Local Guide
7 recommended sightseeing spots in the Aso area to enjoy with your children

The Aso-Kuju area is located in the eastern part of Kumamoto Prefecture, near the border with Oita and Miyazaki Prefectures. This area boasts vast natural scenery and has many spots where children can relax and unwind. There are attractions that make use of the spacious grounds, opportunities to interact with a variety of animals, horseback riding, hot spring, and even parks. Here are seven spots you'll want to enjoy with your children.

There are lots of ways to exercise while having fun

The "Gate of Sorrow" at the entrance to the "Forest of Energy". You can overcome the bumps as you go along, which is both fun and good exercise.
The "Gate of Sorrow" at the entrance to the "Forest of Energy". You can overcome the bumps as you go along, which is both fun and good exercise.

Located in Minamiaso Village, this tourist spot occupies an area of approximately 1 million square meters. As a health promotion park supervised by health experts, you can enjoy attractions and lunches. The exercise Property "Genki no Mori" has approximately 70 types of exercise equipment covering an area of 33,000 square meters that makes use of the natural forest and valleys. There is a three-dimensional "twisting road," a "pipeline" that goes under and over pipes, and even a labyrinth and slides.
There are facilities for children, adults, and even the elderly to have fun exercising while using their physical strength and intelligence. There is also the Genki Challenge Hall, an all-weather exercise Property where families can try out devices such as a giant maze.

Soothing interactions with animals

You can enjoy interacting with the rare mara. Feel the warmth of these friendly animals and feel soothed.
You can enjoy interacting with the rare mara. Feel the warmth of these friendly animals and feel soothed.

The "Interactive Animal Kingdom" on the premises is home to about 35 kinds of animals, including capybaras, maras, and flamingos, living leisurely. Although there are no large animals like elephants or giraffes, you can experience healing and learning through interacting with and feeding the smaller animals.
There are also plenty of other attractions for children to enjoy, such as "Fun Fishing Land," where you can enjoy catching and releasing fish, and "Fun Suizoku Kan Aqua," a small aquarium.

Comments Local Guide
At Oaso Restaurant, a healthy buffet Restaurant supervised by a registered dietitian, the calorie and nutritional information for each dish is displayed, so you can enjoy a healthy buffet!
Aso Genki no Mori (Aso Farmland)
  • URLhttps://asofarmland.co.jp/
  • 住所5579-3 Kawayo, Minamiasomura, Aso-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 40 minutes by car from Aso Kumamoto Airport
  • 営業時間9:00-17:00 *Varies depending on Property and day of the week
  • 定休日none
  • 入場料Free admission
    [Genki Challenge Hall] Adults 1,000 yen, Children 600 yen
    [Children's Challenge Hall] Adults 1,000 yen, Children 1,200 yen
    [Physical Age Measurement Center] Adults 1,500 yen, Children 800 yen
    [Dome Reduction Bath] Adults 1,800 yen, Children 800 yen
    [Magma Clay Spa] (Women only) Adults 3,600 yen
    [Oxygen Dome] 1,100 yen
    others
  • TEL0967-67-2100
  • 駐車場free

The only place in Kyushu where you can hold a baby bear

The "Little Bear Interaction Experience" will be held at 11:30 and 14:30 (500 yen per group). Numbered tickets will be distributed 15 minutes before the event (first come, first served).
The "Little Bear Interaction Experience" will be held at 11:30 and 14:30 (500 yen per group). Numbered tickets will be distributed 15 minutes before the event (first come, first served).

An animal theme park where you can encounter bears and a variety of other animals from around the world in the majestic location of Mt. Aso. Of particular note is the "baby bear interaction Experience," which is the only one of its kind in Kyushu. You can hold a baby Asiatic black bear between 0 and 1 year old and take a commemorative photo. It's a rare experience where you can even feel the baby bear's fur and breathing.
Furthermore, Bear Valley is home to around 150 bears of six different species, including Japanese black bears, grizzly bears, and brown bears, and you can feed them treats. The bears are adorable, waving their hands and asking for treats!

You can also interact with various animals and enjoy animal shows!

At the "Chibikko Animal Square" you can interact with small animals such as alpacas, ostriches, guinea pigs, and rabbits.
At the "Chibikko Animal Square" you can interact with small animals such as alpacas, ostriches, guinea pigs, and rabbits.

