Our friend Billy Bento posted a lovely silhouette of Mt. Kimpo 「金峰山、きんぽうざん」nestling for the night banked by a beautiful sunset. A few facts regarding the mountain:
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It is 665 meters tall and is topped by communication towers which I told my young son were rockets, and he believed this until he got wise to my pranks;
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Its name literally means “golden ridge” and is named after an eponymous mountain located in Nara prefecture as a Shinto relic was relocated to the shrine that now exists on its summit;
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It is a dormant volcano, part of the Unzen-Aso chain, and might be best considered a mini-Aso - it even has a caldera, on the western edge of which is Reigando 「霊巌洞」、where Musashi supposedly wrote “The Book of Five Rings” (it’s worth a visit at least once);
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It last erupted about 150,000 years ago and is considered dormant (but it would be really cool if it erupted again!);
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The famous author Natsume Souseki located his novel “Kusamakura” 「草枕」at the pass between the road from town and the cauldera; the tourist trap there is not worth visiting except for a pleasant stroll;
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There’s an excellent onsen with gorgeous views called Kusamakura on the northern side of the mountain, evidence of continued volcanic activity
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Young people in love frequently bring locks which they attach to the summit viewing platform, from which one can see Amakusa, the Shimabara peninsula, and the city itself (for newcomers, the view is an good way to orientate oneself);
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The mountain is famous for fruit production, and now is the harvest season. I strongly recommend http://www.yuuhouen.com/ , where you can pick your own fruit and eat their self-raised free-range chicken. Other spots also exist.
More exists about this wonderful mountain. It’s closer to the city than Aso, and there are few visitors - and now is the best time to visit. - William