🌋 Kumamoto / Oita · 2 days
Kumamoto to Beppu: The Aso Volcano & Onsen Road
Kyushu’s greatest drive: across the Aso caldera and the Yamanami Highway to Yufuin and Beppu, with 6 michi-no-eki including Nagayu’s carbonated onsen.
This is regularly called the best driving road in Japan: from Kumamoto up onto the rim of the Aso caldera — one of the world’s largest — then north along the Yamanami Highway’s open grasslands to the onsen towns of Yufuin and Beppu.
The drive stacks three different worlds in two days: the live volcano and green pastureland inside the caldera, the highland plateau around Kuju, and finally more hot-spring output than anywhere else on earth at Beppu. Michi-no-Eki Nagayu Onsen is the connoisseur’s stop — its carbonated springs are ranked among Japan’s best baths.
The stops, in driving order
- 1 Michi-no-Eki Ootsu 道の駅 大津 · Kumamoto
Michi-no-Eki Ootsu (道の駅 大津) is a government-designated roadside station in 菊池郡大津町, Kumamoto, Japan, registered in 1993 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop, a tourist-information desk and a park. There is free parking for about 118 cars and 4 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–18:00. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kyushu road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Kyokushi, Shisui and Aso Nozono Sato Kugino.
Nearby: 🌄熊本空港 阿蘇くまもと空港 (6 km) · 🌄阿蘇北向谷原始林 (8.7 km)
- 2 Michi-no-Eki Aso Nozono Sato Kugino 道の駅 あそ望の郷くぎの · Kumamoto
Michi-no-Eki Aso Nozono Sato Kugino (道の駅 あそ望の郷くぎの) is a government-designated roadside station in 阿蘇郡南阿蘇村, Kumamoto, Japan, registered in 2015 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a local-products shop, a tourist-information desk, an observation deck and a park. There is free parking for about 255 cars and 5 large vehicles. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kyushu road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Aso, Kiyokazu Bunraku Mura and Soyo Kaze Paaku.
Nearby: 🏛The Office of Mount Aso Ecomusee (1.8 km) · ⛰Shiroyama (2.4 km)
- 3 Michi-no-Eki Aso 道の駅 阿蘇 · Kumamoto
Michi-no-Eki Aso (道の駅 阿蘇) is a government-designated roadside station in 阿蘇市, Kumamoto, Japan, registered in 2008 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a cafe, a local-products shop, EV charging, free Wi-Fi and a tourist-information desk. There is free parking for about 149 cars and 15 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–18:00. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kyushu road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Namino, Aso Nozono Sato Kugino and Ootsu.
Nearby: 🏛阿蘇古代の郷美術館 (2.6 km) · 📸Aso Mizuho Meguri Shopping Street (3.6 km)
- 4 Michi-no-Eki Namino 道の駅 波野 · Kumamoto
Michi-no-Eki Namino (道の駅 波野) is a government-designated roadside station in 阿蘇市, Kumamoto, Japan, registered in 1993 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop, a park and an accessible restroom. There is free parking for about 294 cars and 6 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 8:30–18:30. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kyushu road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Sugou, Aso and Takeda.
Nearby: 🌄Shiroyama Lookout (5.7 km) · 📸Aso Mizuki Meguri Shopping Street (7.6 km)
- 5 Michi-no-Eki Nagayu Onsen 道の駅 ながゆ温泉 · Oita
Michi-no-Eki Nagayu Onsen (道の駅 ながゆ温泉) is a government-designated roadside station in 竹田市, Oita, Japan, registered in 2006 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a hot-spring (onsen) bath, a local-products shop, a tourist-information desk and an accessible restroom. There is free parking for about 62 cars and 5 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–18:00. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kyushu road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Asaji, Takeda and Oono.
Nearby: 🏛朝倉文夫記念館 (7.7 km) · ⛰Tenguiwa (8.8 km)
- 6 Michi-no-Eki Yufuin 道の駅 ゆふいん · Oita
Michi-no-Eki Yufuin (道の駅 ゆふいん) is a government-designated roadside station in 由布市, Oita, Japan, registered in 2003 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop, a tourist-information desk and an observation deck. There is free parking for about 90 cars and 13 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–18:00. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kyushu road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Douwa No Sato Kusu, Innai and Nagayu Onsen.
Nearby: 📸レンタサイクル菊水 (2.7 km) · ⛰Mount Fukuman (3.1 km)
Make this route yours — load all 6 stops into the planner, reorder or remove stops, then open the finished trip in Google Maps.
Customize this route →Route tips
- Check the Aso crater status before you go — access closes when volcanic gas levels rise.
- Drive the caldera rim road (Daikanbo lookout) in the early morning for the sea-of-clouds effect.
- The Yamanami Highway needs no expressway tolls and is the scenic equal of any paid road in Japan.
- Yufuin for boutique ryokan and galleries; Beppu for raw onsen power — the "hells" tour and sand baths. Do both.
Before you drive
- Can you drive in Japan? License rules by country
- Renting a car in Japan: the complete guide
- Can you sleep overnight at a michi-no-eki?
FAQ — Aso → Beppu onsen road
How many days do you need for the Aso → Beppu onsen road route?
2 days is a comfortable pace: roughly 100 km of driving with 6 michi-no-eki stops along the way. You can compress it, but the stops are the point.
Where does the route start and end?
It starts at Kumamoto and ends at Beppu / Yufuin. Load all 6 stops into the free MichiStops route planner to reorder, add or remove stops, then open the finished trip in Google Maps.
When is the best season to drive this route?
Year-round; caldera greenest May–August.
Do I need to rent a car?
Yes — michi-no-eki are roadside stations, realistically reachable only by rental car or campervan. Most visitors can drive in Japan with a 1949-convention International Driving Permit; check the license rules for your country before booking. License rules by country →
Can I sleep overnight at the michi-no-eki on this route?
Resting overnight in your vehicle is tolerated at most michi-no-eki, but tents, awnings and open-air cooking are not allowed. Read the overnight-stay guide for the etiquette. Overnight-stay guide →