a millennium. Learn about nature's cycles of destruction and rebirth on an awe-inspiring journey through Aso-Kuju National Park.

Itinerary Highlights

• An unforgettable taiko drumming performance at a high elevation.
• Hiking or biking through the sweeping vistas of the Aso grasslands.
• A thrilling helicopter ride straight over volcanic Mount Aso.

Trip Overview

A breathtaking taiko performance with a beautiful backdrop.

Arrive at Kumamoto Airport in the morning and travel onward to the Mount Aso Visitor Center. The scenic environs of the center are the perfect place to get situated for the journey ahead. Learn about the science and history of the Aso Caldera and Aso-Kuju National Park before you have a laidback lunch. In the afternoon, attend an outdoor performance by DRUM TAO, a globally acclaimed drum and dance ensemble that will blow your mind and set a tone for the exciting days to come. You won't forget this riveting taiko drum performance with a view of Mount Aso in the background. After that wraps up, take a car to Aso Uchinomaki Onsen, stopping by the lookout point called Daikanbo along the way. From Daikanbo Lookout, you can get a spectacular view of the five peaks of Mount Aso that are said to resemble a sleeping Buddha. Aso Uchinomaki Onsen is a lively hot spring resort where many famous Japanese writers have stayed in the past. Wind down for the day and find a spot for dinner. Don't forget to take a dip in the onsen, with waters purported to soothe muscle pain and other chronic conditions while revitalizing the skin with natural minerals.

Exclusive hiking or biking through the grasslands

Head out from your hotel in the morning and go to the meeting point for the Aso trail walk and grassland ride . This half-day excursion will allow you to experience the park by foot or mountain bike (e-bike) and enjoy amazing views in areas that are usually off-limits to casual visitors. The guided tour also brings participants to the bokuya (grasslands) where you can get to know more about the people who live here and their relationship to the land, such as their institution of the practice of controlled burning known as noyaki. Once this experience ends in the late afternoon, return to your hotel in Aso Uchinomaki Onsen for some more rest and relaxation.

A helicopter ride to the volcano

In the morning, walk from your hotel to the Aso Grassland Conservation Center. Spend some time at this educational facility and learn about the environmental protection efforts that have been instituted in the national park. Then hop into a helicopter for a thrilling ride straight to Mount Aso , where you'll be able to see the plumes of the volcano from up on high. Viewing one of the world's largest calderas from this vantage point is simply an incredible and unparalleled experience. After descending from the sky, gather your belongings and get ready to travel back to Kumamoto Airport. The sweeping vistas of Aso-Kuju National Park will fill your mind even as you fly away on your return journey.

Related Itineraries

Plan your visit, how to get there | aso-kuju, see and do | aso-kuju.

Mt. Aso Helicopter Tour

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

MT. ASO HELICOPTER TOUR - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go