The national Council for Cultural Affairs advised the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to register the main building of Aso Volcanological Laboratory (Institute for Geothermal Sciences, Graduate School of Science of Kyoto University) as a registered tangible cultural property (building).
The laboratory is located in Kawayo, Minamiaso-mura, Aso-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture, on a gentle hill inside the somma of Mt. Aso near its western edge. Its main activities are research and education for promoting comprehensive geosciences research concerning global thermal activities, including volcanic activities, relying primarily on demonstrative approaches such as field observations and indoor experiments.
The main building of the laboratory was built in 1929 as the Aso Volcanological Laboratory of Kyoto Imperial University. The central tower has six stories and the interior and exterior design details--such as slanted outer walls, a three-story balcony, haunched beams, staircase decorations with triangular pyramids and discs, large diameter columns, and a geometrically designed fireplace--document very well the trend of architectural design in the early Showa years.
Serving also as a landmark in the area, the laboratory is the first tangible cultural property to be officially registered in Minamiaso Village.
 The main building of the Aso Volcanological Laboratory |