There are many other spots in the park where you can interact with animals, including the "Chibikko Animal Square" where you can interact with many animals, the "Penguin Falls" where you can feed penguins at close range, the "Capybara Pond," "Meh Meh Square," and "Binturong Forest," where you can enjoy rare animals up close.
Also, be sure to enjoy the Miyazawa Theater, an animal show performed by the chimpanzee Purin-chan. This is a spot where you can enjoy animals all day long.

Comments Local Guide
The zoo's "Cuddly Hall" also hosts animal performance shows featuring three trainers and a variety of animals, including dogs and parrots!
Aso Cuddly Dominion
  • URLhttps://www.cuddly.co.jp/
  • 住所2163 Kurokawa, Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 18 minutes on foot from JR Aso Station
  • 営業時間Summer (March 14th - October 10th) 9:30 - 17:00 (Saturdays, Sundays and holidays - 17:30)
    Winter (October 11th to March 13th) 10:00-16:30
  • 定休日Wednesdays from December to February (excluding winter holidays and public holidays)
  • 入場料Adults (high school students and above): 2,400 yen
    Elementary and junior high school students: 1,300 yen
    Children (3 years and older): 700 yen
  • TEL0967-34-2020
  • 駐車場free

It's fun to interact with the animals at Makiba!

At the Animal Interaction Area, you can feed goats, sheep, and ponies.
At the Animal Interaction Area, you can feed goats, sheep, and ponies.

This tourist ranch is located on a grassland at an altitude of about 450m in Nishihara Village, and covers an area of about 330,000 square meters. It is a spot where you can Experience while learning about dairy farming. The "farm Experience" is popular with children. In the "animal interaction area", you can feed the goats and enjoy interacting with dogs, guinea pigs, and mice. You can also enjoy the animals at the farm, where black pigs and sheep are walking around, pet donkeys, and you can get a close-up look at the world's five largest dairy cows - Holstein, Jersey, Guernsey, Ayrshire, and Brown Swiss - through the fence.

Milking Experience and animal races are popular

Cow milking Experience starts at 13:00 (300 yen, includes a 200ml bottle of original milk, for ages 4 and up). Registration opens from 12:45 to 12:55.
Cow milking Experience starts at 13:00 (300 yen, includes a 200ml bottle of original milk, for ages 4 and up). Registration opens from 12:45 to 12:55.

There are also many other fun Experience and events. The "milking cow Experience," where you can actually touch a cow, is a popular event held every day. In addition, the "exciting race," where you can guess which animals will come first and second in an animal race featuring goats, sheep, and other animals, is held twice a day (participation is free).
You can enjoy pony riding (from 500 yen) and tractor buses (200 yen per person) all around the spacious ranch. There is also a large grassy area and playground equipment, so children will be busy playing there.

Comments Local Guide
There is also a factory tour zone where you can see the cheese-making process through glass. The cheese sold at the shop is delicious!
Rakunou Mothers Aso Milk Farm
  • URLhttps://aso-milk.jp/
  • 住所3944-1 Kawahara, Nishihara Village, Aso District, Kumamoto Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 20 minutes by car from Aso Kumamoto Airport
  • 営業時間10:00～17:00
  • 定休日Varies depending on the season (check the business calendar on their website)
  • 入場料Admission fee: 400 yen (ages 3 and over)
  • TEL096-292-2100
  • 駐車場free

A small zoo in the middle of the natural beauty of Okuaso

If you scratch a capybara with a scratcher, it will give itself over to you with an incredibly ecstatic look on its face!
If you scratch a capybara with a scratcher, it will give itself over to you with an incredibly ecstatic look on its face!

This small zoo was built on the site of an old cowshed deep in the mountains of Takamori Town in the Okuaso area. About 200 animals of 25 species live freely both indoors and outdoors, and it is a hidden gem that is popular with families in Kumamoto Prefecture.
The biggest attraction is that humans can enter the enclosure where the animals live. Outside, there are birds such as flamingos and chickens, as well as pigs, donkeys, rabbits, llamas, deer, and even tortoises, all roaming about freely in their own spaces, so you can enjoy scratching them with a scratcher or walking alongside them at close range.

