Yamanakako no Kaba Amphibious Bus — Attraction in Yamanakako

My trip here was a matter of luck. The website stated that if there were seats available on the KABA Hippo Bus, you could board it that day. When I arrived, the screen still said "reservation is in progress," with seven seats still available. According to the website, I could purchase tickets and board when seats became available. I thought, "I'll have some fun and seek for luck."

I approached the staff with a calm and hopeful attitude, but unfortunately, their attitude was inappropriate, rude, and discriminatory. They refused to sell me a ticket because I was a foreigner!

Not only did the staff fail to provide accurate information responsibly, but a local tour guide also took eight tickets for the group without any verification or even handing in any name. This was a completely unfair and discriminatory attitude. The staff are also very impatient explained that it was group ticketing time, not individual ticketing time!

First, let's understand that if the screen hadn't indicated seats were available, I wouldn't have inquired. How could I have had such an unpleasant experience? Furthermore, if there truly were no seats available, I understand, but I'm also being treated rudely and disrespectfully. This kind of treatment from someone I've never met is truly disgusting.

I came to Japan to enjoy tourism and local culture, and I have the impression that Japanese people are courteous and hospitable.

Please don't think the "KABA Hippo Bus" is worth the money simply because it's an amphibious vehicle! However, this experience has led me to strongly discourage visiting this area, specifically because the window attendants were incredibly unfriendly. Before leaving this review, I read other reviews, and they all mentioned similar disrespectful treatment from window attendants and even bus staff. It's consistent with foreigners being treated disrespectfully, and this has been happening for a while now. I hope travelers will reconsider and that the company will be aware of such poor...

🚌💦 Yamanakako KABA – A Must-Try Amphibious Adventure! 🗻🛶

This was one of those experiences that totally exceeded expectations! From land to lake, the ride was not just scenic — it was fun, thoughtful, and unique.

🎤 The Japanese guide was a total gem! Even though the tour was in Japanese, she held up a translation chart in English and Chinese as she explained — super considerate and engaging. You could feel the effort to include everyone, and it really made the experience more enjoyable.

🌄 And oh, the view of Mt. Fuji from the lake? Absolutely breathtaking. It feels surreal seeing it from the water — calm, majestic, and postcard-perfect.

🛑 One tip: the steps into the vehicle are a bit steep, so just take your time. It’s totally safe, even for young kids or seniors — just don’t rush.

✅ Overall? HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Whether you're a nature lover, traveling with family, or just looking for something cool and different — Yamanakako KABA...

Reflecting on our trip to Japan and this was one of the unexpected moments that sticks in my mind. The tour is mercifully short so you’re not stuck on a bus for hours on end, instead it’s brief and straight to the point which is perfect for a packed schedule. In fairness though the experience was absolutely made by our tour guide who had a great sense of humour and whilst giving the guided tour in Japanese held up translated laminates so we were engaged too. The fun bit though was that we had read through the slide quickly whilst she was explaining in Japanese and reacting to the jokes, the moments of eye contact as she tried not to laugh as we did were brilliant and for that alone it was worth going. The bus station was immaculately clean, and the bus itself was comfortable and never felt unsafe even as we barrelled into the beautiful lake. Fuji-san hid from us behind clouds but the trip was no...