This article is part of our collection of cycling routes and reports for Fukuoka and Kyushu. Explore more rides on our index page—and get out and discover Kyushu
Text and photos by: Tim Muzik / Follow on Strava
The final two rides of this chilly winter trip takes us east from Kumamoto, through the massive Aso Volcano crater, and up the winding climb out of the caldera before descending into the magical town of Taketa on day one. Day two involves an epic 150 km push over the Kuju Mountain Pass, winding through remote highlands before the final stretch home to Fukuoka.
Along the way, we’re met with insane volcanic views, grueling climbs, freezing descents, pouring rain, and quiet onsen towns, making for an unforgettable but grueling finish to the journey.
Route Overview
Route Highlights: Aso, Taketa, Kuju Mountains, The Senomoto Resthouse, Kurokawa Onsen, The Oyama River Gorge, Hita, Dazaifu.
Day 1: Kumamoto to Taketa
Length: 78 km
Climbing: 1,000m
GPX File
Day 2: Taketa to Fukuoka
Length: 150km
Climbing: 1600m
GPX File
Approaching Aso
From our hotel near Kumamoto Castle, the road to Aso begins with some busy city streets but quickly transitions to relatively quiet farm roads as we approach our chosen gateway into the massive caldera. Having learned from past route-planning mistakes, we knew that staying south of the Shira River on Prefectural Route 145 was the best way to avoid excessive traffic when heading to Aso. For efficiency, we opted for the Tateno Caldera Pass, which cuts out some climbing, though quieter alternatives are available for those with more time and energy.
Regardless of the route, approaching Aso, one of the world’s largest active volcanoes, is always a humbling experience, as distant peaks gradually turn into towering, rounded walls in front of you.
Through and Up the Caldera
Once inside the massive caldera, which was formed some 90,000+ years ago, the road to our hotel in Taketa follows National Route 57, wrapping clockwise around the five Aso peaks. The stunning volcanic scenery makes this a slow ride, with frequent stops to take in the unreal views in every direction. Fortunately, a few well-placed konbinis along the way provide much needed fueling and caffeinating opportunities after the easy but steady 500m ascent from downtown Kumamoto.
Once on the northern section of the loop around Aso, the Kuju Mountains come into view, providing yet another reason to stop and test the limits of your camera zoom. Aso Station is a must-visit, not only to check off another shining gold One Piece character but also to explore the historic station and learn more about the towering volcano that dominates the landscape.
Exiting the monstrous volcanic crater involves a switch back-filled 260m climb that provides some final panoramic views of the landscape you are leaving behind.
Descending to Taketa
The ride from the top of the Aso crater towards Oita Prefecture is the stuff of bike-trip-dreams. This 25km-long plummet sheds 650m of elevation at around a 2.5% gradient, making it a completely brake-free affair. Closer views of the Kuju Mountains and two quintessential roadside stations (Namino Kaguraen & Sugou) make this even better. A heavy snowfall the night before meant this was also the location where I was able to stop and make the first snowman of the year!
Exploring Taketa
The effortless descent brought us into the historic town of Taketa in high spirits, giving us extra time to explore its fascinating samurai district, the Oka Castle ruins, and the surrounding cycling paradise shaped by the area’s rugged peaks. With our hotel not allowing check-in until four, we spent a few hours climbing and descending the small mountains, flying through the small concrete tunnels scattered across town, and enjoying a meal at a locally renowned fried chicken restaurant.
After exploring countless small Japanese towns, both Rachel and I agreed that Taketa might be our new favorite place in Japan. The bare rock cliffs, old samurai houses, quiet streets, and rushing rivers checked all our boxes. I would highly recommend that any lover of small towns spend a few days here. Even our quaint hotel for the night doubled as a bakery, allowing us to fill our bike bags with fresh baguettes for the monstrous ride we had foolishly planned for the morning.
Making the Push Home
While we had initially intended to continue east toward Beppu, limited hotel availability and our high vibes from the previous ride led to our decision to make the 150km/1600m ride back to Fukuoka in one push. While this may be a great route in warmer temps, we were met with an insane head wind, pouring rain, and freezing temperatures as we made the push up and over the Kuju Plateau and back home.
Climbing to the Kuju Plateau
We left the hotel in good spirits as, for the moment at least, we had sunshine and slightly warmer temperatures. From Taketa, our route headed toward the Kuju Plateau and began with a 900m ascent. Beautiful views of the Oita mountains and the peaks of Kuju greeted us, leaving us hopeful for a great, albeit long, day of cycling ahead.
After 20km of climbing and reaching over 1,000m in altitude, the air turned noticeably colder, and the snow lining the sides of the road confirmed it. This is a truly stunning climb, and our spirits remained high as we pushed toward the Senomoto Resthouse, where we would take a break and have our first chance to replenish the calories burned on the long ascent.
The Senomoto Resthouse & The Descent to Oguni
The Senomoto Resthouse has some great food and coffee options, as well as an observation deck with great views of the valley below. We tried to make this stop as quick as possible for fear of cooling down too much before tackling the high speed 1,000m descent ahead.
Our efforts were in vain, as our fingers and toes froze completely during the fun but frigid descent that followed. Those with more time would be wise to stop at Kurokawa Onsen, just a few kilometers down the road. There, we sped past dozens of tourists boarding what was likely a very warm bus back to Fukuoka. Not long after, a rainbow appeared in the distance, beautiful, but concerning, as it signaled we were about to encounter rain. Usually not a problem but with 100km still to ride and our computers reading 2 degrees…we weren’t thrilled at this development.
Up the Oyama River Gorge & Through Hita to Home
The 30km ride from Oguni to Hita follows the Oyama River as it carves a gorge through the mountains. This stretch is absolutely stunning, especially when heading north, as the road gently descends, shedding the last bit of elevation from the Kuju Mountains. Despite encountering our first real frigid downpour, we remained hopeful that the sun would break through soon.
Arriving in Hita, we were met with a road closure, forcing us onto a less desirable, truck-heavy detour for about 10 km. Not long after, the skies fully opened, the headwind picked up, and we found ourselves battling through what would become one of the coldest, wettest, and windiest 80km rides we had ever battled.
The remaining 80km saw very little chances for photo opportunities as the cold rain froze our fingers past the point of functioning. We were thankful to eventually arrive home several hours later in the dark, safe and happily exhausted, ready to start planning our next trip!
This article is part of our collection of cycling routes and reports for Fukuoka and Kyushu. Explore more rides on our index page—and get out and discover Kyushu