You can interact directly with almost all the animals!

You can stroll through the park, surrounded by animals living freely.
You can stroll through the park, surrounded by animals living freely.

Furthermore, inside the zoo you can feed the goats, touch the chicks, and have fun touching and feeding the rabbits and guinea pigs by having them sit on your lap. Children under the age of three can even climb onto the shells of the larger tortoises.
The animals live in an environment filled with love and affection, and are all calm and used to people. Staff/staff member also make frequent visits to teach you about the animals and how to interact with them, so you can enjoy communicating with them without feeling scared.

Comments Local Guide
This is a hidden spot deep in the mountains of Aso. You will feel relaxed watching the animals living freely in the magnificent scenery that is typical of Aso!
Minamiaso Petting Zoo Fairy Tale
  • URLhttps://fairytale-zoo.com/
  • 住所2408-1 Shikimi, Takamori-machi, Aso-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 40 minutes by car from Aso Kumamoto Airport
  • 営業時間10:00-17:00 *16:30 on weekdays from November to March
  • 定休日Thursdays *Wednesdays and Thursdays from November to March, no holidays during Golden Week or long holidays
  • 入場料600 yen (ages 3 and over)
  • TEL0967-62-2613
  • 駐車場free

A private bath where you can relax even with children

"Hime" has a fun Outdoor hot spring with a slide. The indoor bath is a bathtub built with rocks.
"Hime" has a fun Outdoor hot spring with a slide. The indoor bath is a bathtub built with rocks.

Yura Yura is located in Kosugi Resort, which is located along National Route 57 in Aso City and has a golf course and a buffet Restaurant. This hot spring Property specializes in private baths where you can rent out an entire room to enjoy hot spring, so you can bathe without worrying about others around you, making it popular with families with children.
All 15 private baths are designed with great care. In particular, "Hime," which has an open-air bath with a slide, and "Kaede," which has a heart-shaped indoor bathtub, are popular with children. In addition, there are five rooms with tatami-mat-floored washing areas, making them safe for children and babies.

Toy rental services are also available.

In "Kaede," the bathtub, buckets, and chairs are all heart-shaped. It also comes with a TV and a toilet, so it's safe for families with children.
In "Kaede," the bathtub, buckets, and chairs are all heart-shaped. It also comes with a TV and a toilet, so it's safe for families with children.

There are three types of bathrooms: indoor bath only, indoor bath + Outdoor hot spring, and Suite room. Three of the rooms have a TV monitor in the changing room where you can watch DVDs. Bath toys are available for borrowing at reception if you wish, and there are plenty of ideas to keep children from getting bored. On the premises, there is also a kids' space where you can spend time with your children while you wait or after bathing, as well as toilets with diaper changing stations.
The spring quality is sodium-magnesium sulfate hot hot spring, and the water flows directly from the source. Another big attraction is that the water is gentle on children's skin, and adults will be enchanted by the moist feeling after bathing.

Comments Local Guide
The adjacent "Otohime no Mori Natural Food Buffet" is a popular buffet Restaurant you can enjoy the flavors of Aso to your heart's content. If you use both hot spring and the buffet, you can get a great deal on a packed lunch!
Aso Otohime Onsen hot spring Springs Relaxation
  • URLhttps://www.kosugiresort.com/yurayura/
  • 住所2052-3 Otohime, Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture, Kosugi Resort MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 5 minutes by car from JR Uchinomaki Station
  • 営業時間11:00～24:00
    *Sundays and holidays: 9:30-22:00
  • 定休日Open daily
  • 入場料Indoor bath only: 2,000 yen, indoor bath + Outdoor hot spring: 3,000 yen, Suite room 4,300 yen
    (70 minutes on weekdays, 60 minutes on weekends and holidays)
  • TEL0967-32-5526
  • 駐車場free

A tunnel decorated with fun decorations all year round

Spring water flows through the tunnel's waterways, creating a cool breeze.
Spring water flows through the tunnel's waterways, creating a cool breeze.

