Edit 7 October 2019: Updated prices to reflect the increase in Japan's national sales tax.
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| A map of Japan, divided by the regions served by the six JR Group branches. By Vladsinger [CC BY-SA 3.0 ], from Wikimedia Commons |
Please note that all the passes described below are for sale only to foreign visitors, unless otherwise specified. They are also sold both outside and within Japan, but are more expensive when bought within the country, usually by a difference of ¥500 to ¥1,000. Furthermore, some passes include free seat reservations where others do not. You may still reserve seats using one of those passes, but it will only cover the base fare; you must then pay for the supplement fees out-of-pocket. None of these passes cover Green Car or GranClass seating either, so again, additional fees must be paid for using them.
JR Hokkaido
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| A map of the islands of Hokkaido. By T.Kambayashi [CC BY-SA 3.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons |
| Name | Area(s) | Period | Price | Reserved Seats | Shinkansen |
| Hokkaido Rail Pass | Hokkaido | 3 days | ¥17,400 | Yes | None |
| 5 days | ¥23,480 | ||||
| 7 days | ¥25,710 | ||||
| 4/10 days | ¥23,480 | ||||
| Hokkaido Free Pass | Hokkaido | 7 days | ¥27,430 | Yes (6 times) | None |
The Hokkaido Rail Pass covers all JR trains on the island of Hokkaido, including reserved seats on limited express trains, but does not cover the new Hokkaido Shinkansen. It is sold in periods of 3, 5, or 7 consecutive days, or for any 4 days within a 10-day period. Even in its cheapest option, however, it is still rather expensive, so it is best if you use it for travelling long distances on limited-express trains.
The Hokkaido Round Tour Pass covers the same area as the Hokkaido Rail Pass, It is more expensive, and puts limits on the number of free seat reservations one can make, but is available for purchase by Japanese citizens in addition to foreign visitors. However, it cannot be used during the New Year (28 December - 6 January), Golden Week (27 April - 6 May), or O-bon (11-20 August) holiday seasons. If you are able to get a Hokkaido Rail Pass, I would recommend it instead, since even at its most expensive level it's cheaper than the Hokkaido Round Tour Pass. Or, if you are coming into Hokkaido by train, you might as well just get a JR Pass, as it would save you plenty of money on taking the Tohoku/Hokkaido Shinkansen, in addition to providing the same coverage.
More information:
Hokkaido Rail Pass: (English)
Hokkaido Round Tour Pass: (Japanese)
JR East
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| Maps of the Tohoku (left) and Kanto (right) regions, in eastern Honshu. Tohoku map: By T.Kambayashi [CC BY-SA 3.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons Kanto map: By T.Kambayashi [CC BY-SA 3.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons | |
| Name | Area(s) | Period | Price | Reserved Seats | Shinkansen |
| Tokyo Wide Pass | Kanto | 3 days | ¥10,180 | Yes | Tohoku1, Joetsu2, Hokuriku3 |
| Tohoku Area Pass | Kanto, Tohoku | 5/14 days | ¥19,350/ 20,360* |
Yes | Tohoku, Yamagata, Akita, Joetsu2, Hokuriku3 |
| Nagano-Niigata Area Pass | Kanto, Joetsu | 5/14 days | ¥17,310/ 18,330* |
Yes | Tohoku1, Joetsu, Hokuriku4 |
| East-South Hokkaido Pass | Kanto, Tohoku, Southern Hokkaido |
6/14 days | ¥26,900/ 27,930* |
Yes | Tohoku, Yamagata, Akita, Hokkaido, Joetsu2, Hokuriku3 |
| Tohoku-South Hokkaido Pass | Tohoku, Southern Hokkaido |
5/14 days | ¥19,750/ 20,790* |
Yes | Tohoku5, Yamagata, Akita, Hokkaido |
1Tohoku Shinkansen covered between Tokyo and Nasu-Shiobara stations.
2Joetsu Shinkansen covered between Tokyo and Echigo-Yuzawa stations (or Gala-Yuzawa during ski seasons).
3Hokuriku Shinkansen covered between Tokyo and Sakudaira stations.
4Hokuriku Shinkansen covered between Tokyo and Joetsu-Myoko stations.
5Tohoku Shinkansen covered between Shin-Shirakawa and Shin-Aomori stations.
