When visiting Kumamoto, of course you have to stop by Kumamoto Castle, which has deep ties to Kato Kiyomasa. From a distance, the imposing castle walls and towering main keep are an impressive sight, giving you a sense of this famous castle's rich history.
Strolling through the castle grounds, you can see sturdy stone walls and historic buildings. Walking slowly along the castle ruins, you can also imagine the ingenuity that went into its construction.
The Aso Nakadake Caldera
Nakadake (1506 m) in the center of Mt. Aso is a volcano that continues to be active. You can see the volcanic crater up close. There are seven craters in Nakadake, and the first crater is currently active and can be seen. It can be reached near a huge crater with a circumference of about 4 km. When the gas clears, you can see the emerald green lake at the bottom of the crater, which is filled with 50 ~ 60 °C hot water.
The last time I came, it was closed because of toxic gas from an eruption. I was really looking forward to finally seeing the Nakadake Crater on this visit to Aso, but unexpectedly, I couldn't go because there had been an accident at the time. In the end, I could only stand at the Kusasenri observation deck and view Nakadake Crater from a distance.
Although I missed out on experiencing the impact of the volcanic landscape up close, I could still see the magnificent scenery of Mt. Aso from afar. The vast grasslands and surrounding mountains complemented each other, giving me a sense of the grandeur of nature.
Daikanbo
Mount Aso is the volcanic area and 5 peaks along the large caldera that was created as the result of 4 large eruptions some 270,000 to 90,000 years ago. Here, inside this world’s largest caldera and volcanic area you’ll find a train line running through the three local municipalities of Aso, Takamori and Minamiaso, towards the 50,000 people who live there.
At Daikanbo, standing high on the observation deck, you can take in an unobstructed view of the mountains and landscape below. The expansive view makes you marvel at the magnificence of nature.
However, the wind is especially strong at this elevation, and in winter it's so cold that you can't stop shivering. It really makes you understand the saying, "It's unbearably cold at the top." But even with the cold wind constantly blowing, I still wanted to stay a little longer and enjoy the rare view before me.
Fuji Safari Park
At the foot of Mt. Fuji, the largest safari park in Japan sits at 850m above sea level. You can see how lions, giraffes, leopards, elephants and bears live in the natural setting.
At Fuji Safari Park, you can drive your own car through the park and see the animals up close. It’s very different from visiting a typical zoo and was quite a novel experience.
Along the way, we saw lions, zebras, giraffes, and other animals roaming freely. They seemed to be living pretty well, and since their movements weren’t restricted, there were lots of fun and unexpected moments. We arrived a little late this time and missed the Jungle Bus, which was a bit disappointing. If I have another chance to visit, I’d like to enter earlier and take the Jungle Bus to experience the fun of observing the animals from even closer.
