Visit Aso's spectacular scenery and popular new spots even without a car! Direct shuttle service to "Aso Daikanbou" and "Kumamoto Earthquake Museum KIOKU" has started! Direct shuttle service to "Aso Daikanbo" and "Kumamoto Earthquake Museum KIOKU" has started!

Kumamoto Prefecture and the Kumamoto Prefectural Tourism Federation are conducting a demonstration project in the Aso area to build a "Kumamoto-style tourism MaaS" as in fiscal years 2021 and 2022.

Following the launch of the "Asotabi Rail Bus(*1)" on July 15, 2023 (Saturday), this year's second project will provide shuttle bus access to sightseeing spots normally inaccessible by local buses. The "Daikanbo" shuttle from Aso Station will be in operation from Saturday, November 11, and the "Kumamoto Earthquake Museum KIOKU" shuttle from Tatsuno Station will be in operation from Saturday, November 18, until March 2024.

By combining not only railroads and local buses, but also the two limited-time shuttle buses, we will provide a system that allows visitors to go to major sightseeing spots in Aso that are normally inaccessible by public transportation with a single smartphone at a reasonable, free, and convenient price.

Daikanbou (Photo provided by Kumamoto Prefectural Tourism Federation)

Demonstration Run (1)

＜Shuttle bus directly from Aso Station to Daikanbong Observation Deck

Daikanbo," which consistently ranks high in the rankings of popular sightseeing spots in Kumamoto Prefecture, is a scenic spot synonymous with Aso. It is a place where you can enjoy the world-class caldera topography and the prairie as far as the eye can see at one time. The five peaks of Aso seen from Daikanbo look like a reclining Buddha, hence the name "Nirvana Statue.

Although Daikanbong is crowded with tourists every day, most visitors use their own cars, rental cars, motorcycles, or chartered sightseeing buses. Although public transportation, the local bus stop, has been established, it is very difficult to use for sightseeing due to the low number of services and the distance from the bus stop to the observation deck (about 2 km uphill).

In light of this situation, we will operate three direct shuttle buses per day to/from Aso Station until March 2024 as a convenient means of access for tourists who do not have their own cars or rental cars, as well as to increase the convenience of public transportation.

The first service (9:20 a.m. from Aso Ekimae) targets tourists staying overnight in Aso City after checking out, the second service (11:15 a.m. from Aso Ekimae) targets tourists arriving at Aso Station via the JR limited express "Asoboi," and the third service (14:20 a.m. from Aso Ekimae) targets tourists staying overnight in Aso City. It is possible to connect sightseeing before and after the Daikanbou tour with sightseeing in Aso, such as the Aso Crater, Kusasenri, and Aso Shrine. In addition, the "Asotabi Rail Bus and Minami Asotabi Rail Bus", a convenient and economical ticket that allows passengers to tour around Aso and Minami Aso area all day long by public transportation, which was started in advance by four companies, Minami Aso Railway Company, Kyushu Railway Company, Kyushu Sanko Bus Co. The combination with the "Asotabi Rail Bus and Minami Asotabi Rail Bus ( .artpro.co.jp/ )" will greatly expand the range of sightseeing tours around Aso.

The results of this year's demonstration will be used as data for studies to improve the bus routes and timetables for easier use for sightseeing in the following fiscal year and beyond.

Smartphone TOP1

Outline of Operation

Dates of operation: Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from November 11, 2023 (Sat) to March 24, 2024 (Sun)

　　　　　Closed during the year-end and New Year's holidays (Dec. 25 - Jan. 5)

Fare: Adult round-trip 1,000 yen (Child 500 yen) Reservations required

　　　　　If seats are available on the day, they can be purchased until before the train departs.

How to purchase: Kumamoto Prefecture sightseeing reservation website "Kumamotte Travel Agency. Purchase from

https://www.kumamotto.net/maas/bus (credit card payment only)

Pamphlet front

Back of pamphlet

Demonstration Run (2)

<Nov. 18: Shuttle service directly from Tatsuno Station to the KIOKU Museum of the Kumamoto Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster >.

The Kumamoto Earthquake Museum KIOKU opened in July this summer as the core facility of the "Corridor of Kumamoto Earthquake Memories," a corridor-type field museum to ensure that the memories, experiences, and lessons learned from the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake are passed on to future generations.

At the museum, visitors can learn about the damage caused by the Kumamoto Earthquake, its mechanism, and disaster prevention, and think about how people can coexist with nature through exhibits of artifacts from the earthquake, a theater that looks back on that time, earthquake-related remains, and various programs. In addition, as a facility where a statue of Robin, a member of the Strawberry Clan, was installed as part of the "ONE PIECE Kumamoto Reconstruction Project," a collaboration between the manga "ONE PIECE" and Kumamoto Prefecture, it is a place visited by many fans every day.

This facility is also underdeveloped in terms of public transportation access, and the majority of visitors come by their own cars, rental cars, and chartered buses. Visitors who do not come by car generally take a cab from the nearby Tatsuno Station, but due to a chronic shortage of personnel at local cab companies, it is often not possible to dispatch a cab at the desired time.

Against this backdrop, in an attempt to make efficient use of the limited number of cabs available and to improve convenience for tourists, we will operate a shared-ride shuttle service that operates on a regular schedule in conjunction with the arrival and departure times of the JR Hohi Main Line and Minami Aso Railway trains from Tatsuno Station. Tourists will be able to use cabs at a reasonable price, and by requiring reservations, the service will eliminate the worry of cabs not being able to be dispatched (i.e., not being able to catch a cab). The shuttle service will also promote sightseeing tours to Minamiaso by making it possible to connect with the Minamiaso Railway, which resumed operation on all lines this summer after the Kumamoto earthquake in July.

Outline of the operation

Dates of operation: Saturday, Sunday, and holidays from November 18, 2023 (Sat.) to March 24, 2024 (Sun.)

　　　　　(*Not available on Saturday, November 25 and during the year-end and New Year holidays (December 25 - January 5).

Fare: Adult round-trip 1,000 yen (same price for children) Reservations required

　　　　　If seats are available on the day of departure, they can be purchased until before the train departs.

How to purchase: Kumamoto Prefecture sightseeing reservation website "Kumamotte Travel Agency. Purchase from

https://www.kumamotto.net/maas/taxi (credit card payment only)

Smartphone TOP2

KIOKU Timetable

About Kumamoto Tourism MaaS

MaaS" stands for "Mobility as a Service". It refers to the concept of transportation as an integrated service for users, providing the best means of transportation for their travel needs from their point of departure to their destination with a single smartphone application.

Reference: Kumamotto! Tourism MaaS Website

https://kumamoto.guide/kumamoto_maas/

Other Initiatives

Reference: Asotabi Rail Bus and Minami Asotabi Rail Bus

https://sankobus.artpro.co.jp/

This ticket allows unlimited rides on trains and buses in the Aso area for 24 hours, and was launched in conjunction with the opening of the entire Minami Aso Railway line to allow visitors to enjoy sightseeing in the Aso area by public transportation.