Takachiho and Mount Aso from Fukuoka: day tours around Kyushu

How to choose a tour

How to get there and what to fit in

Takachiho and Mount Aso are the heart of the island of Kyushu. The queries are: “Takachiho gorge boat”, “Mount Aso”, “Kusasenri”, “Kurokawa onsen” and “Takachiho from Fukuoka”.

• Bus. From Hakata in Fukuoka an intercity bus runs to Kumamoto, then a change to Takachiho; 4–5 hours one way in all. That is too much for a day, so people choose a tour with a bus.
• Car. Russian licences and the 1968 international permit are not accepted in Japan, so renting a car yourself is impossible.
• A tour. A one-day tour from Fukuoka usually combines the gorge, Aso and Kurokawa. The road takes a significant part of the day, so the tour lasts 6–10 hours.

Takachiho Gorge, Aso and the onsen

Takachiho Gorge is a canyon of basalt columns, along which people paddle in rowing boats. A boat holds three people, the trip lasts about half an hour and approaches the Minainotaki waterfall about 17 metres high. After heavy rain the boats do not go out, and then you see the gorge from the walking trail. A separate stop is the Amano Iwato shrine, linked to the myth of the goddess Amaterasu hiding in a cave, and at the Takachiho shrine a night kagura dance is held in the evening. The other points on the tours are Tenan Kawara, Kamishikimi Kumano and Kamishima.

Mount Aso is one of the largest calderas in the world. The Nakadake crater is not always approachable: entry is restricted because of volcanic gases. The Kusasenri plain is a green plateau with horses, from which a view of the volcano opens, and the Daikanbo viewpoint gives a panorama of the caldera. Kurokawa is an onsen town among the forest, where people visit the baths on a special ticket.

Which tickets and tours there are

Prices are as of 10 October 2026. Check the contents, language and conditions on the page of the offer you choose.

What else

All offers: excursions in Fukuoka and on Kyushu.

Restrictions and tips

• The Aso crater. Access to the crater may be closed when volcanic activity rises and gases are harmful. People with asthma and heart conditions should not go close; the operator decides on the day of the tour.
• Boats in the gorge. They work at a good water level, and in summer and in October–November the queue for a boat can be long. First take a number and spend the wait at the viewpoint.
• Best time. The red foliage in the gorge and at Kusasenri is usually in mid to late November; in summer Aso is green, but the rainy season is in June. In winter it is cold in the mountains and there is sometimes snow.
• Clothing. It is colder and windier on the plateau and in the gorge than in Fukuoka; you need closed shoes, and the steps are wet.
• Onsen. The Kurokawa baths have strict rules about tattoos, so check on the day of the trip.
• Drones and passport. Drones over the gorge and the crater are banned; take your passport for issuing the tour. The tours run with an English-speaking guide, not a Russian one.

The description is based on Trip.com cards; opening hours and the contents of offers may change.