Exploring the Natural Wonders of Takachiho Gorge and Mount Aso

When WJ and I planned our day trip to Takachiho Gorge and Mount Aso, we initially wanted to navigate the journey on our own. But we found out that the buses were very limited and it looked too difficult to plan.

So we decided to go ahead with a tour with Explore Kumamoto in the end, and were very happy we did! It was enjoyable and took the burden of transport planning off us. And our English guide, Helen, was very knowledgeable and has been staying in Japan for decades.

Takachiho Gorge

Takachiho Gorge did not disappoint and is as breathtakingly beautiful as the photos you see online with its waterfalls over turquoise waters and framed by towering cliffs!

Our highlight at Takachiho Gorge was definitely rowing the boat through the gorge for a different view of the natural wonder. Although it was a little difficult to steer in the narrower parts with a pile-up of boats, we managed to avoid being stuck for too long and got the hang of rowing after a while. There were also a few ducks around us as we rowed so we had to be careful not to accidentally hit them with our paddles. But it was so much fun rowing the boat and trying not to get splashed by the waterfall!

It wasn’t just all pristine beauty though; the devastating flooding in late 2022 left its mark. And you can still see the damage with uprooted trees and safety railings snapped clean off!

Our guide also shared some other stories of natural disasters in the Aso area. Japan is so beautiful and is one of our favourite countries, but the propensity of natural disasters there is one of the reasons it’s not on our “Retirement” list.

Flowing Noodles at Takachiho

We got to (literally) try our hand at Nagashi Somen, a fast-flowing noodles dish that is a popular Japanese summer dish originating from Takachiho! It’s as difficult as it looks, especially if you have terrible chopstick skills like me! I only managed to catch about half of the noodles that flowed down the bamboo.

Luckily, none of the noodles were wasted as the strands that we missed were caught by a basket at the end of the bamboo and served to us.

Mount Aso

Luckily for us, it was a “blue” level of volcanic activity when we visited Mount Aso, and it was the safest conditions to explore the area around the crater.

Just past the entrance, we could see the shelters built near the crater in case of an eruption with rocks shooting up into the sky. And each shelter also came equipped with a box of helmets inside for extra protection.

There were patched craters in the roads leading to the top of the volcano and the car parks there, caused by the previous eruption in 2021. Some holes were huge! And I can only imagine what it would be like to be stuck at the peak while it’s erupting…

White smoke was coming out of Nakadake Crater, one of the most active craters in the world. We could smell whiffs of sulphur when the wind blew in our direction, and it was not a pleasant smell. This was a “blue” level of activity, so I’m assuming at a “green” level and higher, the smell would be much stronger!

In contrast to the dark volcanic terrain at the crater, a vast plateau called Kusasenri on the way back down is a lush grassland with viewing platforms, stores and cafes. We were given about 45 minutes to explore the area, and since we spotted a herd of horses by a lake, we walked through the grassland to say hello to them. There was a cheeky horse who tried to kick his friend while we were there. And the poor friend trotted away like he was being bullied.