Our trip begins from the Chojabaru Visitor Center, one of the entry points to the Kuju Mountain Range of Aso-Kuju National Park. It is located about 2 hours away by car from Fukuoka Airport, the main airport used by tourists visiting Kyushu, Japan.

Morita: "Today, we'll begin our trek from the Chojabaru trailhead. This volcanic mountain trail offers a variety of unique natural landscapes, all of which you can experience in a single day. You'll pass through wetlands, grasslands, and rocky climbing areas. There are even wastelands that give you the feeling of being on Mars, with steam rising from the ground. It's sure to be a satisfying journey, even for seasoned hikers."

Timothy: "So this is a national park?"

Morita: "That's right. The Ministry of the Environment manages it to protect Japan's beautiful natural landscapes. Aso-Kuju National Park covers parts of Kumamoto and Oita Prefectures, with Mount Aso and Mount Kuju at its core, spanning over 70,000 hectares."

Timothy: "That's a pretty massive area! So what are some of its highlights?"

Morita: "The volcanic mountains are definitely the main attraction. The caldera formed by Mount Aso’s eruption is one of the biggest in the world, stretching 18 km east to west and 25 km north to south. The eruption left behind a lot of volcanic ash, which caused part of the mountain to collapse and form the huge crater you see today. This unique landscape, surrounded by the outer rim of the caldera, features vast grasslands and smoke rising from the central crater."

Timothy: "I heard there are cattle grazing around the caldera."

Morita: "Yes, that's right. The brown cows that produce Akaushi Beef are raised here. The Aso Plateau is a grassland where these Akaushi cattle graze, and their grazing helps keep the grasslands healthy."

We meet at the Chojabaru Visitor Center, one of the facilities you definitely want to visit before setting out on your hike. The bright, clean building was renovated in 2015.

There is a staffed information corner where you can get information about the mountain trails and weather forecasts, as well as a seasonal display about the mountains and a video screening on the controlled burning process of the plains. There is also a viewing space overlooking the scenery of Tadewara Marsh and Mount Mimata.

Morita: "Even though it's a volcanic area, the surrounding mountains are really green, and the nearby Tadewara area is actually a wetland. It's fascinating to see the contrast between the hot, humid monsoon climate of the forests and the look of the volcano. The top of the mountain might seem dry, but it actually gets a lot of rain from the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea. That's why we have these lush wetlands and forests full of broadleaf trees."

Morita: "Alright, let's get started. You see those three peaks up ahead? That's Mount Mimata. Today, we'll cross the Tadewara Plains, hike up through the forest on the slope of Mount Yubiyama, and reach Amagaike Pond. After that, we'll head down to Bogatsuru Marsh, which, along with the Tadewara Wetlands, is registered with the Ramsar Convention. There's an onsen called Hokkien Sanso inside the wetlands where we'll take a break. Then, we'll tackle the steepest and rockiest part of the trail to reach Sugamori Pass near Mount Iwo. From there, we'll descend back down. The whole hike will take about five to six hours."

First, we head towards the mountain through the Tadewara Plains. Because there are wooden paths set up through the marshes, it is easy to walk through comfortably wearing light clothing.

Emerging from the marshes leads into the wetland forest. You will have to do a bit of climbing from this point, so it is recommended to wear good hiking shoes. This course will involve climbing through the forest for about an hour.

After getting through the forest, we arrive at Amagaike Pond. When it rains, this area becomes submerged and forms into a pond. There is a wooden path here as well. The walk through Amagaike Pond takes about 30 minutes.

We leave Amagaike Pond and arrive at Bogatsuru. It's a vast grassy area that seems to go on forever. We walk for about 20 minutes, surrounded by the bare mountain surfaces and neighboring peaks. The soft ground, soaked by rain, creates a striking scene typical of Japan's rainy, mountainous regions.

Finally, we make it through the plains and arrive at Hokkien Onsen Sanso. This place used to be a Buddhist temple, but it was abolished during the Meiji Period's movements to separate Shinto from Buddhism. However, the Kannon statue that stood in the main hall is still enshrined in a corner here. Now, the building serves as a mountain villa where tired hikers can rest and even stay overnight.

