Splash into Tsugaru Dam! Nissimeya Dam Lake Tour by Amphibious Bus & Sightseeing Experience Report

  • Aomori
  • Sightseeing
Amphibious bus used for the Nishimeya Dam Lake Tour
Did you know that you can ride on an amphibious bus in Nishimeya Village, Aomori Prefecture, the gateway to the World Natural Heritage Site "Shirakami Sanchi"? As the name suggests, amphibious buses operate not only on land, but also on water. This time, we joined the "Nishimeya Dam Lake Tour," where we could ride on an amphibious bus, and also went sightseeing in the surrounding area.

What is Nishimeya Dam Lake Tour?

The Nishimeya Dam Lake Tour is an amphibious bus tour that departs from the information center at Beach Nishimeya, Tsugaru Shirakami Roadside Station, and takes about one hour to visit Lake Tsugaru Shirakami where Tsugaru Dam is located, and returns to the bus. You can board the bus on the day of the tour if there are seats available (you must make a reservation at least 15 minutes before the departure time), but advance reservations are recommended.

Operation Period: April 28 (Sun.) to October 31 (Thu.), 2024
Suspension: Wednesdays, September 2 (Mon.) to September 5 (Thu.), October 1 (Tue.), October 6 (Thu.), October 7 (Thu.), October 8 (Thu.), and October 9 (Thu.). Tuesday, October 6 (Sun.)
Nissimeya Dam Lake Tour official website is here

Boarding Procedures

Since I had made a reservation in advance through the official website, I was able to complete the boarding procedures at the Michi no Eki Tsugaru Shirakami Information Center without any trouble! After that, you can pick up your ticket and pamphlet. Please note that even if you have made a reservation in advance, you need to complete the procedures at least 15 minutes before the departure time.
Information Center exterior
You will receive an amphibious bus card at the boarding procedure.

Soft ice cream topped with fresh honey at BeFavo

There was still some time before departure, so we took a walk around the Michi no Eki (Roadside Station) located right next to the Information Center. We had coffee soft serve ice cream at Shirakami Winery & Shirakami Raw Honey "BeFavo" located inside the roadside station. I was delighted to be able to freely top it with Shirakami raw honey! The combination of the raw honey, which is rich but does not interfere with the flavor of the ice cream, and the refreshing soft-serve ice cream is the perfect combination.
You can add your own toppings of raw honey!
You can get it at the stylish counter.
Roadside Station Tsugaru Shirakami official website is here

Departure from Nisimaya Dam Lake Tour!

Five minutes before departure, we went to the amphibious bus parked next to the information center. Show your ticket at the boarding gate and get on the bus.
Shirakami Sanchi mascot characters Bunami-chan (left) and Bunakky (right) are depicted on the bus.
The inside of the bus is open, with no windows, so it is cool and breezy! The ride to the dam lake, rich in nature, was very pleasant as if we were being showered with negative ions.
The open windows of the bus are very comfortable.
Outside the window, there is an expanse of greenery....
In the car, the guide gave us detailed explanations of the sights along the way and the tourist attractions in Nishimeya Village. For example, why a certain place is called "Takanosu," why most of the buildings in Nishimeya Village have cobalt green roofs, and so on. It is worth the ride just to listen to the guide.

In addition, you will also receive information about stores that offer discounts when you join the Nishimeya Dam Lake Tour, so be careful not to miss anything.
Nishimeya green roof
You can also see the dam lake from the car!

Splashing in the dam lake!

After enjoying the 20-minute drive, you will dive into the dam lake, which is what you have been waiting for! The tour guide will call out to us as we plunge into the dam lake!
Splashing in the dam lake!
After entering the lake with a bang, you can enjoy a leisurely tour on the lake. It is a rare sight to be able to look around from a low point near the surface of the lake. It was a magical experience to take a leisurely bus ride around the lake♪
View from the lake
On the way back to the roadside station, we saw Tsugaru Dam from the bus window! The Nishimeya Dam Lake Tour also offers a date-limited "Special Tour with an Inside Look at the Tsugaru Dam! If you are interested, please check the official website of Nishimeya Dam Lake Tour.
Tsugaru Dam can be seen in the back.

Lunch at the perfect place for the Nishimeya Dam Lake Tour â

When you return to the roadside station by bus, it is just time for lunch. We had lunch at the restaurant "Forest Door" in the roadside station. Nishimeya Village is also famous for soba noodles, so we had a hard time deciding, but this time we chose "Tsugaru Dam Curry," a limited quantity dish perfect for the Nishimeya Dam Lake Tour!
Hearty Tsugaru Dam Curry
As the name suggests, this is a curry with pork cutlet in the shape of Tsugaru Dam. The plate size is quite large and visually impressive! A young man who ordered the same Dam Curry nearby was also surprised at the size of the plate. He was surprised at the size of the plate.

The flavor of the curry was mild and gentle, and the crispy cutlet was unmistakably delicious.

Shirakami Sanchi Visitor Center

With our stomachs full, we headed to the Shirakami Sanchi Visitor Center, a 2-minute walk from Michi no Eki Tsugaru Shirakami.
Shirakami Sanchi Visitor Center
Shirakami Sanchi, a World Natural Heritage site, is a vast area of primeval beech forests, and at the Visitor Center you can learn more about the ecosystem of the Shirakami Sanchi, including the life of beech trees, beech flowers, and beech fruits. The center also has a coloring corner, a simulated bird-watching experience, a Shirakami Sanchi VR experience, and many other fun things to do. It is amazing that this can be enjoyed for free!
Stylish display about beech!
The floor and upper part of the room is decorated with beautiful images of the Shirakami Mountains in spring, summer, fall, and winter.
What I personally enjoyed was the "AR Creature Quest. By reading the 2D code posted in the center, you can summon 3D models of Japanese serows, black bears, and other animals anywhere you like. They also make little movements (the Tsukinowaguma bear sometimes stands up!). ), so I enjoyed taking pictures of them in various places.
Japanese serow with kind eyes
A Tsukinowaguma bear is also summoned!
In addition, visitors can learn more about the Shirakami Mountains by watching a video in the "Video Experience Hall" (charged). The video is 33 minutes long, so be sure to allow plenty of time for your visit. The Shirakami Sanchi Visitor Center's official website lists the screening times, so it is recommended that you check in advance.
Shirakami Sanchi Visitor Center official website is here

At the end

How was the report on the Nissimeya Dam Lake tour and sightseeing in the area? The areas reported here are accessible by public transportation, so they are recommended for those who are not able to drive a car. In Nishimeya Village, you can also enjoy a variety of other activities, such as walking in the Shirakami Mountains, so please find your own way to enjoy the area.
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