Yamanakako no KABA is an amphibious bus that drives from the road straight into Lake Yamanaka. After a stop from November 2023 caused by low water, it has run again since 13 June 2026. The 30-minute tour costs ¥2,800 for adults and ¥1,400 for children (¥3,000 and ¥1,500 in July and August), booked online.
Yamanakako no KABA is an amphibious bus that drives off the road and straight into Lake Yamanaka, then cruises the lake before climbing back out. It stopped in November 2023 because the lake level had dropped, and it has been running again since 13 June 2026. A trip takes about 30 minutes from Mori-no-Eki Asahigaoka on the south shore. Checked October 2026, adults pay ¥2,800 and children ¥1,400, rising to ¥3,000 and ¥1,500 in July and August. You book online.
Yes. Fujikyu, which runs it, restarted the service on 13 June 2026 with new “Open KABA” vehicles. These have an electric roof that folds back; No. 5 ran from the relaunch and No. 6 joined in July. The KABA had been out of service since November 2023, when the lake dropped too low for it to enter the water safely.
The operator says the bus now runs all year. The one planned day off is the Yamanakako marathon, when roads are closed. It can still be cancelled without notice for strong wind, fog, typhoons, snow, lightning, or the lake level rising or falling. Normal rain does not stop it.
Checked October 2026, from the operator’s fare page:
| Ticket | Regular | 1 July to 31 August |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (junior high school and up) | ¥2,800 | ¥3,000 |
| Child (age 3 to primary school) | ¥1,400 | ¥1,500 |
| Under 3 | Child fare, and only if they can sit alone with a seat belt | Same |
You may see ¥2,200 on the Yamanashi prefecture tourism site, along with phone booking. That page is out of date; the operator’s price is the one you pay. Holders of a Japanese disability certificate get 30 percent off at the window, but that discount cannot be booked online. Groups of 10 or more can book a group rate through Fujikyu between three months and 30 days ahead.
At the window you can pay cash or by credit card. QR payments and transport IC cards are not accepted.
Halloween runs. On 31 October and 1 November 2026, two special KABA Halloween departures (15:15 and 15:30) take passengers in costume, Halloween accessories or orange, purple or black clothes for ¥2,500 adult and ¥1,250 child. These are booked by phone (0555-72-6877) by the day before, not online.
Checked October 2026. Each tour lasts about 30 minutes. The operator sometimes adds an extra bus 15 minutes after a listed time on busy days.
| Months | Departures | First and last |
|---|---|---|
| May to September | 9 a day | 9:15 to 16:00 |
| March, April, October, November | 8 a day | 9:15 to 15:15 |
| December, January | 7 a day | 10:00 to 15:15 |
| February | 6 a day | 10:45 to 15:15 |
There is a lunch gap between the 11:30 and 13:00 departures all year.
Cancellation is done online. It costs ¥100 until 23:59 two days before; 50 percent from the day before until 31 minutes before; and the full fare in the last 30 minutes. You cannot change the number of people; cancel and rebook instead.
After the video, the bus drives a short stretch of road and then a narrow, bumpy track through the trees to the shore, where it drops into the lake with a splash. Out on the water you can see Mt Fuji from either side of the bus. A guide rides along, and earphone commentary is available in English, Chinese, Thai, Indonesian and Korean (bring wired earphones or ask the staff).
Practical points from the operator:
If the KABA is sold out, or you want something calmer, the swan boat “Hakucho no Mizuumi” (白鳥の湖, “Swan Lake”) leaves from Asahigaoka pier, a short walk from the KABA terminal. Fuji Kisen, part of the same Fujikyu group, runs it. The current boat was designed by Eiji Mitooka and first sailed in March 2012. A 2012 report on its launch credits him with the KABA as well.