As the name suggests, there's a hot spring at this mountain villa, where you can enjoy a relaxing soak while gazing out at Mount Taisen, Mount Hiiji, and Mount Tacchu. You can either stay overnight at their inn or just enjoy the hot springs for 500 yen. Mr. Morita and Timothy decide to check out the hot springs.

Morita: "Soaking in these springs with such an amazing view really melts the stress away. This simple hot spring is great for recovering from fatigue and easing nerve pain. It must be wonderful to stay here overnight too. You can see the starry sky from the wooden deck attached to the tub."

Timothy: "It's nice how clean this little mountain hut is. I really appreciate that they have Western-style flushing toilets."

Morita: "Yeah, it's rare to find such a clean, well-maintained mountain hut. We're just taking a short break today, but if you stayed overnight, you could hike the other mountains in the Kuju Mountain Range. There are plenty of other hiking trails, including ones on Mount Nakadake, Mount Taisen, and Mount Hiiji."

Once we’ve had the chance to recoup at Hokkien Sanso, we are prepared to tackle the biggest challenge of this course: the Sugamori Climb. The Sugamori Climb is a course that takes you over rugged terrain, where you will use your entire body to scale the rocks as you follow the yellow markers.

Climbing over the last rocks leads us to a place that made it seem as if we had just landed on Mars. This landscape is a scenery unique to areas of volcanic activity. As you walk along, you will see spouts of steam blowing out from various spots of the bare mountain surface.

As we descend Sugamori Pass, we can see Mount Iwo on our left. In the past, people used to mine for sulfur in this area. However, it is currently off-limits. Though we didn’t see any today, you can sometimes catch steam spewing from the mountain, depending on its level of volcanic activity.

Morita: "Japan has many active volcanoes. Walking through areas of volcanic activity is one of the great attractions of Aso-Kuju National Park."

Timothy: "I think many foreigners see Japan as an island country, but in reality, it's actually a mountain country, wouldn't you say?"

Morita: "Exactly. You can really see that when you walk through Aso-Kuju National Park. The Japanese archipelago sits right where the Pacific and Eurasian Plates collide. The Eurasian Plate rises as the Pacific Plate slips underneath it. Depending on the seasonal winds, clouds heavy with moisture blow north from the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea."

Timothy: "And those clouds bring a lot of rain to the bare mountain surface."

Morita: "That's right. The heavy rainfall creates rapid streams that flow down the mountains, carving away the softer parts of the surface. That mountain over there is a perfect example."

Morita: "When the plates collide, it creates a huge amount of crustal energy, leading to volcanic activity. This can also cause some pretty scary earthquakes, but one benefit of these activities is the formation of hot springs. In ancient times, people considered these mountains sacred, which led to the worship of mountains and volcanoes in some religious beliefs.

"There are various trekking courses available in the Kuju Mountain Range, so you might enjoy spending the night and exploring a few of them. Besides Hokkien Onsen Sanso, which we visited, there's another small hotel called BBC Nagayu, about 30 minutes down the mountain. It's very convenient if you want to hike even more."

After a 6 hour long trek, Morita and Timothy head to the inn.

We take the Yamanami Highway, which connects Oita and Kumamoto Prefecture, and arrive at the Senomoto Kogen Hotel in less than an hour. The hotel is situated in the grasslands of Minamioguni-machi, Aso-gun, at an elevation of 920 meters. It offers a beautiful view overlooking Aso Gogaku (the Five Peaks of Mount Aso) and the Kuju Mountain Range.

Today, we stay in the new building of the Senomoto Kogen Hotel. The special guest rooms of this new building have an open-air bath where you can relax while enjoying the beautiful nature of Aso.

There are plenty of hot springs here, including the natural hot springs of Nishi-Kurokawa, which offer expansive, scenic views. There are also reservation-required baths, such as the open-air baths overlooking Aso Gogaku.

Guests staying in the new building can enjoy meals at the dining hall, “Nishi-kan Dining Taikan.” As the name "Taikan" (which means "overlook") suggests, you can enjoy a spectacular panoramic view of Aso Gogaku from the large window. The view changes with the seasons, from lush green grasslands in summer, to Japanese silver grasses in autumn, and snow-covered landscapes in winter.

