Hiking Mount Aso

Table of Content hide

Introduction to Kyushu

The island of Kyushu is home to one of the world’s biggest active volcanos – Mount Aso. The ancient caldera of Aso is so large that it is actually hard to imagine. Its circumference is as long as 127 kilometers and there are two towns located inside it! The active crater, however, is not as large and you can visit it from very close to peek inside. hiking mount aso

Beside the Aso volcano, Kyushu is also famous for its vibrant food scene, sub-tropical climate, breath-taking landscapes and friendly people. Its convenient location nearby the mainland Asia caused, that this island played an important role as a hub of early Japanese civilization and you can still find here today some magnificent castles and ancient shrines. Kyushu has got everything any traveler could possibly wish for – deep green forests, dramatic mountains, long beaches and tropical islands, vide plains, rich culture, and the list could go on. We spent one week road tripping around Kyushu and we dedicated one day to hiking around Mount Aso.

If you are staying in or near Aso-Kuju National Park on Kyushu, going on a hike is one of the best adventures you can do in this region! The scenery is absolutely surreal and it feels like you are tracking the surface of Mars, rather than Earth. I have experienced similar scenery in Iceland, but in my opinion, the dramatic wasteland surrounding the Nakadake Crater is even more epic. In the middle of the ancient caldera of Mount Aso, there are five peaks – Takadake, Nakadake, Eboshidake, Kijimadake and Nekodake. (The word dake refers to a mountain or a peak.) All these mountains can be trekked, you just have to choose which one suits more your preferences. hiking mount aso

We decided to hike up to the Nakadake, the tallest mountain in Aso NP that rises above the constantly fuming Nakadake Crater.

Before the hike

First thing I have to mention is that this hike is often off-limits due the smoke from the active crater. If the volume of the dangerous gases is too high, the whole area will be closed and it will be impossible to hike. The surroundings of Nakadake Crater were inaccessible for a long time, because of an earthquake followed by volcanic eruption in 2016.

The area was reopened for visitors only in September 2020 and you can still see the results of this disaster here, for example none of the two ropeways were rebuilt and they are out of use. Also the path back to the lower carpark (which made this hiking trail a loop) was destroyed and it is closed to public, therefore, once you reach the closest rim to the crater, you have to turn back and do the whole hike again in reverse. Alternatively, you can continue on your way down next to the old ropeway and take a bus back to the carpark from the town (in case you arrived by car).

You can find the latest and most detailed information about accessibility and hikes on the official website HERE (which is also in English).

Hiking Nakadake

Nakadake, with its 1791 m, is the highest mountain in Aso-Kuju National Park and a hiking dream for any volcano enthusiast! We started the hike from Sunasenri parking lot which is open daily from 9:00 to 16:00 (unless closed because of dangerous gases). The hike starts quite easy with a boardwalk that leads through the desert of volcanic ash, however, after about 1 km we reached a rocky side of the mountain without a visible path, only yellow arrows were showing us that this is indeed the right way to go.

The elevation was quite steep and required a lots of climbing, but the distance wasn’t as long. I am not the fittest person and I think it was doable. Climbing up and down through these rocks was the most difficult part of the hike, but once we were on top of the mountain rim, the walk was mostly flat, with minimal elevation. The path was well marked and soon we were able to reach the Nakadake peak.

Throughout the whole hike, the views are absolutely remarkable. We could see almost the whole ancient caldera of Mount Aso, how the walls are enclosing the town and fields, and how significantly different is the scenery around the volcano. While the area close to the active crater is a real wasteland full of grey and brown rocks covered by ashes, once you look further down, you can notice how fruitful the volcanic soils actually are. There’re lots of green forests and meadows and people live their everyday lives right in shade of this mammoth of a volcano. It still leaves me speechless. This place is something that’s really worth to experience.

From the top

When we got to the sign that indicates the highest point, we could see the fuming crater from very close. The power of nature revealed itself right under our feet. It was amazing! hiking mount aso

From the sign, you have 3 options on what to do. You can climb down to see the erupting crater even more closely, however, if you are expecting that you can stand right on its rim, I have to disappoint you. There’s a ridge surrounding the crater and it would be too dangerous if it’s open to public. I mean, it is still active! Nevertheless, it is worth going down to see the fumes from above and up close. If you decide for this option, you can continue on your way down towards the destroyed ropeway station and back to the city.

