Enjoy One of Kumamoto’s Top Power Spots! A Travel Guide to Aso Shrine

The Haiden (Worship Hall), where you pray to the enshrined deities of “Aso Shrine,” collapsed in the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes and was rebuilt in 2021.
Funded by donations from local people, and built with 50% of the wood sourced from the Aso region, it is now considered a symbol of recovery from the Kumamoto earthquakes.
The newly rebuilt Haiden is still fresh and new, letting you enjoy the beautiful color of the wood and the cypress scent in the air.
Don’t miss the massive shimenawa sacred rope displayed at the front—7.5 m long and weighing 160 kg.

At “Aso Shrine,” three shrine buildings and three gates—including the Romon Gate—are designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan.
The three shrine buildings and gates are arranged symmetrically on the left and right, in a layout that seems to protect the Haiden.
The Romon Gate, one of the “Three Great Romon Gates of Japan,” is a two-story gate among the largest in Kyushu, and its solemn presence makes it a symbol of “Aso Shrine.”
The table below summarizes the Important Cultural Properties, so please use it as a reference.

“Takasago no Matsu,” also known as the “Matchmaking Pine,” is said to have originated around 1,000 years ago, when the 26th chief priest, Aso Tomonari (あそともなり), brought back pine nuts from the Takasago Pine in Hyogo Prefecture.
It’s said that women should circle the pine twice clockwise and men twice counterclockwise to be blessed with a good match.

Along the approach directly in front of the Romon Gate, “Kami no Izumi” (God’s Spring) has flowing “sacred water,” said to grant blessings of longevity if you drink it.
Ichinomiya, where “Aso Shrine” is located, is also famous as a place where high-quality groundwater springs up.
Nearby are drinking spots called “mizuki,” with a total of 14 locations installed.
In addition to “Kami no Izumi,” there are other mizuki where you can receive blessings, and many people do a “mizuki pilgrimage” by visiting them.
Since you’ve come all the way to “Aso Shrine,” we hope you’ll also try the “mizuki pilgrimage.”

Mt. Aso is the collective name for a volcanic group that developed inside a depression (caldera) formed by four massive eruptions that occurred Approx. 270,000 to 90,000 years ago, including the Aso Five Peaks.
Railways run through the caldera, and around 50,000 people live across three municipalities—Aso City, Takamori Town, and Minamiaso Village—making it one of the largest volcanic regions in the world.
Daikanbo is located on the north side of the caldera rim (outer rim mountains), offering views over the vast collapsed terrain. From its 936 m elevation, you can take in sweeping views of Aso’s towns and farmlands, the Aso Five Peaks, and even the Kuju Mountain Range.

Nakadake (1,506 m), located in the center of Mt. Aso, is an active volcano that continues vigorous activity, and you can see the crater’s violently rising smoke up close.
Of Nakadake’s seven aligned craters, the one currently active and viewable is the First Crater, and you can go close to the huge crater, which measures around 4 km in circumference.
When the gas clears, you can see an emerald-green crater lake at the bottom, filled with strongly acidic water at 50–60°C.

A historic shrine in Hitoyoshi City, Kumamoto Prefecture, founded in 806.
Worshipped as the chief guardian shrine of the Hitoyoshi-Kuma region, it’s affectionately called “Aoi-san” by locals.
Its main hall, corridors, heiden (offering hall), haiden (worship hall), and romon gate were built from 1610 to 1613, and are designated as National Treasures.

A teppanyaki restaurant specializing in Akaushi beef, located in Monzenmachi Shopping Street near “Aso Shrine.”
It serves hearty, satisfying dishes made with Aso’s specialty “Akaushi” beef.
The most popular item is “Akaushi Garlic Rice.”
An irresistible dish topped with spice-seasoned Akaushi steak over garlic rice.

A local-cuisine restaurant just a short walk from “Aso Shrine.”
To let you taste Aso’s natural bounty, it mainly uses seasonal local ingredients such as locally grown vegetables, and serves dishes prepared using traditional methods.
With a wide variety of Japanese and Western options—from beef katsu rice bowls to sukiyaki, soba, and the local specialty dago-jiru—it offers a diverse menu.

A Western-style sweets shop in Monzenmachi Shopping Street in front of Aso Shrine.
Made by Mr. Tano, who is particular about fresh cream, the “Tano-shu” cream puff is the shop’s top specialty.
From inside the choux pastry topped with fragrant almonds, custard with fresh cream oozes out smoothly.