The meal is a traditional Japanese course, made with fresh local ingredients from Kyushu, including vegetables from Aso and fish from Oita and Fukuoka, Asobi-ton (local pork), and locally-produced Shichifuku soy sauce.

Timothy, a sake-lover at heart, is also quite pleased with today’s sake choice, “Reizan.” (Note: menu items and prices may have changed since our visit.)

In continuation of our trip around Aso Kuju National Park, we begin the next day at Sakamoto Zenzo Museum in Oguni-machi, which is 30 minutes by car from Senomoto Kogen Hotel.

This museum is dedicated to Sakamoto Zenzo, a painter from Oguni-machi. His artwork, inspired by the nature of Oguni, makes this museum's location especially fitting. Housed in a private home built in Oguni-machi in 1894, it is the only tatami-style museum in the world. We admire Sakamoto's works while listening closely to the museum curator, Yamashita.

Morita: "Sakamoto Zenzo, born in 1911 in Oguni-machi, was a remarkable painter. In 1957, when he was in his late 40s, he visited Paris. The city's walls, buildings, and streets captivated him, inspiring him to start creating abstract paintings when he returned home."

Yamashita (curator): "After returning from Paris to his hometown, Zenzo started to reflect more deeply on the natural beauty of Kuju and Aso, where he was born and raised."

Morita: "That's where he found his unique lines and colors. Look at the lines in this painting—they resemble the rock surfaces of Sugamori Pass, where we climbed down yesterday. Experiencing the nature of Kuju yesterday really helps us connect with Sakamoto Zenzo's work today."

Neighboring the Sakamoto Zenzo Museum of Art is a shrine called Hokonomiya. Inside the shrine area is a large Wedded Cedar, said to be 700 years old. There is even a sumo ring in the back.

Next, we head to Nabegataki Falls, located 2 km away from the Sakamoto Zenzo Museum and HokonomiyaShrine.

The Nabegataki Falls is about 20 meters wide and 10 meters high. You can actually go behind the waterfall and see it from the back.

Morita: "Timothy, you can also view this waterfall from behind. Over 90,000 years ago, an eruption of Mount Aso left a deposit of pyroclastic flow on the sandy gravel riverbed. The heat and pressure solidified it into rock. The softer layer underneath was eroded by the water flow, creating the space behind the waterfall."

After enjoying the beautiful natural scenes at the Sakamoto Zenzo Art Museum, Hokonomiya Shrine, and Nabegataki Falls, Morita and Timothy head to lunch at a French restaurant in Minami-Aso called Cuisine Rakuda. Timothy is particularly excited about this restaurant because it is featured in the Michelin Guide Kumamoto/Oita 2018 Special Edition. On their way there, Mr. Morita talks to Timothy about Akaushi Beef as they admire the passing scenery of the outer rim of Mount Aso's crater.

Morita: "Akaushi Beef is famous here in Aso, and we have it thanks to the caldera. The upper part of the outer rim surrounding the Aso caldera is grassland. The ancestors of these Akaushi cattle were used to carry grass from the grasslands to the basin of the caldera."

Timothy: "Were they just regular agricultural cattle at first?"

Morita: "Yes. The basin of the Aso caldera was filled with volcanic ash, making it unsuitable for farming rice. To improve the soil quality, cattle were used to bring grass from the outer ring of the mountain into the basin. The grass was then composted and mixed into the soil."

Timothy: "And now, those cattle are used as a source of food."

Morita: "That's right. Agricultural cattle aren't typically good for meat, so they were crossbred with Swiss Simmental cattle. This crossbreeding resulted in the improved cattle we now use for Aso's famous Akaushi Beef."

We arrive at Cuisine Rakuda. The restaurant is located just behind National Highway 28, and feels somewhat like a hidden retreat.

The atmosphere is both modern and nostalgic, with a building made of old materials including stained glass. There is a huge window in front of the counter area from which you can see the Aso mountains.

