Mount Aso

We plan on visiting Mt Aso in early November but are concerned the crater and rope way may be closed. Is this likely. The information currently says level 2 warning, no access within 1km of crater. Is it worth going to Mt Aso?

Yes, there is a very high probability that the crater and ropeway will remain within the no-entry zone.

Is it worth going to Mt Aso?

Are you interested in anything besides the crater? The mountain scenery is quite nice, but for many travelers it will not make the trip worthwhile anymore without the crater. It really depends on the person and the rest of your itinerary (e.g. whether you would make a special effort to get there or you would be passing through the area anyways).

On the other hand, the crater is only a small part of the area, and even if it is closed that wouldn't impact exploring the rest of the caldera and hiking outside of the small 1km exclusion zone. Some of the best views and sweeping panoramas are from further away, especially when they include the smoking crater in the distance. But otherwise, if the crater is your main target then you might want to reconsider your plans as it is rather unpredictable.

Based on the last time the alert level was raised it will probably still be in place in November.

It could still be worth going depending on your interest. I went 2 days after the current level was raised and would absolutely go again but I'm more than just keen about volcanoes.

If you do go, there are short but steep walks up at least two peaks that give incredible views of the area. There is also a helicopter tour for 5000 yen (short though - ~5mins) that flies around the crater - I tried to do that but it had engine issues when I booked so it never came back from another site. The view from that must be spectacular though.

There is not much to see at the buildings just prior to the exclusion zone though. The Aso Super Ring there is not worth the time (8 min show) or cost. Much better experience walking the trails from the first major traffic stop/shop area.