Mount Aso is the largest active volcano in Japan. Located in the eastern part of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, the volcano has a very large caldera – by some estimates it has a circumference of 120km.
The volcano goes through regular cycles of activity and passivity. When the mountain is quiet, visitors can either drive to a parking area or catch a rope way to within a close vicinity of the main crater. However, as of August 2016, the top of the mountain is off limits to the general public due to increased volcanic activity.