Checked October 2026, from the operator’s site:
| KABA bus | Swan boat | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | ¥2,800 (¥3,000 Jul to Aug) | ¥1,200 (since 1 April 2026) |
| Child | ¥1,400, age 3 to primary | ¥600, age 4 to 12; under 4 free |
| Length | About 30 min | About 20 min |
| Departures | 6 to 9 a day, booked online | Every half hour, 9:30 to 16:30 (last sailing in mid-October) |
| From | Mori-no-Eki Asahigaoka | Asahigaoka pier |
| Pets | Small dogs in a carrier | Under 50 cm shoulder height, ¥600 |
The swan boat runs on the hour and the half hour. From December to February some late-afternoon sailings are dropped, and in bad weather the company may swap in the smaller cruiser “New Wakafuji” or cancel. The pier at Yamanaka, on the west side, is out of use, so all sailings start at Asahigaoka. The toilets near the pier were also out of use in an August 2026 notice. Older listings show ¥1,000 or ¥1,100; the April 2026 price is ¥1,200.
The swans that give the boat its name live on the lake all year. Japan’s transport ministry says they gather at Ohike, on the north-west shore.
The KABA and the swan boat both start in Asahigaoka, on the south shore, next to the main bus terminal. Highway buses from Shinjuku and Tokyo Station stop here, and local buses run from Kawaguchiko Station and Fujisan Station. See Tokyo to Lake Yamanaka for routes and fares. Drivers can use the car parks at Mori-no-Eki and around the lakeshore; the operator warns they fill in peak season.
To do it as a day from Tokyo, one tour is built around the lake: you choose the KABA, the swan boat or a shoreline walk at Hirano Beach, then go on to Oshino Hakkai and Oishi Park. Ticket inclusion depends on the package you book, so check what is covered.
On the same day you could add the Hananomiyako flower park on the north-west shore, or stay for sunset in the Diamond Fuji season. More options are on the Mt Fuji tours page.
10 hours
The only Tokyo day trip built around the lake itself: choose a ride on the KABA amphibious bus, a cruise on the swan-shaped boat or a shoreline walk from Hirano Beach, then visit Oshino Hakkai and Oishi Park.
from$58
Check availability9 hours
An autumn coach day that opens with an hour on the Lake Yamanaka swan boat cruise, then takes in the coloured leaves at Oshino Hakkai, Oishi Park or the Maple Corridor, and the Kubota Itchiku museum.
from$57
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Yes. The KABA stopped in November 2023 because the lake level fell too low, and it restarted on 13 June 2026 with new Open KABA vehicles that have an electric folding roof. The operator says it runs all year except one day for the Yamanakako marathon, but it can be cancelled without notice for wind, fog, snow, lightning or the water level.
Checked October 2026 on the operator's site, adults (junior high school and up) pay ¥2,800 and children aged 3 to primary school ¥1,400. From 1 July to 31 August it rises to ¥3,000 and ¥1,500. The Yamanashi tourism site still shows ¥2,200, which is out of date. A 30 percent discount needs a Japanese disability certificate.
It is wise. Booking opens 30 days ahead on the Fujiyama Connect site and closes 30 minutes before departure. The window at Asahigaoka sells same-day seats only if any are left, and the operator does not take phone bookings. You show a QR ticket on your own phone; screenshots and printouts are not accepted.
You might. If the roof or windows are open when the bus drives into the lake, the operator says spray can reach you depending on the wind. Umbrellas are not allowed on board, so bring a towel or a light raincoat if you mind. The windows zip shut, but the staff, not passengers, open and close the roof.
The KABA is the novelty: a bus that drives into the lake, with a guide on board, for ¥2,800. The swan boat is a calmer 20-minute lap of the lake for ¥1,200, leaving every half hour without booking. Families with toddlers may find the swan boat easier, because KABA passengers must sit in their own seat.
Hananomiyako Koen is a village-run flower park on the north-west side of Lake Yamanaka, with about 300,000 m² of fields facing Mt Fuji.
Diamond Fuji is the moment the setting sun sits exactly on Mt Fuji's summit.
The easiest way from Tokyo to Lake Yamanaka is the direct highway bus from Busta Shinjuku.
Pick Kawaguchiko for a first visit by public transport: it has the train station, the most hotels and the best-known sights.