Aso Kujū National Park
National park in Japan featuring Mount Aso and Kujū mountains.
Aso-Kujū National Park is a national park located in Kumamoto and Ōita Prefectures, Japan. It derives its name from Mount Aso, the largest active volcano in Japan and one of the largest caldera volcanoes in the world, and the Kujū mountains. The park was first established as Aso National Park on December 4, 1934, and was renamed Aso Kujū National Park on September 10, 1986.
Quick Facts
- Iucn Category
- II
- Location
- Kyūshū, Japan
- Area
- 726.78 km2
- Established
- 4 December 1934
- Governing Body
- Ministry of the Environment (Japan)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Around 270,000 years ago, a burst of volcanic activity helped shape the area. Aso Shrine at Mount Aso in Kyushu is a Shinto shrine traditionally held to have been a center of worship before the accession of Emperor Jinmu. The shikinaisha shrine complex at Ichinomiya in what is today Kumamoto Prefecture was said to have been established in 281 BC. The original location of the shrine is uncertain because it was destroyed and rebuilt many times in or near the crater of Aso-san.
Reader's Guide
Aso-Kujū National Park is significant as a protected area encompassing one of the world's largest caldera volcanoes and Japan's largest active volcano, Mount Aso. Its history includes the ancient Aso Shrine, whose origins are traditionally linked to worship before Emperor Jinmu, though its exact location remains uncertain due to repeated destruction and rebuilding near the crater. The park's boundaries have evolved over time: established in 1934, it was extended in 1953 to include Mount Yufu, Mount Tsurumi, and Mount Takasaki, though Mount Takasaki was later separated in 1956. The Yamanami Highway, opened as a toll road in 1964, became free in 1994. The park offers activities such as soaking in natural hot springs at Sujiyu Onsen Public Bath, camping at sites like Kuju Kogen Soumi and Kokonoe Green Park, collecting natural spring water at the Shirakawa Fountainhead, and hiking, biking, and horseback riding. It spans multiple municipalities in both Kumamoto and Ōita Prefectures.
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