The Tokyo Wide Pass is wider in scope than the name may imply. In fact, it covers the entire Kanto Plain region, making it ideal for various day-trips from Tokyo. (Fittingly, it was previously known as the Kanto Area Pass.) It covers all JR lines in the region, including segments of the Tohoku, Joetsu, and Hokuriku Shinkansen lines. It also covers a fair number of non-JR lines, including the Tokyo Monorail, Rinkai Line, Fujikyu Railway, Izukyu Railway, and JR/Tobu's limited express trains to Nikko and Kinugawa Onsen from Shinjuku (but not Tobu's station in Asakusa). However, it is not valid on the Tokaido Shinkansen, which is owned by JR Central. Furthermore, in order to use Hayabusa and Komachi services on the Tohoku Shinkansen, the limited express fees must be paid out-of-pocket. (Not that it would do you much good anyway; those services only make the first three stops within the valid area.) For its price, the Tokyo Wide Pass is not suitable just for transit in the immediate vicinity of Tokyo, but is a good value for various day-trips from Tokyo, especially those using one of the Shinkansen lines.
The Tohoku, and Nagano-Niigata area passes both cover the Kanto area in addition to other regions. Unlike the Tokyo Wide Pass, they are valid for any 5 within a 14-day period, which starts when the pass is received by the user. However, the Tohoku Area Pass is not valid on the Hokkaido Shinkansen, which is owned by JR Hokkaido. Likewise, the Nagano-Niigata Area Pass is only valid on the Hokuriku Shinkansen up to Joetsu-Myoko; JR West owns the line from the west of that point. These passes do not cover all of the non-JR lines as the Tokyo Wide Pass, but do cover a couple of non-JR lines in their respective regions, mainly those that connect to airports or isolated JR lines. The Nagano-Niigata version pays off for a round-trip journey on the full covered length of the Joetsu or Hokuriku Shinkansen (normally ¥18,000-20,000 from Tokyo to Niigata or Joetsu-Myoko), and the Tohoku version is an even better for a round-trip journey on the Tohoku Shinkansen (¥35,000 from Tokyo to Shin-Aomori).
The South Hokkaido Pass covers the same areas as the Tohoku Area Pass in addition to the Hakodate and Sapporo areas on Hokkaido, including the Hokkaido Shinkansen. It is also valid for an additional day within the same 14-day period. Since a full round-trip ride on the Tohoku and Hokkaido Shinkansen from Tokyo costs over ¥44,000, this pass can be of terrific value for an excursion to Hokkaido. While it is nearly as expensive as a 7-day Japan Rail Pass, the flexible 14-day period may be an advantage depending on your itinerary.
Edit 11 Sep 2018: On 5 January 2018, JR East and JR Hokkaido launched another pass together, the Tohoku-South Hokkaido Area Pass. It is similar to the East-South Hokkaido pass, with the notable exception that it does not cover the Kanto region; its coverage starts northward from Fukushima prefecture. As such, it is cheaper than the East-South Hokkaido pass, but includes one fewer day of flexible coverage (5 days out of 14, as opposed to 6). If you're coming into the region by rail from Tokyo, it may not be the best bet, but if you're flying directly into the region via Sendai, Chitose, or other airports, this could save money over other passes.
More information:
Tokyo Wide Pass: (English)
JR East Pass (Tohoku Area): (English)
JR East Pass (Nagano/Niigata Area): (English)
East-South Hokkaido Pass: (English)
Tohoku-South Hokkaido Pass: (English)
JR Central
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| A map of the Chubu region, including the Hokuriku area in the northwest. By Kambayashi [CC BY-SA 3.0 ], from Wikimedia Commons |
| Name | Area(s) | Period | Price | Reserved Seats | Shinkansen |
| Mt. Fuji-Shizuoka Area Tourist Pass Mini |
Tokaido, Mt. Fuji | 3 days | ¥4,570/ 5,080* |
No | None |
| Takayama-Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass |
Chubu, Hokuriku | 5 days | ¥14,260/ 15,280* |
Yes (4 times)1 | Hokuriku2 |
| Alpine-Takayama-Matsumoto Area Pass |
Chubu | 5 days | ¥17,830/ 18,850* |
Yes (4 times) | None |
| Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass |
Ise Peninsula | 5 days | ¥11,210/ 12,220* |
Yes (4 times)1 | None |
1Not valid for reserved seats on the Haruka limited express.
