aso & kumamoto ๐ฏ๐ต | riding Aso Boy!, bus to mt. aso, suntory beer factory tour, cafes & more ๐โฐ๏ธ๐บโ๐
After Fukuoka/Hakata, we spent 5 days and 4 nights in Kumamoto Prefecture, and I was super excited for this leg of the trip! Highlights included riding the adorable Aso Boy! train with its cute doggy Kuro-themed decor, and finally seeing Mount Aso up close.
Visiting Mount Aso had its challenges… the mid-January weather brought snow and frost to Aso earlier than expected. On the morning we planned to explore the volcano, we discovered that buses to Mount Aso were cancelled due to icy roads. At first, we were a bit disappointed, but it turned into a blessing in disguise! We explored Aso Town, visited Aso Jinja, and wandered the charming Aso Shopping Street.
Lunch was at Trattoria La Luce, a small Japanese-Italian diner with amazing pastas ๐. We also stopped by Aso Miyaji Coffee, where the kind cafe owner lady even drew us a little map to the nearest taxi stand when the snow got heavier – never forgetting this, otherwise we were clueless as to how to return in the midst of an unexpected snowstorm that even the locals seemed stunned by!
By the afternoon, the roads cleared and to our happy surprise buses resumed service. We made it to Aso Sanjo Terminal and got on the first bus available to the Nakadake Crater. Experiencing the crater was unforgettable; though I definitely wasnโt prepared for the sulphuric gas and strong winds, it was truly an experience.
Kumamoto City itself was equally charming. The Blossom Kumamoto impressed me with its views and service, especially when the staff helped us book the Suntory Beer Factory Tour – a challenge for us as we could not book it ourselves, but they went above and beyond. The tour was great, with 3 beers included in the 1,000 yen ticket so we were tipsy and happy!
Food in Kumamoto was incredible too – hearty, delicious, and many of our chosen locations were loved by locals. From the booming coffee scene to traditional wagashi desserts, Kumamoto had modern, traditional, local and foreign tastes altogether.
Overall, Kumamoto Prefecture stole my heart. Both Kumamoto City and Aso City are unforgettable, and I can easily rank this region among my favorite places in Japan. Can’t wait to be back!
00:00 – 00:12 Introduction
00:12 – 01:42 Aso Boy! train to Aso City
01:42 – 02:21 Aso Station (้ฟ่้ง
) bus to Mt Aso
02:21 – 02:54 – Mt Aso’s Aso Sanjo Terminal (้ฟ่ๅฑฑไธใฟใผใใใซ) and bus to Crater
02:54 – 03:31 Aso: Nakadake Crater ้ฟ่ไธญๅฒณ
03:31 – 04:02 Aso: Ramen Gyan ใใผใใ ใใใใ
04:02 – 04:37 Aso: Coffee Plaza Eastใณใผใใผใใฉใถใคใผในใ
04:37 – 04:55 Aso Jinja Shrine ้ฟ่็ฅ็คพ
04:55 – 05:25 Aso: Trattoria La Luce
05:25 – 05:55 Aso Miyaji Coffee / Etu ้ฟ่ๅฎฎๅฐ็็ฒ / ใจใ
05:55 – 06:31 (Hotel Review) The Blossom Kumamoto
06:31 – 07:25 Kumamoto: Sakura-no-baba Josaien ๆกใฎ้ฆฌๅ ด ๅๅฝฉ่
07:25 – 09:08 Kumamoto: Suntory Kumamoto Factory Tour ใตใณใใชใผไนๅท็ๆฌๅทฅๅ ด (Pick up at Sakuramachi Bus Terminal Bus Bay 2)
09:08 – 09:50 Kumamoto: Taking the Tram and T’s Barista School & Coffee Shop
09:50 – 10:11 Kumamoto Cafe: Coffee gallery ็็ฒๅๅป
10:11 – 10:31 Kumamoto Cafe: SSSSS – esu – (ใจใน๏ผcoffee roaster / shop ใณใผใใผในใฟใณใ COFFEE STAND
10:31 – 11:17 Kumamoto Cafe: Shifuku-no-Hitotoki ่ณ็ฆใฎใฒใจใจใ๏ผ็ๅณๅฆ (wagashi desserts)
11:17 – 11:38 Kumamoto Cafe: Coffeedot
11:38 – 12:09 Kumamoto Food: Mekkemon Sushi @ Amu Plaza Kumamoto ๅปปใๅฏฟๅธใใฃใใใ
12:09 – 12:27 Kumamoto Food: Rich Chicken White Broth Iwao ๆฟๅ้ถ็ฝๆนฏใใใ
12:27 – 13:19 Kumamoto Food: Tommy’s Restaurant & Bar ใฌในใใฉใณใปใใผ ใใใผใบ
13:19 – 13:40 Kumamoto Food: Hamaya ้ขๆฑ้ขจใใฉใใปใใฐๅฆ ใฏใพๅฑ
13:40 – 14:07 Kumamoto Bakery: Aji no Mentaiko Kikuya ๅณใฎๆๅคชๅญ ใใใ
14:07 – 15:04 Kumamoto: Suizenji Jojuen Garden area ๆฐดๅๅฏบๆ่ถฃๅ
15:04 – 15:32 Kumamoto Cafe: Kokin Denju-no-ma ๅคไปไผๆใฎ้ (wagashi dessert)
15:32 – 15:49 Shots and Thoughts
1 Comment
hi…can we book online bus from aso station to aso sanjo station ?