Why are Riders so Fascinated by Mt. Aso?

This photo from 2014 shows Laputa's Road, which was severely damaged by the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake. There is still no prospect of restoration.

Speaking of the touring sanctuary for touring riders, here's what you need to know It would be Hokkaido in the east and Aso in the west.

Just the other day, Webike Magazine featured an article on the attractions of Hokkaido.
So, I would like to introduce the charms of Aso in this article.

I understand Hokkaido, but what is the appeal of Aso?

Speaking of the charm of Hokkaido! Tantalizingly fresh produce, and a lot of fun roads that are easier and more pleasant in the summer than on the mainland! Even if you've never been to Hokkaido, you know what this area is all about, don't you?

Then, what is the charm of Aso?
Riders who are not connected to Aso and are far away may think "Nagasaki or Fukuoka is fine".

If I had to explain it simply, I would say that Aso's charms are the same as Hokkaido's, with its delicious food and fun roads! However, the foodstuffs and roads are different from those of Hokkaido in terms of fun vectors, making it an attractive area that is a perfect counterpart to Hokkaido.

There are cuisines in Aso that you can't eat in Hokkaido, and there are roads in Aso that you can't enjoy in Hokkaido, and vice versa. If you've been to Hokkaido, you should definitely go to Aso next year!

Aso's Attraction 1: Winding paradie

Winding is the only way to go on the Aso road! The corners are folded over enough to warrant saying so. Also, the road has a lot of ups and downs because it is at the foot of Mt. Aso. You could ride around all day on this roller coaster of a road and still not have enough to ride around.

Beginner riders may feel intimidated, but don't worry. There are no tall trees in the Aso area, and the road has good visibility. Compared to a typical winding road where you don't know what's going on until you turn the corner, the fact that you can see all the way to the end of the corner is unique to Aso. It's a safe and comfortable way to turn with room to spare, even for novice riders.

Here are some of the recommended routes in the winding paradise of Aso.

Silk Road

It is commonly known as Kumamoto Prefectural Road 339 (Milk Road) with a total length of about 22km. The route takes you along the ridge of the outer rim of the mountain, with spectacular views at every corner, and you can enjoy the winding as much as possible.

A short distance away from the Milk Road, off the Kikuchi Akasui Line toward the Niju Pass, you will find the alternating participation road that was used as a road to Oita in the Edo Period, which still remains as a stone pavement of welded tuff. I guess you could say it was a touring route in those days leading to Edo. The Nijunoe Pass is a great place to park your bike and take a break because of the spectacular view.

> Check out Milk Road on Google Maps!

Yamanami Highway

Nakadake (1,791m), the highest peak in Kyushu, and the Kokonoe mountain range (1,787m), the main peak of which is the Kokonoe mountain range, are the most scenic roads in Kyushu. It connects Yufuin, Oita, and Minami Oguni Town, Aso County, and is about 50 km long, and you can enjoy touring for about an hour.

The Iida Highlands, Senomoto Highlands, and Chojahara are full of places to stop off and visit, and it's nice to know that "Yamanami" is dotted with hot springs. If you head from the Oita side, it intersects with the milk road before the Aso's outer rim, so it's easy to make a route.

> > Check the Yamanami Highway on Google Maps!

Kenny Road (Green Road Minami Aso)

If you want to enjoy the south side of Aso, Kenny Road (Green Road Minami Aso) is the place to go. Kenny Road is named after Kenny Roberts, who won the 1978-1980 Road Race World Championship, the highest class of the time, three times in a row.

Kenny Roberts' wife was born in Aso and was particularly fond of the Green Road Minami Aso for private touring. The route has a series of medium to high-speed corners along the way, but you must not drive too fast because it is the main road that goes back and forth between Kumamoto city and Minami Aso village.

> > Check out Kenny Road on Google Maps!
Near the crater of Aso Nakadake, which is accessible from the Aso Panorama Line, there is a view like abroad.

In addition, the Aso Panorama Line (approx. 37 km), Higodai Road (approx. 4 km), and the Aso River (approx. 3 km). The list goes on and on. It's not an exaggeration to say that every little road is a superb touring road, so to see is to believe, Go to ASO!

Aso's Attraction 2: The bare nature of the mountains is divine

When talking about the charm of Aso, the one thing that cannot be ignored is the "spectacular view" that I mentioned earlier in the section on winding roads!

