AM20: The Japan Journals

Day 74

June 13th

Nothing like smelling engine oil and hearing screeching tools to start your morning. Minutes after rising from my nest, I ran to the shop and made sure they had my new tire (and tube). Fortunately, they received my message from yesterday and had a set put aside for me. While there's an obvious language barrier, the expression on my face could translate the frustration I had yesterday.

Patches can only go so far and I'm thrilled that there was a shop nearby to acquiesce to my needs. Changing the tire was effortless, thanks to the supplied toolkit from the DZed. Perhaps the thing I love the most about Dual Sport motorcycles is the practicality behind them. How many bikes candle copious amounts of terrain, conditions, and traffic, all while maintaining a sturdy sense of reliability?

The amount of versatility and dependability required for any kind of dual sport bike is in my opinion, far superior to any other kind of motorcycle. It's the reliable friend that's there for all of the bumps and bruises (some of which will be gifted from them lol).

Onto today's activity. It's what I've been waiting for for days now, as I've seen the outline of its incline in the distance. Of course, I'm referring to Mt. Aso. The massive volcanic display is a short drive from Kumamoto, as it lays in a national park (Aso Kuju National Park). Upon entering the park, I'm greeted by a toll and an 800 yen fee.

Usually, the frugal bastard in me would scoff at such a price. Despite that, I'm not letting some change separate me from an active volcano. After wrestling for some loose change in my pocket, I entered the park and began putting together my itinerary for the day. Amongst the different angles to view (which are a LOT), I noticed that there's an option to ride around the caldera via horseback. I signed up for the next tour and proceeded to be lectured on the erratic history behind this volcano.

According to the guide, Mt. Aso showed its first signs of life over 300,000 years ago. Over the centuries, it evolved through a series of eruptions, forming the caldera that we're venturing around today. In case you don't know, a caldera is the bowl shape laying below the volcano that is a byproduct of an eruption. Yes, I was a parrot and ripped that from the guide, so don't give me points for that factoid lol.

Throughout the tour, visitors were given opportunities to snap different angles of the magma-laden behemoth. Before we reached the end of the tour, we passed by a campsite that is frequently populated by tourists. I know the caldera around the volcano is dozens of miles around, but camping this close to an active volcano is pretty damn bold. It puts power slides in high gear down the list of risky activities to participate in. At least I can control how the bike handles at high speeds lol.

Regardless, we spent a moment chatting with one of the campers and took in the view from the site. Landmarks like Mt Aso are just impossible to describe. To grasp the totality of this landmark, you have to immerse yourself in it. The Mountain itself is just a hair under a mile high, which is easy to underestimate up close. The feeling of being within range of such a place is empowering, yet terrifying.

Kind of like how I was talking about tornadoes the other day, something about a natural tower-like Mt. Aso puts into perspective what creature rules the roost on our planet. The dry vegetation around the caldera provides the horses and nearby cattle with grazing satiation. To see these animals chew on the remote greenery is such an odd contradiction.

You wouldn't guess that kind of life would be found on these ashy grounds, but perhaps it's a testament to nature's will. It's kind of like the quote from that Dinosaur movie. You know, the one about "life finding a way." I don't think I need to elaborate on that point lol.

Peering through the mountainous view can result in spots of life. You can see countless patches of grass and fertile soil sprawled out. Everything from rice fields to small villages can be seen on the horizon. Of course, none of the villages are THAT close to the volcano, itself. It just details the massive circumference that the initial eruption created.

In case of emergency, the nearby villages built shelters for the locals to retreat. I'd love to know what went into building these shelters, as something that can withstand shooting hot magma could certainly withstand about any natural disaster (or war). I suppose like any climate, the locals must adapt to their surroundings and find ways to mitigate inevitable disasters.

At the center is the main part of the volcano (Nakadake). It stands as the epicenter of volcanic activity, the only pilar remaining from the original mountain. For many years, there was a ropeway that allowed visitors an up-close view (and smell) of the molten activity. Unfortunately, the most recent eruption derailed those routes and that ropeway has since been closed.

I can't imagine the smell of the volcano from that distance, as the sulphuric smell must have been vomit-inducing. It must rival the stench that hog farmers inherit. The basin of the volcano is so huge, it feels like its own ecosystem. In all, five mountain ranges are found within the area and can be seen from a unique viewpoint. After completing the horse tour, I tried to hike through different trails to see areas that the tour didn't cover, but I only saw a fraction of what this place had to offer.

I decided to pay the nearby Aso Volcano Museum a visit, which was conveniently located near the DZed's parking spot. This place had artifacts and details behind the history of the volcano, but maybe the most impressive part about the facility may have been what they were projecting.

In the main lobby is a widescreen TV with a live feed from areas all around the volcano. Everything from the base to the mouth of the magma giant is displayed on the feed, for everyone to gaze at. Seeing the bubble and steam rise from the mouth elicits a visceral reaction. You can't help but stare in wonder at the volatile beauty. That's not the only piece of film that they showed inside. On another level, they show a documentary about some of the nearby villages and their "slice of life", co-existing with Mt Aso.

It compels you to converse with a local and get to the root of why this area is so appealing to them. The biggest reason given is that the area has soil that lends itself to opportunities other places don't. The abundance of grassy plains lends itself to cattle and other forms of farming. The unique proximity to danger also attracts visitors to nearby Onsens, adventure tours, and "farm camps" (whatever the hell those are).

As I fired up the DZed, I plotted a route that will take me around the outer crusts of the caldera, giving me another undiscovered view of the volcano. The sheer size of this region is unparalleled, almost as if I landed on another planet. It's hard to imagine multiple communities thriving in this ecosystem, but clearly, some are managing to do so.

There was so much to take in today that I decided to make a return trip in the morning. Hopefully, I'll see the remaining nooks and crannies that I overlooked today. While I didn't book a place to stay within the caldera, I had them in mind with my choice of accommodation. I found a nice Ryokan just on the edge of the Kumamoto prefecture, perfectly suited to bubble away the remaining minutes of the day.

During my evening dip, I couldn't stop thinking about one fact that I learned today. According to the tour guide, Mt. Aso once stood taller than Mt. Fuji, with one of their eruptions causing the bulk of the mountain to be tossed across the country. The fact that this volcano was powerful enough to blow off city-sized chunks of rock across Japan is mind-breaking. Can you imagine living through that kind of catastrophe? Pardon the pun, but talk about the world-changing.

My thoughts continued well into the evening hours. The sizzling water alleviates the post-hike soreness on the calves and eases my mind for bed.

To sum up today, no amount of words can describe the giant that is Mt. Aso. I mean, I'm going back in the morning to get a second helping. Beyond that, well, I'll figure out the following location afterward. It's not every day you get to see a natural (and destructive) wonder like Mt. Aso.

Thanks again and I'll see you soon!

-Ayden