Local Tourism
There are many leisure spots within 30 minutes’ drive from the hotel. Here is an introduction to some of the places that we recommend you to visit during your stay in Aso, including spots where you can enjoy the grand nature of Aso, facilities where you can experience various activities, and attractions where you can come into contact with animals.
Leisure Spots
Aso Cuddly Dominion
(12 min. by car from hotel)
Aso Cuddly Dominion, an animal kingdom, has seven areas where you can come into contact with various animals. Don’t miss the shows either!
Aso Monkey Theater
(18 min. by car from hotel)
The Aso Monkey Theater stages fun shows by cute monkeys that you will find both soothing and comical. During performances, supertitles are shown in English, Korean, and Chinese, so visitors from overseas can follow the shows as well.
El Patio Ranch
(25 min. by car from hotel)
The El Patio Ranch offers pleasant horse-riding experiences amid grand nature, as well as cuisine using locally produced and safe ingredients. Munching a barbecue burger while gazing at the sprawling grassland is fantastic!
Sightseeing Spots
Shirakawa Spring
(42 min. by car from hotel)
Shirakawa Spring is probably the most famous spring in Aso, a region well known for its spa water. The spring water here gushes forth at a rate of 60 tons per minute. There are many other springs nearby as well, including the Myojin Pond Meisui Park spring, Ikenokawa Spring, and Takezaki Spring.
Ikeyama Spring
(34 min. by car from hotel)
Located in Ubuyama-mura village in Aso-gun county, Ikeyama Spring has been designated by the Ministry of the Environment as one of the 100 best springs in Japan.
※30 tons/min.; temp. 13–14°C
Ochaya Spring
(15 min. by car from hotel)
The Bungo Kaido road running along the outer rim was used in the Edo period (1603–1868), and cobblestones from that time remain to this day. The teahouse here used to be a resting place, and the remaining spring is still called the Ochaya (Teahouse) Spring. Although it is now private land, you can view the landscape garden as well.
Lucky God Daikokuten
(2 min. by car from hotel)
This stone statue of Daikokuten, one of the seven lucky gods in Japan, is said to bring luck in winning the Takarakuji lottery. Visitors come from near and far to pray to Daikokuten, who is sitting on two bales of rice and holding lottery tickets in his hands, for good luck in the lottery.
Aso Outer Rim
(10 min. by car from hotel)
The Aso outer rim boasts one of the largest volcanoes in the world. “Milk Road,” consisting of several prefectural roads, is a grassland route running along the ridge and leading to Daikanbo and the Yamanami Highway. You are sure to enjoy the invigorating drive through lush green pastureland.
Kusasenri-ga-hama
(24 min. by car from hotel)
Kusasenri-ga-hama is a crater site stretching out below Eboshidake, one of the five peaks of Aso. One of the really symbolic scenes of Aso is that of cows and horses roaming freely on this vast grassland, drinking water and chewing the grass.
Senomoto Kogen (Highland)
(38 min. by car from hotel)
This highland is a magnificent spot from where the five peaks of Aso and the Kuju Mountains can be seen. Coco Village has a confectionery shop, restaurants, and other unique facilities and is popular among sightseers.
Aso Shrine
(12 min. by car from hotel)
Aso Shrine’s Romon gate, which is covered with elaborate decorations, is a structure with immense historical value and is one of the three most imposing gates of its kind in Japan. The shrine has a lateral approach, which is very unusual in Japan, and is dedicated to 12 deities, including Takeiwatatsu no Mikoto, the pioneering deity of Aso. It suffered heavy damage in the Kumamoto Earthquake, which struck in the early hours of April 16, 2016, and is currently undergoing restoration.
Hanaasobi
(2 min. by car from hotel)
This complex comprises a rose garden with 6,000 roses of 400 varieties, a shop, and a restaurant. Visitors can also enjoy picking strawberries during the strawberry season (December–May, depending on conditions).
Furubochu Site
(36 min. by car from hotel)
Furubochu is the largest site in Japan where monks practiced ascetic mountain Buddhism in the past. In the Kamakura (1185–1333) and Muromachi (1333–1568) periods, many monks’ residences and hermitages were built in this area, where monks came to live and engage in austerities.
Aso Volcano Museum
(24 min. by car from hotel)
Aso Volcano Museum displays materials relating to Aso. By means of television cameras and optic fiber, visitors can have a look inside the crater in real time.