08:17:25
Breakfast at the jikoku-onsen ryokan.08:17:35
08:50:34
A rice de-husking machine.08:54:23
Picture of the poster for the main baths at the jikoku onsen (as I couldn't really take my camera in there) so you get an idea of what it was like.
09:58:11
En route to the aso crater.09:58:53
First glimpse of the Aso crater, brooding in the distance.09:59:06
10:00:09
10:20:37
On the walk up from the car park to the Aso crater.10:25:23
Rather pleasant scenery around here actually. I didn't expect the surroundings of an active volcano to be "pleasant".10:25:36
10:26:43
The ropeway was closed for maintenance today.
10:29:37
10:31:17
A lizard on the path.10:34:05
This looks like it was once a pryoclastic flow.10:34:54
These rocks look pretty volcanic.
10:42:28
More or less at the top now - a rather alien looking landscape.10:43:39
10:47:15
...and here's the actual crater at the top.10:47:27
As you can see, I was rather pleased to have made it here.
10:49:01
Keep out.10:50:41
10:52:17
10:56:05
10:56:15
I think this is my favourite picture of the crater.10:59:43
11:00:52
11:06:49
11:09:41
I bought some volcanic rocks from this chap.11:13:19
11:19:20
On the way back down now.11:19:28
11:24:57
11:55:36
"ricebowl mountain" taken from the car.12:20:40
The place where we stopped for lunch.12:31:06
Quite nice views of the surrounding rim of the Aso caldera to be had from here.
12:33:23
The pizza wasn't exactly great, but it made a nice break from rice.12:35:45
13:22:05
A viewpoint looking out over the Aso caldera.13:24:35
As is often the case in Japan it was too hazy to see anything very clearly, but you get the idea.
13:32:59
13:33:09
13:35:11
13:36:33
13:39:48
15:20:38
We'd planned to drop the hire car off in Kumamoto, and as we were a bit early we went for a walk around these Japanese gardens on the outskirts of the city. I think Chie's Dad had been here 25 years ago.15:20:47
15:22:48
15:24:23
15:27:02
15:30:33
This is apparently a recreation of Mount Fuji.15:31:34
15:34:18
15:38:55
15:40:00
15:40:11
15:43:28
16:52:20
In Kumamoto station - we'd booked seats on a train just after 7, so we had a couple of hours to kill. This is Aso beer.17:15:04
The associated printed matter to prove it.19:46:41
On the shinkansen on the way back now - I rather like these Japanese snacks called kinokonoyama ("mushroom mountains").
20:37:57
A rather strange advert on a packet of free tissues.20:42:49
Was amazed to discover they serve draught beer on some shinkansen trains now.21:03:58