Kumamoto

I will introduce Mt, Aso. I have lived in Kumamoto for 19 years and I have been to Aso many times, but I think I don't fully know about Mt. Aso, that is why I want to survey Mt. Aso.

Mt. Aso (officially, it is called Aso Gogaku) is the largest active volcano in Japan, and also is the largest in the world. It is a caldera complex. The present Aso caldera formed as a result of four huge caldera eruptions occurring over a range of 90,000–300,000 years ago Mt. Aso is in the eastern part of Kumamoto Prefecture. It is popular with people as symbol of “fire country”,Kumamoto. Its caldera is 25 km across north to south and 18 km across east to west. The caldera has a circumference about 120 km. It consists of five big and high peaks. The highest peak is Taka ( the altitude is 1592m; it can memorize the pun 「Higokuni」), and there are Naka (1506m), Neko (1408m), Eboshi (1337m), and Kisima (1270m). 

Although, it belongs to pacific climate, in the crest, summer is cool and winter is very cold. Though, there is in Kyushu region, as usual, from the beginning to the middle in November observe the first snow of the year. 

It is designated as Aso Kujū National Park. It is a leading sightseeing are which there are many hot spring and sightseeing spots. In 2007, it was chosen as geology hundred selection of Japan.

I found interesting legend of Mt. Aso. I introduce a little.
Jagged head of Neko peak

Once upon a time, Taka peak, Naka peak, Eboshi peak, Kishima peak, and the youngest of Neko peak had competed for that; who could be tall earliest. As a result, Neko peak left even Taka behind, and it got the tallest. However, instead of letting ogres act violently freely in Aso, the reason Neko peak let ogres carry soils from Takeda and load its onto Neko peak’s head The Aso Daimyo God was fury to hear that, and slapped Neko’s head many time. It was because Neko peak’s head became indentation.(346words)