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1Mount Chausu
The active main peak of the Nasu range, steaming from vents on its western flank. From the top ropeway station a rocky but straightforward trail reaches the summit crater in about 50 minutes, with views over the Kanto plain and north towards Fukushima.
ℹ️ Free. Hiking season roughly May–early November. Sturdy shoes and a windproof layer essential; check the volcanic alert level. Allow 2–3 hours return from the ropeway.
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2Nasu Ropeway and autumn colour
The gondola climbs from 1,390 to 1,684 metres in about four minutes. In late September and early October the slopes below — and the Ubagadaira basin, a 40-minute walk from the top station — turn some of the most vivid reds in Kanto.
ℹ️ Operates roughly mid-March to early December, about 8:30–16:30; around ¥1,800 return. Suspended in high wind. Bus from Nasushiobara or Kuroiso station in season.
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3Sessho-seki (Killing Stone)
A bare, sulphur-smelling valley above Nasu Yumoto. Legend says a nine-tailed fox spirit was trapped in the boulder here, which killed anything that came near; the stone split in two in 2022. A boardwalk passes rows of Jizo statues to the site.
ℹ️ Free, always open. 5 minutes’ walk from Nasu Yumoto bus stop. Allow 30 minutes.
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4Shika-no-yu
Nasu’s original bathhouse, named for a wounded deer said to have led a hunter to the spring. Inside the dark wooden hall are small pools graded from about 41°C to 48°C. There are no showers: you rinse, then follow the local method of short, repeated dips.
ℹ️ About 8:00–18:00; around ¥500. No soap or shampoo; bring a towel. Strongly acidic sulphur water — remove silver jewellery.
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5Nasu Heisei-no-mori Forest
Half of the imperial villa’s grounds were opened to the public in 2011 as a nature reserve of beech and oak. A visitor centre, free trails and a path to Komadome Falls are open to all; deeper areas are visited on ranger-guided walks.
ℹ️ Visitor centre about 9:00–16:30, closed some Wednesdays; trails free, guided walks by reservation for a fee.
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6Nasu Stained Glass Museum
A building modelled on an English manor house, made of limestone and filled with 19th-century stained glass, with antique music boxes and organ performances in its chapel.
ℹ️ About 9:00–17:00; admission around ¥1,300. Allow 1 hour.
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7Nasu Animal Kingdom and Safari Park
Animal Kingdom combines indoor pavilions — capybaras, red pandas, sloths — with a farm zone of alpacas, sheepdog and bird-of-prey shows. Nasu Safari Park, separately, is a drive-through with lions and giraffes.
ℹ️ Animal Kingdom about 10:00–16:30, usually closed Wednesdays and shorter in winter; around ¥2,600. Shuttle bus from Nasushiobara station by reservation.
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8Yahata Azaleas
In mid to late May, some 200,000 wild azalea bushes flower across a hillside below Mount Chausu. Boardwalks cross the slope, and the nearby 130-metre Tsutsuji suspension bridge gives a view over the valley.
ℹ️ Free, always open. A short walk from the Nasu Onsen bus stops; allow 1 hour.
More on the plateau
Rainy day? Try the Nasu Highland Park amusement park, the Teddy Bear and Trick Art museums, dairy farms selling soft-serve and cheese, or Nasu Garden Outlet near Kuroiso station.
