Shirakawa Spring (白川水源) 白川水源
60 tonnes of water a minute at 14°C: among Japan's hundred best since 1985.
The spring is in the village of Minami-Aso, inside the caldera, fed by rainwater that seeps through Aso's volcanic layers and comes back up here clear. It is the starting point of the Shirakawa River, which then flows through the city of Kumamoto. The flow, about 60 tonnes a minute, immediately forms a small stream a few metres wide, and it is so constant that it never freezes, not even in winter. Its designation in the ministry's register of the hundred famous waters (名水百選) dates from 1985. After the earthquake of 28 July 2026 no damage to the spring was reported; for a trip in the near future it is still advisable to check its status.
Kumamoto
Miharashidai, Minamiaso-Shirakawasuigen
