Aso Driving Guide: Recommended Routes, Map, Roads, Places to Stop and Crater Restrictions

The Aso area covers seven municipalities: Aso City, Minami-Aso Village, Takamori Town, Oguni Town, Minami-Oguni Town, Ubuyama Village and Nishihara Village. Inside the caldera (25 km from north to south and 18 km from east to west) and on the outer rim around it, roads run through grassland, with viewpoints, springs and waterfalls scattered along them. This page sets out the roads and stops as a one-day or half-day route, and lists every road and place to stop.

Map of the Aso area

The line on the map is the route described below under "First visit: one day through Minami-Aso, Kusasenri and Daikanbo". The numbers are places to stop: green for views and nature, blue for roadside stations (michi-no-eki). Hover over or tap a number to see its name.

Recommended drives

First visit: one day through Minami-Aso, Kusasenri and Daikanbo

Leave Kumamoto Airport and stop at Tawarayama Pass Observatory, Shirakawa Spring, Kusasenri-ga-hama, Michi-no-Eki Aso and Daikanbo, in that order, then return to Kumamoto Airport. You see the south of the caldera (Minami-Aso) and the northern outer rim in one day, which suits a first visit to Aso.

In all it is about 116 km and about 2 hours 30 minutes of driving, or about 5 hours with the stops. Distances are calculated from map data. Times are the official estimates where there is one for a section and calculated values where there is not. Traffic and rest breaks are not included.

Half a day: Michi-no-Eki Aso to Kusasenri and Daikanbo

Park at Michi-no-Eki Aso and take a break, then go out and back to Kusasenri-ga-hama and Daikanbo. It is about 57 km and about 1 hour of driving. Because it covers only the two best-known views of Aso, you can do it in a morning or an afternoon. The car park at Michi-no-Eki Aso has 164 spaces, and the roadside station's website shows how many are free right now.

Going on to Kuju: take the Yamanami Highway

After Kusasenri and Daikanbo, join the Yamanami Highway at Shiroyama Observatory, cross Makinoto Pass and drive on to Chojabaru. It is about 106 km from Kumamoto Airport to Chojabaru.

Roads you can drive

Places to stop

Views and nature

The numbers are the numbers on the map.

Roadside stations

Michi-no-Eki Aso and Michi-no-Eki Oguni have toilets open 24 hours and fast chargers for electric cars.

Best seasons and crowds

A sea of clouds is most often seen from around 6:00 to 8:00 in the morning. The Aso real-time sea of clouds camera shows what it looks like now.

Nabegataki Park has days during long weekends such as Golden Week and during the Obon holidays when you cannot enter without a reservation. You can see how busy the Kusasenri car park and Michi-no-Eki Aso are right now on live cameras.

Closed roads and restrictions (as of 24 October)

• Mt. Aso is at volcanic alert level 2. You cannot go within about 1 km of Nakadake First Crater, and Aso-san Park Road is closed, so you cannot view the crater. You can still reach Kusasenri-ga-hama and the summit plaza.
• The National Route 57 Northern Restoration Road (Aso-Nishi IC to Ozu IC) is closed from 21:00 to 6:00 the next morning every night from the night of 28 October to the morning of 31 October. Spare days run until the morning of 14 November.
• The National Route 57 Takimuroza Road (Namino IC to Ichinomiya IC) opens at 16:30 on 28 November.
• Nabegataki Park is closed on 26 October and on 13, 14, 17, 24, 25 and 28 November.
• On the grass-burning days every March, the Milk Road, the Aso Panorama Line, the Yamanami Highway and other roads are closed during certain hours.

Getting there and fuel

Check how much fuel you have before you drive onto the highland roads.

If you don't have a car

You can pick up a car at Kumamoto Airport, and on the one-day loop you can return it to the same shop you rented from. Driving in Japan on a foreign licence needs a 1949 Geneva international driving permit or an official Japanese translation; see Driving in Japan on a Foreign License. For how pickup and return work at an airport, see Renting a Car at Haneda, Narita or Kansai Airport: Pickup and Return.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to drive around Aso?

Going from Kumamoto Airport through Minami-Aso, Kusasenri and Daikanbo and back is about 116 km and about 2 hours 30 minutes of driving. Allow about 5 hours with the stops.

Where should I go if I only have half a day?

Go out and back from Michi-no-Eki Aso to Kusasenri-ga-hama and Daikanbo: about 57 km and about 1 hour of driving.

Can I see the crater of Mt. Aso?

Not as of 24 October 2026. At volcanic alert level 2 you cannot go within 1 km of the crater, and Aso-san Park Road, which climbs to the crater, is closed. You can still reach Kusasenri-ga-hama and the summit plaza.

Where and when can I see the sea of clouds?

You can sometimes see it from Daikanbo in the early morning from autumn to winter, from Tawarayama Pass Observatory in September to November, and from Shiroyama Observatory in the early morning from spring to autumn. It is most often there from around 6:00 to 8:00 in the morning.

Is there a viewpoint where I can park at night?

The car parks at Shiroyama Observatory and Tawarayama Pass Observatory are open 24 hours. The car park at Daikanbo is open from 8:00 to 17:00.

Nearby areas and guides

• Driving in Japan on a Foreign License: IDP or Translation
• Renting a Car at Haneda, Narita or Kansai Airport: Pickup and Return