Located in Takamori Town in the Okuaso area, this park is a tunnel that was dug for the old Japanese National Railways tracks. The tunnel is 2,055m long, of which 550m is open to the public. About 32 tons of water springs out every minute and flows through the tunnel's waterway. The spring water acts as a natural air conditioner, keeping the area cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Although the tunnel is dark, it is always decorated with bright illuminations, some from events, and some made by local children, creating an exciting atmosphere. Children also feel like they are exploring a cave as they walk deeper into the tunnel.

Outside the tunnel there is also a spot where you can splash around in water.

The Water Pearl fountain is at the very end of the tunnel. Water droplets rising...?
The Water Pearl fountain is at the very end of the tunnel. Water droplets rising...?

In the tunnel, you can find a waterfall-like water source that flows from an unexcavated rock sculpture, as well as an illumination spot surrounded by mirrors. And at the very back, you can enjoy the "Water Pearls," which are perfectly round water beads that flow, stop, rise, and move mysteriously.
The water gushing out of the tunnel flows into a waterway outside the tunnel, where you can splash around in a corner, so don't forget to bring a change of clothes for your children in the hot season. There are also fountains all around for your enjoyment.

Comments Local Guide
The Tanabata Festival is held every July, and the Christmas Fantasy is held from mid-November to December.
Takamori Spring Water Tunnel Park
  • URLhttps://www.town.takamori.kumamoto.jp/kanko/kankomap/kanko/yusui.html
  • 住所1034-2 Takamori, Takamori-cho, Aso-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 40 minutes by car from Aso Kumamoto Airport
  • 営業時間April to October 9:00 to 18:00
    November to March 9:00 to 17:00
  • 定休日Irregular holidays
  • 入場料Adults (junior high school students and above): 300 yen
    Elementary school students: 100 yen
    Free for children under elementary school age
    *Playing in the water outside the tunnel is free
  • TEL0967-62-3331（湧水館）
  • 駐車場free

A rare spot where you can ride horses from the age of one

The opportunity to ride horses side by side with parents is a very precious one. Being able to ride a horse by yourself also boosts a child's confidence.
The opportunity to ride horses side by side with parents is a very precious one. Being able to ride a horse by yourself also boosts a child's confidence.

The only horse riding ranch in Kuju Plateau. Children from 1 year old can enjoy horse riding here, and it is popular with families. Children aged 1 to 6 can ride with adults, and children in the first grade of elementary school or above can ride alone. Moreover, they can ride in the grassland without being led by a horse.
A qualified instructor will accompany you, and the horses are American Quarter Horses, which are gentle and used to children. Children who are scared at first will soon get used to them and start enjoying their precious time with the horses.

Horseback riding on the prairie is refreshing for both children and adults!

Children aged 1 to 6 must be accompanied by an adult. Even beginners can ride horses with peace of mind.
Children aged 1 to 6 must be accompanied by an adult. Even beginners can ride horses with peace of mind.

The best part about horseback riding at this ranch is that you can ride your horse through a vast grassland that is not surrounded by fences. You ride through pastures that are usually off-limits to people and cars, and only horses can enter. There are few ups and downs, and depending on the course, you can ride along the riverside or through a forest.
Above all, the changing faces of the seasons are a major attraction, from the green grasslands in spring and summer, to the silver grass and autumn leaves in autumn, to the pitch black plains after field burning in early March. As long as you wear jeans or other comfortable clothing, you can come empty-handed. Come and enjoy the extraordinary Experience of leisurely horseback riding in the great outdoors.

Comments Local Guide
The horses here are usually let loose in the fields and raised stress-free. If you pass by the ranch in the evening, you can see the horses from the road relaxing in the grassland.
Kokopelli Western Riding
  • URLhttp://kokopelli-horse.com/
  • 住所4048 Kuju, Kuju-cho, Taketa City, Oita Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 80 minutes by car from Aso Kumamoto Airport
  • 営業時間10:00〜17:00
  • 定休日Open everyday *Closed in bad weather
  • 入場料"Half Trail Ride" (30 minutes) 6,000 yen for one person, 8,000 yen for two people (child and adult)
    "Trail Ride" (60 minutes) 12,000 yen for one person, 16,000 yen for two people (child and adult)
    "Horseback Riding" (5 mins) 1,000 yen for one person, 1,500 yen for two people (child and adult)
  • TEL090-7398-0302
  • 駐車場free
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