Private guided tour | Kyusyu Volcano Tourism Council

Private guided tour: Mt. Aso volcano, grasslands, Aso Shrine

Recommended points

1

On this tour, our professional guide will take you around in a private car to the must-visit spots in Aso and the famous "Akaushi" beef meal.

Starting with a visit to our historic Aso Shrine, which has a history of more than 2000 years, you can discover the Japanese way of praying. Your guide will then take you to visit the adjacent Monzenmachi, one of the oldest streets in Aso; where many stores are lined up. You'll get to try out the mineral water springs and stroll along the tree covered avenue. After our lunch, we will visit the top of Mount Aso, where you can feel the breath of the earth. It is a real treat to experience our living earth, and how locals link their religion with the surrounding nature.

2

Aso Shrine
First, we will visit Aso Shrine, which enshrines the active crater of Mt. Aso.
We then have the opportunity to enter the main shrine for a Japanese prayer.
Inside the shrine, the Shinto priest will chant your wishes. Feel free to let us know if your religion or beliefs limits you to take part in the experience.

3

Mount Aso
Get a view of the active Nakadake crater emitting volcanic gasses.
Walk through the Mars-like landscape, "Furubochu", where mountaineering priests once practiced, and the beautiful Kusasenri Grassland.
Optionally, to end the tour, we may bring you to a hot spring next to JR Aso Station.

Experience a Japanese prayer at the Aso shrine

PHOTO GALLERY

EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW

Private guided tour: Mt. Aso volcano, grasslands, Aso Shrine

Period

All year around

time

10:30-16:00

Minimum number of participants

1

Maximum number of participants

8

Experience fee

JPY18,000-

inquiry

Aso Caldera Tour

remarks

VOICE

Kyushu's three most representative tourist areas

Kana is an excellent tour guide, answering all our questions and when she didn’t know something, she would say so! Unfortunately the volcano level went from 1 (viewable) to 2 (non-viewable). We still got into the National Park and could see the volcano from afar. She offered a couple of alternatives which turned out to be just as good, if not better!. The Shinto Shrine ceremony in the morning was one of the many highlights. She was adaptive (pescatarian for lunch), and willing to show us as many things as possible in our tour time. Kana is well traveled with good English skills. One of the most interesting alternatives was a “once a month” Shinto story performance in her home town. She explained the storyline and we got to meet and get pictures with the performers. A special thanks for getting us onto the most direct road to Beppu!

Our guide Kana Illig was very friendly and accommodating. Being an Aso resident, she shares generously about local practices and culture. The prayer session in the Aso Shrine was very enlightening as this is our first time after so many visits to Japan. Trekking to vantage points to get awesome views! Overall, we had a wonderful experience in Aso from beginning to end! Thanks Kana and driver for making this memorable!

VOICE

Kyushu's three most representative tourist areas

Kana is an excellent tour guide, answering all our questions and when she didn’t know something, she would say so! Unfortunately the volcano level went from 1 (viewable) to 2 (non-viewable). We still got into the National Park and could see the volcano from afar. She offered a couple of alternatives which turned out to be just as good, if not better!. The Shinto Shrine ceremony in the morning was one of the many highlights. She was adaptive (pescatarian for lunch), and willing to show us as many things as possible in our tour time. Kana is well traveled with good English skills. One of the most interesting alternatives was a “once a month” Shinto story performance in her home town. She explained the storyline and we got to meet and get pictures with the performers. A special thanks for getting us onto the most direct road to Beppu!

Our guide Kana Illig was very friendly and accommodating. Being an Aso resident, she shares generously about local practices and culture. The prayer session in the Aso Shrine was very enlightening as this is our first time after so many visits to Japan. Trekking to vantage points to get awesome views! Overall, we had a wonderful experience in Aso from beginning to end! Thanks Kana and driver for making this memorable!

MEDIA

Kyushu's three most representative tourist areas

FAQ

Kyushu's three most representative tourist areas

The distance and elevation difference of each course varies depending on the volcano, so the difficulty level also varies. The Council introduces a wide range of courses, from gentle walking courses for beginners to trekking routes that require more strenuous walking for intermediate and advanced hikers.
The distance and elevation difference of each course varies depending on the volcano, so the difficulty level also varies. The Council introduces a wide range of courses, from gentle walking courses for beginners to trekking routes that require more strenuous walking for intermediate and advanced hikers.
The distance and elevation difference of each course varies depending on the volcano, so the difficulty level also varies. The Council introduces a wide range of courses, from gentle walking courses for beginners to trekking routes that require more strenuous walking for intermediate and advanced hikers.
The distance and elevation difference of each course varies depending on the volcano, so the difficulty level also varies. The Council introduces a wide range of courses, from gentle walking courses for beginners to trekking routes that require more strenuous walking for intermediate and advanced hikers.