2Hokuriku Shinkansen covered between Toyama and Kanazawa stations.
The Mt. Fuji-Shizuoka Area Tourist Pass Mini covers regular trains and various buses around Mount Fuji, the Izu Peninsula, and Shizuoka Prefecture. It does not cover the Tokaido Shinkansen, despite passing through the area. It also does not cover transportation from any major cities, such as Tokyo or Nagoya. So, you'll get the best value from it if you stay in the area for a few nights and visit two or all of the three areas mentioned above.
The Takayama-Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass covers trains from Nagoya to Toyama, Kanazawa to Osaka, and a brief section of the Hokuriku Shinkansen between Toyama and Kanazawa. It also covers certain buses to Shirakawa-go, famous for its heritage farming villages. However, it is not valid on the Tokaido Shinkansen. It can make up its value with a full round-trip on the Wide View Hida (Nagoya-Toyama) and/or Thunderbird (Osaka-Kanazawa) limited express (each costing over ¥14,000 round-trip), so if used wisely, can be a good choice for an excursion into the region from Nagoya or Osaka
The Alpine-Takayama-Matsumoto Area Tourist Pass covers conventional trains in a loop between Nagoya, Matsumoto, Shinano-Omachi, Toyama, and Takayama. This includes unlimited travel along the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, a series of trams, buses, and cable-cars that cut through a section of the Japan Alps. Famous sights along the Alpine Route include the Kurobe Dam and the Yuki-no-Otani, a canyon of snow which towers over part of the road from April to June. The pass is very specific in the lines it is valid for, but it is still a great value for a round trip from Nagoya to the Alpine Route.
The Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Tourist Pass covers trains on a loop around the Kii Peninsula, including Nagoya and Osaka. It also covers a few buses which can be used to reach inland areas. However, it is not valid on the Tokaido Shinkansen (noticing a pattern here?). Still, a round-trip ride to the southern end of the peninsula via the Wide View Nanki (from Nagoya) or Kuroshio (from Kyoto/Osaka) limited express can cost up to ¥15,000 or more, so this pass can be a great value if you go down far enough.
More information:
Mt. Fuji-Shizuoka Area Tourist Pass Mini: (English)
Takayama-Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass: (English)
Alpine-Takayama-Matsumoto Area Tourist Pass: (English)
Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Tourist Pass: (English)
JR West (Kansai/Hokuriku Regions)
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| A map of the Kansai region in central Honshu. By T.Kambayashi (Image:Japan Kansai Map.svg) [CC BY-SA 3.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons |
| Name | Area(s) | Period | Price | Reserved Seats | Shinkansen |
| Kansai Area Pass | Kansai | 1 day | ¥2,300/ 2,400* |
No | None |
| 2 days | ¥4,600/ 4,800* |
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| 3 days | ¥5,600/ 5,800* |
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| 4 days | ¥6,600/ 6,800* |
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| Kansai Wide Area Pass | Kansai, Okayama | 5 days | ¥9,200/ 10,200* |
No | Sanyo1 |
| Hokuriku Area Pass | Hokuriku | 4 days | ¥5,090/ 5,600* |
No | Hokuriku2 |
| Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass | Kansai, Hokuriku | 7 days | ¥15,270/ 16,290* |
No | Sanyo1, Hokuriku3 |
| Hokuriku Arch Pass | Tokyo, Hokuriku, Kansai | 7 days | ¥24,440/ 25,460* |
Yes4 | Hokuriku |
1Sanyo Shinkansen covered between Shin-Osaka and Okayama stations.
2Hokuriku Shinkansen covered between Kurobe-Unazuki-Onsen and Kanazawa stations.
3Hokuriku Shinkansen covered between Joetsu-Myoko and Kanazawa stations.
4Not valid for reserved seats on the Haruka limited express.
The Kansai Area Pass covers local and rapid JR trains in the Kansai area, covering Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kobe, et al., along with non-reserved seats on the Haruka limited express to/from Kansai International Airport. However, it is not valid for the Shinkansen or any other limited express services. It does not pay off just for transit within or between the main cities listed above, but is better for side trips to some of its more outlying areas, such as Himeji, Iga, or Hikone. Starting from 1 October 2019, the Kansai Area Pass also includes 1-day passes for the Kyoto Subway lines and part of the Keihan network, hence the increased price.