The other option is to simply turn around and go back, or add the Takadake peak to your hiking itinerary as a third option. Takadake is still quite far and can be challenging to reach, it is also more distant from the crater, but on the other hand it will give you views, over different part of the massive Aso caldera. We didn’t go to Takadake so I cannot compare, but from what I’ve read online, many people connect these two hikes into one. Its path is more eroded though, so it can be marked as dangerous, especially during bad weather.

Useful information

I realize that we were incredibly lucky with weather conditions when we did the hike. It was sunny and the paths were dry, so the surface wasn’t slippery. The trek is very wild and is marked as dangerous so keep this in mind at all times. Don’t let your guard down because you can injure yourself. hiking mount aso

The trek is not recommended for people with asthma and coronary problems because of the constant smoke that comes from the active crater. Before going up to the carpark, you will have to sign a document that you are aware of these risks (it is also available in English).

Please, make sure that you always check the official website for conditions, weather and restrictions in place at the time you attempt to do any hike in Aso National Park.

Duration and distance

We left Sunasenri parking lot at 9:20 am and came back at around 2 pm. You should allow at least 5 hours to complete the hike, count with 6, if you would like to go to Takadake as well. Nakadake peak is about 5 km away from the parking lot and don’t forget you also have to go back (so 10 km in total). hiking mount aso

Elevation

The overall elevation of the hike is 458 m. The most difficult part is when you climb through the rocks at the beginning. As I mentioned earlier, once you reach the rim, the path is almost flat.

Hike difficulty

The trek is marked difficult, but as I said before, I am not the most skilled hiker and I handled it just fine. It wasn’t the easiest, but also not the hardest hike of my life. Because we had such a nice weather, it was very enjoyable, but I can imagine that with a little bit more wind and possible rain, the paths can become very slippery and dangerous. There have been several reports of accidents, so you really have to be careful.

Hiking equipment

To do this hike, no special gear is necessary. You need just a good pair of hiking shoes (or sneakers if the weather is nice) and a wind-breaker jacket as it can be really windy on the top. Don’t forget that weather in the mountains can easily change so packing a raincoat and a sunscreen is also a good idea. The area around the crater is under constant surveillance and if the volume of gases rises up, they will notify you through megaphones. If this happens and you still have a few kilometers to go, it can be helpful to have a face mask with you.

Other Mount Aso hiking trails

In the area of Mount Aso, there are several hiking trails that you can do. With different levels of fitness, I am sure everyone can chose something suitable. As mentioned before, Nakadake and Takadake can be often closed because of weather or high volcanic activity with risks of explosions, but there are some other great treks that are open most of the time. hiking mount aso

Eboshidake

Eboshidake, or Mount Eboshi, is one of the easiest and safest hikes in Aso. Because it is more than 1 km away from the active crater, it is almost always open. The hike distance around 4 kilometers for a return trip and because the elevation is quite low, you can make it in less than an hour. The trail starts at the Aso Volcano Museum parking lot and it creates a loop. Beside the ever-fuming Nakadake crater, you can also enjoy views over Kusasenri, a large tranquil plateau covered in grass and wildflowers in spring and summer.

Nekodake

Nekodake is 1443 meters high and the trek to its peak is considered as difficult, because the total incline is over 700 m. You can expect to do some basic bouldering and climbing several ladders. The total distance from the parking lot to the summit is 5.7 kilometers and you have to go back the same way (it is not a loop). If you are skilled hiker, it shouldn’t take you longer than 2.5 hours one way.

Kishimadake

Trekking Mount Kishima should be even easier than Eboshidake. The incline is only 200 m and the length of the trail is less than 2 km, so you can do it within an hour. Similar to Eboshidake, this trail is open year-round, even when Nakadake crater is highly active. It also starts at the parking lot near the Aso Volcano Museum, but goes to the other side of the plateau.

Unfortunately we had time to do only one hike, so I cannot really give you any personal impressions of the other hiking trails. If the conditions on the day of our hike were not good, our alternative plan was to do both Kishimadake and Eboshidake.

So this is a short sum-up of what to expect when hiking in Mount Aso area. As I mentioned earlier, I love hiking, but I am not the fittest person, nor the most skilled hiker and I survived this trek just fine. And I would definitely do it again! hiking mount aso

Kyushu is a great destination for anyone, who wishes to explore Japan a little bit off-the-classic-touristic-path. It’s hiding amazing treasures, so don’t forget to check out also my 5 day road trip itinerary to this island.

What is the most memorable hike you’ve ever experienced?

HANA'S TRAVEL JOURNAL

Hiking Mount Aso

Introduction to Kyushu

Before the hike

Hiking Nakadake

From the top