There are few trees blocking the view, and the prairie stretches as far as the eye can see, making you feel as if you are in some distant foreign country that is not Japan. The refreshingly pleasant Aso grassland area is artificially man-made and managed.

The Aso area has been used for rice farming since the Heian period, and even today, the harvested grass is used for livestock feed and compost for agriculture. It is even mentioned (in the Nihon Shoki, it is only mentioned that there was a grassland). The scenery of Aso is the same as that of our ancestors more than a thousand years ago. When you think about it, isn't it a very romantic place?

In addition, the prairie is burned once a year to exterminate harmful insects such as ticks and to grow grass for the livestock. The burning of the field is carried out around the equinox of spring on a day when the wind is calm. Early spring is the season when the trees begin to turn green. The transformation of such a prairie into a charred black world engulfed in flames is enough to make you ride your motorcycle just to see the view.

Aso's Attraction 3: Enjoyable Aso town hot water compared to the different qualities of spring water

It's the hot springs that spur you on to travel. Especially after a day of touring, the hot springs are a special treat!

In the Uchimaki area located in the outer rim of the Aso, there are many cheap and accessible town baths scattered around, and all of them have different sources of water. About 600 fountainheads gush out in the Aso region, and the number of the springs is 130 in Uchimaki alone!

Since the town baths are also used by local residents, the prices are modest. How about stopping by to take a hot bath to relieve your travel fatigue?

Aso's Attraction 4: The food is ridiculously good

If we talk about the local specialty of Aso, the first thing that comes to mind is the red cow. Red beef, raised on the magnificent grasslands of Aso, has a lot of reddish colors and is healthy. It is recommended because it has a combination of flavor and tenderness due to the proper amount of fat.

And one more thing. I'd recommend horse sashimi! To those unfamiliar with it, it's often thought of as a luxury food item, but the horse sashimi in the local supermarket is cheap and good! In the delicacy section, freshly cooked rice was available for about 1 USD per pack, and the author was a nightly winner with the rice and horse sashimi.

Aso's Attraction 5: Comfortable

The magnificent nature of Aso attracts many people to the area, many of whom come from distant places. When the driving is fun, the food is good, and the hot springs are cheap, it's not surprising that they are impeccable.

To make matters worse, what I felt above all else was the "comfort" of the place.

The first of my long tours were quite tight, leading up to Aso, and I woke up at 3 am and left at 4 am. I ride from 6 pm to 8 pm. That's how it went.

In spite of the fact that our schedule was too dominant, I stayed in Aso for as long as a week before I knew it. Just when I thought I had finally left for my next destination, I stayed for another week on my way back to Kagoshima.

I don't spend the week lazily and indefinitely, but I can play around with each day and still not enough. There was such an indescribable sense of comfort in Aso.

Do you know what the once-in-a-decade event is?

Unfortunately, it was raining at Kusasenri in 2019. Nevertheless, a lot of riders showed up.

Starting with the aforementioned wildfire, the autumn leaves, the Aso Rock Festival, and so on, there are many events to enjoy throughout the year in Aso (the Aso Rock Festival 2020 has unfortunately been canceled). Activities using motorbikes such as touring are good, but paragliding, horse riding, and hot air ballooning are also unique to Aso.

The one thing that really smokes the mind of a rider is the only motorcycle event that happens once a decade. The name of the event is the same as "Kusasenri", one of the best sightseeing spots in Aso, which is a very straightforward event. The last one was in 2019, so the next one will be in 2029!

The beginning of Kusasenri began in 1979 with the call of one photographer. The event is all about getting together and taking pictures. That's all. Ten years is a fast and long time. The first time I went alone, but the next time it was held, I was in a tandem with my kids, etc. The vehicle you're riding in may be different with more wrinkles on your face.
It's very emotional to be able to capture 10 years and memories in a single album.

Why not clear your schedule now for the next summer of 2029?

Why are riders attracted to Aso?

I've told you about a lot of attractions in Aso so far. This is a once-in-a-decade event with a spectacular view that hasn't changed in a thousand years. Delicious food, and hot springs.

If you cut out each element and look around Japan, there are probably many more great areas for similar events. However, there is only one place in the world where you can experience Aso, and that's the only Mount Aso.

If you ask me, "Why are riders so fascinated by Aso?", I wouldn't answer with confidence. Because once you get there, you'll know.