The Kansai Wide Area Pass, on the other hand, not only covers a wider area than the Kansai Area Pass, but is valid on limited express trains and even the Sanyo Shinkansen (between Shin-Osaka and Okayama stations). Unlike the JR Pass, it can be used on Nozomi and Mizuho express services. However, it is not valid on the Tokaido Shinkansen to Kyoto, as it is owned by JR Central. Additional areas covered include Okayama, Kinosaki Onsen, and the western Kii Peninsula.
The Hokuriku Area Pass covers the Hokuriku area along the Sea of Japan coast, including limited express trains and part of the Hokuriku Shinkansen. However, since the Kayagaki express service does not have any non-reserved seating, it is not fully covered by the pass. Similar to the Mt. Fuji-Shizuoka pass described above, the Hokuriku pass does not cover the urban Kansai area, so it's on your dime to get there. If you are coming in from the Kansai area, you might be better off with the Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass, which is essentially a hybrid of the Kansai Wide and Hokuriku passes, and covers sections of the Sanyo and Hokuriku Shinkansen.
The Hokuriku Arch Pass combines coverage on the full length of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, limited-express trains between the Hokuriku and Kansai regions, access to Narita, Haneda, and Kansai airports, and more. (The Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen are not covered.) Going between Tokyo and Osaka this way takes 5-6 hours via the Hokuriku Shinkansen and Thunderbird limited express (and a normal round-trip fare of over ¥43,000!). This is about twice as long as the Tokaido Shinkansen, but the Arch Pass is a few thousand yen cheaper than the JR Pass, and allows for stopovers at many interesting locations in the relatively-less-travelled Hokuriku area.
More information:
Kansai Area Pass: (English)
Kansai Wide Area Pass: (English)
Hokuriku Area Pass: (English)
Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass: (English)
Hokuriku Arch Pass: (English)
JR West (Chugoku Region)
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| The Chugoku region, on the western end of Honshu. By Marc Heiden [CC BY-SA 4.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons |
| Name | Area(s) | Period | Price | Reserved Seats | Shinkansen |
| Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass | Kansai, Sanyo | 5 days | ¥13,700/ 14,700* |
No | Sanyo1 |
| Sanyo-San'in Area Pass | Kansai, Sanyo, San'in |
7 days | ¥19,400/ 20,400* |
Yes | Sanyo |
| San'in-Okayama Area Pass | Okayama, San'in | 4 days | ¥4,580/ 5,390* |
No | None |
| Hiroshima-Yamaguchi Area Pass | Western Sanyo | 5 days | ¥11,200/ 12,200* |
No | Sanyo2 |
| Okayama-Hiroshima-Yamaguchi Area Pass | Central/Western Sanyo | 5 days | ¥13,700/ 12,200* |
No | Sanyo3 |
| Setouchi Area Pass | Kansai, Sanyo, Northern Shikoku |
5 days | ¥17,310/ 18,330* |
No | Sanyo |
| Sanyo-San'in Northern Kyushu Pass | Kansai, Sanyo, San'in, Northern Kyushu |
7 days | ¥22,400/ 23,420* |
No | Sanyo, Kyushu4 |
1Sanyo Shinkansen covered between Shin-Osaka and Hiroshima stations.
2Sanyo Shinkansen covered between Hiroshima and Hakata stations.
3Sanyo Shinkansen covered between Okayama and Hakata stations.
4Kyushu Shinkansen covered between Hakata and Kumamoto stations.
JR West also owns train lines in the Chugoku region, on the western end of Honshu. Their passes for the area are self-explanatory, and most of them cover the Sanyo Shinkansen in part or in whole, including Nozomi and Mizuho services (but not the Tokaido Shinkansen to Kyoto). In addition, the Sanyo-San'in and San'in-Okayama passes fully cover the Chizu Express, a third-sector line not covered by the Japan Rail Pass, that provides some of the fastest access to Tottori in the San'in region. Some JR-run limited express services use this line, but the JR Pass would require a fee for the non-JR section.
The Setouchi Area Pass covers trains in the area surrounding the Seto Inland Sea, namely the Kansai, Sanyo, and northern Shikoku regions. Coverage includes the entire length of the Sanyo Shinkansen, plus a few buses and ferries between the islands of Honshu and Shikoku.
