Aso Volcano Trip

The majestic silhouette of the Aso Five Peaks — withered December grass contrasting vividly against a deep blue sky

I. Aso Cuddly Dominion — Pan-kun's Home

Aso Cuddly Dominion (阿蘇カドリー・ドミニオン) is a zoo at the foot of Mount Aso, home to around 60 species and 350 animals. But what truly made it famous across Japan wasn't the number of animals — it was one chimpanzee and one bulldog.

Miyazawa Theater (みやざわ劇場)

The Miyazawa Theater is where Pan-kun and JAMES got their start — it's where trainer Atsushi Miyazawa first began working with Pan-kun. At the theater entrance, the sign shows a chimpanzee with his arm around a bulldog's shoulders — the iconic image from Shimura Zoo.

Left: Miyazawa Theater entrance — where Pan-kun and JAMES began | Right: The classic duo on the park's billboard

Chimpanzee Learning Forest (チンパンジー学習の森)

Opened in 2007, the "Chimpanzee Learning Forest" is Pan-kun and his family's lifelong residence. When we visited, a chimpanzee sat alone by a concrete wall, gazing down at its own palms. The slanting winter afternoon sun fell across its body — a scene so quiet you felt reluctant to disturb it.

Left: Chimpanzee Forest Park entrance | Right: A chimpanzee lost in thought — from TV star to quiet afternoon

JAMES and the Park's Animals

JAMES's presence is everywhere in the park — on billboards, in the souvenir shop, on signboards. Although the original JAMES is gone, the bulldog remains the zoo's mascot. On the lawn we spotted a bulldog in a black coat, lazily basking in the sun — likely one of JAMES's successors.

A bulldog in a black coat — carrying on JAMES's legacy

The park also had adorable goats sunbathing on wooden platforms. Although it was winter in Kyushu, the sunshine was generous and the animals were thoroughly relaxed.

Goats lounging on their platforms — December in Kyushu is still warm

II. A Volcano Breathing Beneath Our Feet

Leaving the zoo exhibits behind, we headed up the mountain. Mount Aso (あそさん) is Japan's largest active volcano. Its caldera stretches approximately 25 km north-to-south and 18 km east-to-west, making it one of the largest volcanic calderas in the world. The entire city of Aso and tens of thousands of residents live inside this caldera.

Looking toward Aso Volcano from the parking area — white volcanic plumes clearly visible against the blue sky

III. Helicopter Flight Over an Active Volcano

Aso Cuddly Dominion has a unique add-on facility — sightseeing helicopter flights. These aren't ordinary scenic flights; the route takes you directly over the Aso volcanic crater. The ticket booth is in one corner of the park, with a sign reading "Aso Mountain Helicopter Sightseeing Flight — 360° Panoramic Experience!"

The helicopter sightseeing ticket booth — a separately charged special experience within the park

The aircraft is a three-seat Robinson R44. Seats one and two are for passengers; seat three is for the pilot. Before boarding, you watch a safety briefing: don't touch the control stick, keep your seatbelt fastened at all times, and don't touch the ceiling or door handles. Thoughtfully, the safety instructions are available in Chinese.

Left: Chinese safety instructions | Right: English version — Don't touch RED area

Once airborne, the world transformed in an instant. The parking lot shrank rapidly below; the brown grasslands unrolled like a carpet beneath us; the distant ridgelines stood crisp as if carved by a knife. The helicopter circled the crater, offering views from every angle of the emerald-green crater lake and the constantly rising column of white smoke.

360° Panoramic Video

This is a 360-degree panoramic video filmed from the helicopter. During playback, you can drag with your mouse (desktop) or swipe with your finger (mobile) to change the viewing angle and experience the full sweep of Aso Volcano from above.

Postscript: A Heartbreaking Piece of News

When I read this news, my hands were shaking. Because we rode the same helicopter, at the same place, along the same route. The blue sky and beautiful scenery that day were probably identical to what they saw on the day of the accident.

Risks of Helicopter Sightseeing

While sightseeing helicopter accidents are uncommon, flying near a volcanic crater carries unique risks:

• Volcanic air currents — Heat from the crater generates irregular updrafts and turbulence that can affect flight stability without warning
• Volcanic gases — High concentrations of sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide can impair engine performance and endanger human health
• Visibility — Volcanic smoke can change visibility in an instant, causing pilots to lose their bearings
• Impossible rescue after a crash — Conditions inside the crater are extremely hostile; once a helicopter goes down, immediate rescue is virtually impossible

Closing Thoughts

As we left Mount Aso, I looked back one last time. The volcanic plume was still rising, exactly as it had been when we arrived. It doesn't care whether you come or go — it has been doing this for tens of thousands of years.

The contrast of this single day was immense. In the morning, we watched Pan-kun's descendants sunbathing quietly at the zoo. In the afternoon, we gazed down at a boiling crater lake from 300 meters up. On one side, the tenderness of life; on the other, the fury of the Earth.

Perhaps that's the charm of Aso — in the embrace of an active volcano, people and animals still live in peace. But please remember: nature's beauty and its danger have always been one and the same.