Tateno Gorge

Single gap in the high walls of the Aso caldera, and it shaped the entire landscape around it. Between 10,000 and 6,000 years ago, a large lake filled the caldera; over time, water drained through this gorge, leaving the open fertile plains visible today. Local legend says the founding deity of Aso kicked the caldera wall down to drain the area for rice farming. Standing at the viewpoint, you can see where the Kurokawa and Shirakawa rivers merge and flow toward Kumamoto. In autumn, the gorge walls turn red, yellow, and orange, making the drive here especially worthwhile.