*Stay at TAKACHIHO, Charter Bus 2 Days Tour to Aso & Kumamoto

Meeting Point:

*Pick up point at Fukuoka. ( Your hotel or a station or a air port ...etc. )

09:00 AM

*Pick up point at Fukuoka. ( Your hotel or a station or a air port ...etc. )

On the morning of the first day, our minibus will pick you up from your hotel (or station or airport) in Fukuoka prefecture free of charge.

*If it is before 10:00 in the morning, please specify a time that is convenient for you.

10:30 AM

Kumamoto Castle

Kumamoto Castle (熊本城, Kumamotojō) is one of the most impressive castles in Japan.

With large castle grounds and a variety of buildings, Kumamoto Castle offers its visitors one of the most complete castle experiences in Japan.

Only a few structures have survived the centuries since the castle's construction in 1607 intact.

The castle keep and most other buildings are modern reconstructions, but the reconstructions are mostly of a high quality and new buildings are continually being added.

With about 800 cherry trees, the castle becomes a popular cherry blossom spot usually in late March and early April.

12:30 PM

Komezuka ( Aso, Kumamoto )

Komezuka is a volcanic cone in Aso and is about 50 meters in height.

A green grass field covers the surrounding area and the surface of it.

It’s quite of a view especially during spring and the summer.

01:00 PM

[ lunch & free time ] Kusasenri ( Aso, Kumamoto )

*You can experience light horseback riding.

*Lunch in Aso is famous for Akaushi beef (meals are at your own expense).

Kusasenri is a vast grassy plain which offers great views of the volcanically active Nakadake Peak.

Kusasenri also features a large pond and horses can be seen grazing on the land.

This scenic location has become a popular feature of the Aso Geopark.

Kusasenri offers a different landscape depending on the season.

In summer the grasses are vibrant and green, while in winter everything becomes silver.

This changing scenery makes Kusasenri a place that is worth visiting many times throughout the year.

If you are looking for more excitement than just enjoying the scenery, there are also a number of activities which can be undertaken at Kusasenri such as horse riding and hiking.

03:20 PM

Mt. Aso Nakadake Crater ( Aso, Kumamoto )

Mt.Aso's caldera is one of the world's largest calderas, which stretches 18km east-west, 25km north-south.

There are five mountains, Mt.Nekodake, Mt.Takadake, Mt.Nakadake, Mt.Eboshidake, Mt.Kishimadake called "Aso Gogaku" at the center of the caldera. Mt.Nakadake is still active and its crater is 600m in diameter, 130m in depth and 4km in circumference.

You can see the huge crater emitting white smoke and the magnificent scenery up close.

When the level of volcanic activity is high, you may not be able to approach the crater.

※Access to the crater can be restricted due to the weather conditions, please check the following website in advance for details.

Information on restrictions for the Aso Volcano Crater (The Aso Volcano Disaster Prevention Council)

05:30 PM

*Drop off [ Your hotel ] at Takachiho ( Miyazaki )

*This package does not include any arrangements such as booking and paying for your hotel in Takachiho,

so please make all hotel arrangements and payments yourself.

*On the morning of the second day, we will pick you up again at your hotel in Takachiho.

A common course is Takachiho Gorge - Takachiho Shrine - Amano Yasugawara (~Takachiho Railway if you have time).

**You can also hire your own local guide (optional).

In Takachiho, the local tourist association will hold "Kagura" from 20:00.

You can see it for 1000 yen per person, so if you don't mind, please make a reservation by yourself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

09:00 AM

*Pick up [ Your hotel ] at Takachiho ( Miyazaki )

On the morning of the second day, our minibus will pick you up from your hotel at Takachiho, Miyazaki.

*If it is before 10:00 in the morning, please specify a time that is convenient for you.

09:15 AM

Takachiho Gorge ( Miyazaki )

* Buses cannot pass to the boat platform, so it takes about 15 minutes from the parking lot.

**You can also hire your own local guide (optional) about 10,000 yen per a day ( Japanese only? ).

Takachiho Gorge (高千穂峡, Takachiho-kyō) is a narrow chasm cut through the rock by the Gokase River.

The nearly sheer cliffs lining the gorge are made of slow forming volcanic basalt columns which resemble the scales of a dragon where the stone twisted and flowed as it formed.

Partway along the gorge is the 17 meter high Minainotaki waterfall cascading down to the river below, and it is truly impressive to see the waterfall against a backdrop of dense green foliage and the surrounding grey cliffs.

12:10 PM

[ lunch ] at Takachiho ( Miyazaki )

*There is a restaurant "Kagura Yado" in front of the bus parking lot. (Please book and pay by yourself.)

**If there is no reservation, we will take you to the roadside station.

01:30 PM

Takachiho-jinja Shrine ( Miyazaki )

"A sacred shrine that keeps myth alive through dance"

Takachiho-jinja Shrine was founded about 1,900 years ago, and enshrines three generations of deities, including Ninigi no Mikoto, the grandchild of Amaterasu Omikami and great grandparent of Emperor Jimmu.

Takachiho is a very important place in Japanese mythology, and it is said that there were once more than 500 shrines in the area. Takachiho Shrine is still widely worshipped for its deity of marriage and purification.

Don't Miss

- The nightly kagura dance performances.

- Taking a rowboat under the waterfall at Takachiho Gorge.

- A short side trip to Amano Iwato-jinja Shrine.

02:40 PM

Amanoyasugawara ( Takachiho, Miyazaki )

This cave locates right near Amanoiwato Shrine. Amanoyasu-gawara is a sacred stone, known for granting wishes.

Take a stone and throw it into the cave and make your wish, and it is said to come true.

05:30 PM

shichijo melon dome ( Kikuchi, Kumamoto )

After enjoying Takachiho, you will depart for Fukuoka around 16:00.

It takes about 3.5 hours to take a break at a roadside station famous for its melons.

07:30 PM

*Drop off point at Fukuoka or Kumamoto. ( Your hotel or a station or a air port ...etc. )

*If the departure point is Fukuoka, the end point can be either Fukuoka or Kumamoto.

Ending Point

*Drop off point at Fukuoka or Kumamoto. ( Your hotel or a station or a air port ...etc. )