“Yamabuki Suigen” was selected as one of the 100 best waters of Kumamoto. About 30 tons of water flows out every minute, and the water temperature is always at 13.5 degrees. It can be reached by a 10-minute walk from the parking lot. The time  stands still, when you reach the natural spring in the middle of an untouched forest. It is a great hidden water source of Ubuyama.

Named by Soho Tokutomi, it is a great 360-degree scenic spot fitting its name, where you can view 3 great mountains of Kyushu: Aso, Kuju, and Sobo.

Ogi Tanada has been selected as one of the 100 best terraced rice fields (Tanada) in the country, and 100 ways to make delicious rice. The eroded mountain valley was reclaimed to utilize a fan-shaped topography to form rice fields along the contour lines. Many photographers come because they are attracted by the view of 17 terraced rice fields and 7 cedar trees.

Online shop：http://www.asokitchen.com/

Oso Dam was built on Oso River, a part of Ono River river system, as a new agricultural water source. It spans approximately 2,500 ha across Ubuyama-mura/Aso-shi  in Aso-gun, Kumamoto prefecture and Takeda-shi in Oita Prefecture. The dam is about 70m high, and 262m long, and can hold 4.3 millionｍ3 of water.

“Higotai Bridge” is a large, concrete, arch-shaped bridge. It is 200m long and 74m from the river below, and offers a great view. Walk across the bridge, and stop in the middle to look at the exposed giant and magnificent stone wall of the dam.

Between Spring and Fall, seasonal flowers bloom in Higotai Park such as, Gentiana thubergii in the spring, Echinops setifer in the summer, and cosmos in the fall. Additionally, there are hydrophyte garden and wild flower museum on the premises, and you can learn about highland flowers.

Please see here for flowering conditions.
Official Ubuyama website Higotai Park

Aso Shrine is the parent shrine of Otomiya Shrine. Otomiya Shrine houses Ubusuna, the god protecting the people of Ubuyama region. Ubusuna is a guardian of the region, who protects the people born there. The shrine is built entirely of Japanese zelkova, and features beautiful engravings and square framing.

According to a shrine document stored in Aso Shrine, “while it is uncertain when it became a sacred shrine, when the grandson of Aso Okami was born, the dipper used at his first bath was enshrined here, and  it became the village shrine in 1872.” Near the local walkway by the front of the shrine, there are old stone steps in the forest. The villagers climbed these steep steps to worship at the shrine.

The shrine originates from “enshrining flat stove used to boil water at the birth of Aso Okami’s grandson, and named it Hirakamado Myojin.” Therefore, it was initially called Hirakamado Shrine, or Ishigami Myojin, however, it is said that  over time, “Hirakamado” changed to “Hirakawa.”