Today, we decide on a terrace seat and order the Akaushi Steak Set. The set is a great value at 2,500 yen, and also includes hors d’oeuvres, salad, soup, dessert, and coffee.

Eagerly awaiting the steak, Timothy digs in right away!

Timothy: "It's delicious! The texture is just right—neither too hard nor too soft. I can see why Akaushi is so popular. It would definitely be a hit in America, too!"

Morita: "The meat is perfectly cut and cooked. You can really see the chef's dedication. I also love hearing the waitress's Kumamoto dialect. There are many restaurants like this in the French countryside. It makes me feel a bit nostalgic."

The next stop is Road Station Aso in Aso City, a place where you can find local specialty products such as seasonal fruit and vegetables, dairy and sweets, bento lunches, and more. There is even a lounge area where you can freely relax and enjoy the bento lunches and sweets you purchase.

At the Information Corner we meet Mr. Frank Limoges, a guide fluent in English, French, and Japanese who is married to a woman from Kumamoto. Morita and Timothy begin an interview with Frank.

Morita: "Frank, you share information about Aso on social media in both English and French, right? What do you feel is the biggest theme of working here?"

Frank: "I want to let more people know about Aso. I didn't even know the name Aso until I moved to Kumamoto. There's such a unique natural environment here—a frequently erupting volcano, the surrounding caldera, the scenic rice fields in the Aso Basin, the Aso Shrine, and the friendly locals. Just being here is a unique experience."

Morita: "It's really encouraging to have someone like you, who speaks English, French, and Japanese, and knows both Western and Japanese cultures well, as a guide. What kinds of questions do you often get?"

Frank: "Aside from general tourist information, I often get culture-related questions. For example, a French couple recently asked me why some Japanese people seemed startled when they greeted them. They were worried they had said something rude. I told them not to worry and explained that many Japanese people are shy and might just be unsure how to react when greeted by foreigners."

Morita: "Having someone like you would definitely convince more people to visit Aso-Kuju National Park."

At last, we reach the final stop of our trip: Aso Shrine.

Aso Shrine was the chief shrine of the Higo Province and enshrined the local deities of Higo. The tower gate and worship hall were destroyed in the Kumamoto earthquake of April 2016 and are currently undergoing reconstruction. Now, the first, second, and third shrines, which were once hidden behind the worship hall, are in front and visible to worshippers.

Morita: "Aso Shrine is dedicated to thirteen deities, but the main deity is actually the crater of Aso Nakadake. As you can see, volcanoes were considered very sacred."

Timothy: "That's really interesting. I knew about the hunting and gathering societies in Western history, but now I'm learning even more about Japan's ancient cultures."

Morita: "The Jomon Period, which lasted about 13,000 years, was an era of hunters and gatherers. Their influences are still present in Japan, especially in Shintoism. During that period, rice cultivation gradually spread from the continent through Japan, and small state organizations began forming. However, the Aso Region, covered with a thin layer of volcanic ash, couldn't support rice paddies. Instead, the people of Aso developed a culture of maintaining the rich hunting grounds of the outer rim grasslands through periodic field burning. They thrived as hunters and gatherers without relying on rice cultivation. That was their greatest strength. Over time, smaller rice-cultivating nations merged and grew larger, eventually bringing the Aso area under their control."

Timothy: "And that led to the establishment of the Yamato Nation."

Morita: "Exactly. However, the victorious side didn't enslave the losing side. Instead, they built shrines for the deities of the losing side and established a reconciliation policy."

Timothy: "So that's why the Aso Shrine was built."

Timothy: "Why is the Aso Shrine crest an image of bird feathers?"

Morita: "The bird feathers symbolize the hunting prowess of the Aso people. They were master hunters, relying heavily on their skills to thrive."

Timothy: "So that's why the Aso people were hunting masters. They were definitely the 'top of the top' civilization of hunters and gatherers!"

Morita: "Yes! That's how they developed their unique hunting knowledge and skills."

This journey around Aso and Kuju took us around a majestic natural landscape unique to the land created from a volcanic eruption over 90,000 years ago. We hope that many tourists taking a trip to Japan will visit this beautiful area and learn more about its charming nature.