4 weeks ago

Established in 1982 and located in Kusasenri, Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture, the Aso Volcano Museum serves as a vital educational facility positioned near Mount Aso, Japan's largest active volcano. The museum features comprehensive exhibits on the origin, topography, and geology of Aso Volcano, alongside displays about volcanoes throughout Japan and around the world, the relationship between grasslands and people, and the region's unique flora and fauna. A particularly remarkable feature is the real-time monitoring system with two cameras installed at the Nakadake crater, allowing visitors to observe volcanic activity through live video feeds and audio from the crater, especially valuable when direct access to the mountain is restricted due to volcanic activity or inclement weather. The third floor houses a theater with a 170-degree screen showing films about the volcano's formation and local culture, available with subtitles in English, Chinese, Korean, and French, while the first floor contains the Mount Aso Visitor Center providing free information about the surrounding Aso-Kuju National Park and the UNESCO Global Geopark. Since 2008, when the Aso volcano's geological heritage was developed into a geopark, the museum has been positioned as a base facility for education and tourism, making it an essential stop for visitors wanting to understand this fascinating volcanic landscape even when the crater itself is inaccessible.