Kawabuchi also served with the Japan men's national ice hockey team during his time at Iwakura. In 1962, he coached the national team to a gold medal in Group B of the 1962 Ice Hockey World Championships played in Colorado Springs, Colorado. His team won all five games he coached at the tournament, with victories over France, Australia, Austria, Netherlands, and Denmark. He later served as the national team's manager for ice hockey at the 1964 Winter Olympics, where Japan placed third in Group B with four wins, two losses, and one draw.