Visit the world’s largest active volcanic crater – Aso Caldera::Kyushu

Text & Photography / Chi Binghui

Aso Caldera is located in central Kyushu, Japan. From 300,000 to 90,000 years ago, it experienced four massive eruptions that formed the current enormous volcanic basin, spanning over 25 kilometers in diameter. The area includes seven towns and villages as well as the Five Peaks of Aso. Currently, the central crater is still active and erupting. Visitors can take a cable car up the mountain to observe the eruptions up close, but the cable car is often closed depending on eruption conditions. So if you want to see the volcano at Aso, sometimes you’ll need a bit of luck as well!

Traveling through the Aso region, you’ll pass by one undulating green hill after another, creating a spectacular continuous landscape. Vast grasslands stretch out beside the hills, and right next to the Aso Volcano Museum is the famous “Kusahiraichi” (Grass Thousand Fields). As the name suggests, it features an endless expanse of grassland perfectly reflecting the sky, with a pond in the center. A few horses graze on the grass, and visitors can go horseback riding to stroll around and admire the unique terrain shaped by nature.

Aso is great to visit in any season, as each time of year offers different scenery. The fertile volcanic ash is ideal for plant growth. In spring, there are vast fields of flowers; in summer, Aso is covered in vibrant greenery, and activities such as paragliding and hot air ballooning are available. In winter, the silvery white world is especially dreamy, and you can enjoy skiing or having fun with snowball fights in the snow.

Next to the Kusahiraichi parking lot, there are several restaurants and shops. You can find stone-grilled barbecue or hot pot set meals. Dining on the second floor allows you to enjoy the view of Kusahiraichi while eating. The first floor sells local Aso souvenirs and horse oil. On the other side, the Aso Volcano Museum is designed like a small science museum, using simple principles, visuals, and models to introduce the history of Aso and its volcanic activity. You can also observe real-time images of the volcanic crater.