Edit 3 July 2017: JR West has just launched a new area pass, the Sanyo-San'in Northern Kyushu Pass. As per the name, this covers JR trains in the Kansai and Chugoku regions, plus the northern half of Kyushu, including the entire length of the Sanyo Shinkansen, and the Kyushu Shinkansen as far as Kumamoto. It also covers the Chizu Express to Tottori, and local JR buses in Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Yamaguchi.
More information:
Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass: (English)
Sanyo-San'in Area Pass: (English)
San'in-Okayama Area Pass: (English)
Hiroshima-Yamaguchi Area Pass: (English)
Okayama-Hiroshima-Yamaguchi Area Pass: (English)
Setouchi Area Pass: (English)
Sanyo-San'in Northern Kyushu Pass: (English)
JR Shikoku
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| A map of the islands of Shikoku. By Marc Heiden [CC BY-SA 4.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons |
| Name | Area(s) | Period | Price | Reserved Seats | Shinkansen |
| All Shikoku Rail Pass | Kansai, Sanyo | 3 days | ¥9,000/ 9,500* |
Yes | None |
| 4 days | ¥10,000/ 10,500* |
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| 5 days | ¥11,000/ 11,500* |
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| 7 days | ¥13,000/ 13,500* |
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| Shikoku Free Pass | Shikoku | 3 days | ¥16,440 | Yes | None |
Both the All Shikoku Rail Pass and the Shikoku Free Pass cover JR lines on the island of Shikoku. The All Shikoku Rail Pass is sold in periods of 3, 4, 5, or 7 consecutive days. It is also valid on multiple non-JR lines on Shikoku, including the Kotoden lines around Takamatsu, and the Iyotetsu lines around Matsuyama.
The Shikoku Free Pass is far more expensive, and is not valid on almost all non-JR lines, but is available for sale to Japanese citizens as well as foreign visitors. Also, on the month of your birthday, you can buy the Birthday Kippu pass, which is the same as the Shikoku Free Pass, but costs only ¥10,280! Still, if you're coming in from outside of the country, you're better off sticking to the All Shikoku Rail Pass.
More information:
All Shikoku Rail Pass: (English)
Shikoku Free Pass: (Japanese)
JR Kyushu
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| A map of the islands of Kyushu. By T.kambayashi (Image:Japan Kyushu Map.svg) [CC BY-SA 3.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons |
| Name | Area(s) | Period | Price | Reserved Seats | Shinkansen |
| All Kyushu Area Pass | Kyushu | 3 days | ¥15,280 | Yes (10 times) | Kyushu |
| 5 days | ¥18,330 | Yes (16 times) | |||
| Northern Kyushu Area Pass | Northern Kyushu | 3 days | ¥8,660 | Yes (10 times) | Kyushu1 |
| 5 days | ¥10,190 | Yes (16 times) | |||
| Southern Kyushu Area Pass | Southern Kyushu | 3 days | ¥7,500 | Yes (10 times) | Kyushu2 |
| Fukuoka Wide Pass | Fukuoka Prefecture | 2 days | ¥3,060 | No | None |
2Kyushu Shinkansen covered between Kumamoto and Kagoshima-Chuo stations.
The All Kyushu Area Pass covers all JR lines on the island of Kyushu, including the Kyushu Shinkansen. It is also valid on the Shinkansen's Mizuho express services, unlike the JR Pass. Pass users can make free seat reservations up to 10 (for 3-day passes) or 16 (for 5-day passes) times. The pass does not cover the Sanyo Shinkansen, which runs through the Fukuoka and Kitakyushu areas, as it is owned by JR West.
JR Kyushu also sells varieties of the pass specific to the northern and southern halves of the island, with the dividing line roughly drawn from Kumamoto in the west to Oita in the east. If you wish to explore Kyushu using one of these passes, be sure to review your itinerary so you can buy the pass that's best for you. Come to think of it, that's sound advice to heed for all of the other passes I've described in this article!
Edit 11 Sep 2018: on 1 September 2018, JR Kyushu introduced a Fukuoka Wide version of the Kyushu Rail Pass, which covers conventional JR lines in Fukuoka prefecture, including the cities of Fukuoka and Kitakyushu. This also includes non-reserved seats on limited express trains within the covered area. It does not cover seat reservations, any seats on the Sanyo or Kyushu Shinkansen, or other networks like Nishitetsu or the Fukuoka subway.
More information:
Kyushu Rail Pass: (English)
Fukuoka Wide Pass: (English)
