Aso-Kuju National Park, Kyushu, Japan

Aso National Park includes two groups of vol- canic mountains, Mt. Aso caldera and Mt. Kuju, the highest (1,79lm) in Kyushu.

Mt . Aso, an internationally famous active vol- cano, has the world's largest caldera basin which marks its original crater. Its diameter is 16 km from east to west and 32 km from north to south, and about 128 km in circumference. There are 3 new craters in central cone area, and southern most new crater is very active, constantly sending forth black smoke, accompanied by underground rumblings.

Mt. Kuju is famous of its vast foot slopes and highlands, which are covered with gentle and sunny grassland. Wild azalea growing in groups in this area is famous and beautiful in early sum- mer.

In and arround the park, there are many hot springs such as Beppu, Chojabaru, Yu-no-Tani and Uchino-Maki. The highway linking Beppu- Kuju-Aso-Kumamoto ensures visitors very com- fortable driving across the park and all around Kyushu.

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