The Sky Road is an agricultural road located in northern Kumamoto Prefecture, stretching from Mount Aso towards the northern outer rim of the mountains. Whenever a sea of clouds appears over the Aso Basin, it looks as if the sky is floating in mid-air.Sky Road (Kario Main Line, Aso City)The name "Laputa Road" is taken from the animated film *Castle in the Sky*, attracting many tourists. Along the road from the Aso Valley crater basin to the northern outer rim of the mountains, a spot appears to float in mid-air when the sea of clouds appears. Because this scene is reminiscent of the scenery in Hayao Miyazaki's animated film *Castle in the Sky*, it has become a popular tourist attraction known as the "Sky Road (Laputa Road)". This road was originally built as an agricultural road for transporting hay, and is very narrow, prohibiting the passage of cars.
Trivia about stunning scenery
Where is Kumamon? Located about a 6-minute walk from the Suidomachi tram stop, "Kumamon Plaza" is Kumamon's office. Limited-edition merchandise only available at Kumamon Plaza can be found here. Fans can check the official website beforehand for Kumamon's appearance times and schedule! The streets of Kurokawa Onsen are perfect for wearing a yukata and geta (wooden sandals)! You can also visit the Aso Nakadake volcano crater! Famous as the "Unbreakable Castle," Kumamoto Castle is one of Japan's most famous castles, ranked number one on TripAdvisor's "Japan Castle Rankings" in 2015. There, you can admire the towering stone walls and the sturdy, magnificent presence of the castle towers.
How to get to the stunning view
Location: Kario, Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture
Take a tram or bus
From Kumamoto Airport, take the Limousine Bus for about 15 minutes and get off at Higo-Otsu Station. Transfer to a tram heading towards Aso and Oita for about 50 minutes and get off at Aso Station. Take a taxi for about 20 minutes and get off at Choju-no-gaoka Park, then walk for about 1 hour. From Kumamoto Station, take the JR Limited Express for about 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach the Aso area. We especially recommend the "Aso Boy" sightseeing express train with panoramic seats. There are two trains daily from Kumamoto Station to Miyaji Station, the main tourist destination in Aso, and the journey takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Since all seats are reserved, reservations must be made at the JR station ticket window before boarding.
On the other hand, traveling to Aso from Tokyo or Osaka is more convenient by plane. From Kumamoto Airport, you can take the "Kyushu Crossing Bus," which takes about an hour to reach Aso. Since all seats on the bus are reserved, it is recommended to make reservations online in advance (the website is only available in English).
driving yourself
This place cannot be located by phone or by the attraction (newer NAVI systems might be able to), please use the following latitude and longitude coordinates!
E131.0.21.131 N32.57.21.298