🌋 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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?