Kurokawa onsen to Mt Aso - taxi and/or bus?

My husband and I will be in Kyushu in early November. We’ll be staying 2 nights in Kurokawa and then 2 nights in Kumamoto. We aren’t planning on renting a car.

I would dearly love to see Mt. Aso and it looks like it would make much more sense to do a half day from Kurokawa than from Kumamoto. I’ve looked into the companies that provide drivers and guides and they are much more than I want to spend. I was thinking of taking the bus there and a taxi back so we had flexibility in how much time we spend. Is this doable?

Is it possible to see the various viewpoints at Mt Aso without a car. I thought I read that there is a shuttle bus that goes around - is this accurate and could we do this?

I’m not committed to doing this but it seems like something worth doing. With 2 nights in Kurokawa onsen, we do have the time for part of the day.

From kurokawa onsen to aso eki mae =1300 yen, 50 minutes,33 km by kyushu sanko bus

There are three direct buses between Kurokawa and Aso. You can find the timetable below:
https://japanbusonline.com/en/CourseSearch/14301010001

I just realized that these buses do not go up the mountain anymore, but only serve Aso Station. So, you would need to transfer to a separate bus between the station and the higher elevations of Mount Aso. Here is the timetable:
https://www.sankobus.jp/busportal/wp-content/uploads/tt-asosen-2024040...

阿蘇駅前 = Aso Station
草千里阿蘇火山博物館前 = Kusasenri
阿蘇山上ターミナル = Asosanjo Terminal (from where a shuttle bus departs to the crater)
The faces indicate how crowded the buses can be expected to be.

As you can see, it is rather complicated by public transportation. A rental car is much more convenient.

good afternoon
from Kurokawa onsen to Mt Aso
you will need to first take Kyushu crossing bus
九州横断バス 熊本駅前（バス）行
from Kurokawa onsen to Aso station

then transfer to local Sanko bus
産交バス [8]阿蘇駅-阿蘇山西駅線 阿蘇山上ターミナル行
from Aso station to Aso Sanjo terminal
https://www.sankobus.jp/bus/asosen/rosen/
which also stops at Kusasenri midway

there is one day bus pass available for the local bus section
阿蘇火口線1日乗車券
https://www.sankobus.jp/bus/asosen/ticket/
at the the Sanko bus office 阿蘇営業所
https://www.sankobus.jp/office/ei_aso/

in addition there is crater bus available at
https://www.kyusanko.co.jp/aso/business/#timetable
and crater tour at
https://www.kyusanko.co.jp/aso/pdf/observe_ezone.pdf

have a wonderful trip

Best and only practical option is self drive there.

Thank you so much. It is complicated and I suspect we won’t do it, though it breaks my heart. The private tours are too expensive and it’s not easy to rent a car just in Kurokawa itself - and we’re not comfortable with the idea of driving, so it definitely limits our options.

I will really consider the options, though, and see if we can make it work without it being a huge ordeal.

Or we can just enjoy relaxing in Kurokawa Onsen, which isn’t such a bad idea!

Why ,we Foreigner abandon our plan. When japanese transport system is world class
To kurokawa onsen....
From kurokawa onsen.....
To aso san/mountain.....
From aso san....
Above place, You can go without hire a car
So consider sunq bus pass 3 day= 9000 yen

good morning

i think the complication comes from the language barrier
and can certainly be overcome by
the love for nature and the longing for adventure

we all have that little girl or boy inside us who
urges us to be brave and even daring sometimes
(especially in a safe country like japan)
to explore not just the beauty of the world
but to meet random souls who are willing to help us
bit by bit along the journey

to put it in the simplest term,
1. take a highway bus from Kurokawa onsen to Aso station
2. take a local bus from Aso station to Mt aso
3. take a crater bus on Mt aso to visit the fabulous crater
4. mission accomplished !

have a wonderful trip

If driving is no option what about deleting a night from Kumamoto and staying in Aso instead?

Aso crater is closed at any time when gas density is detected. People wait for the clearance in Kusasenri. They rush by drive when it's announced that it opens. Majority of international tourists in Kyushu are from South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. They drive when it's necessary.

Thank you all! I have lots to think about.

Likebike, it’s a good suggestion - my hesitation comes from not wanting to do 1-night stops as well as not trying to do too much running around. We’re on a 5-week trip and in our 70s, so keeping it relaxed is also important!

Since you have very limited time frames. Use a taxi from and back to Aso station.

I was driving through Kyushu 4 weeks ago and I would say, if you're in your 70s, you'll be one of the younger drivers on Japan's rural roads ;)

Driving is really relaxed there and limits are usually 40 to 50 km/h, so even for people not used to left-side driving it's rather easy.

Usually, public transport (at least the trains) are very reliable, but this might not apply for every rural area. As the road to Mt. Aso is windy and slow, and taxis are rather expensive anyway, it probably would not be a big difference if you book a taxi or a tour. Also depends if you haven't seen a volcano before, otherwise it's maybe not the ultimate experience, than I would rather say the view from the distance is more beautiful than standing next to the crater...