TOKYO (AFP) - Tokyo's first amphibious tourist buses were put into service on Sunday, carrying 40 passengers through the city's low eastern side by road before taking to the Naka river during a 100-minute "Tokyo Splash Tour".

The two buses, dubbed "Sky Ducks", departed from Tokyo's new landmark Skytree, the world's tallest communications tower at 634m. Similar amphibious sightseeing buses have been in service in the western city of Osaka and a few other tourist spots in Japan.

Tokyo finally joined other major cities of the world to operate them, 10 months after the Skytree was opened to the public.

Tickets are priced at 2,800 yen (S$36.70) apiece for an adult and 1,400 yen for a child under 12.

The bus, 12m long and 2.5m wide, moves up to 100 kmh on the ground and up to 13 kmh in the water.