NHK aired this beautiful video of Aso the other day and I didn’t realize it was three years old, but I suppose Aso hasn’t changed much in the interim. It explains the purpose of the field burning (noyaki －野焼): this kills the saplings but leaves the roots of the grass, which immediately rebounds. Without this, Aso would be covered with forest. It’s a beautiful video to send to your family and friends; I suppose it was taken by drone. - William