Japan’s tourism is all geared up for the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, as it recently launched a new amphibious tour bus to serve the expected increased numbers of foreign visitors around the big event.
“Tokyo no Kaba” or “Tokyo’s Hippo,” a 12-meter-long bus that travels both on land and in water, started its first cruises in Tokyo Bay last month.
The 45-minute route takes it around the office buildings and entertainment complexes of Odaiba, then into the water and under Rainbow Bridge that spans Tokyo Bay.
The 38-seater bus was designed by Eiji Mitooka, well-known for his designs of trains, one of which is the luxury cruise train, the “Seven Stars Kyushu”.
Tour information is offered in several languages, including English, Korean, Thai, Indonesian and Mandarin.
Tours leave from the bus terminal of Aqua City on Odaiba seven times, operating every day except Wednesdays, but may be suspended in the event of bad weather. The cost is JPY3500 for junior high school students or older, JP1700 for elementary school students or infants from 4 years old, JPY500 for infants under 4 years old.
