Coverage
1 countries
From
¥25,000
E-Pass
📄
Refundable
✅
💰 Price Table
| Type | 2nd Class | 1st Class |
|---|---|---|
| 7 days flexi | ¥50,000 | ¥70,000 |
| 14 days flexi | ¥80,000 | ¥110,000 |
| 21 days flexi | ¥100,000 | ¥140,000 |
✅ Pros
- Covers all 6 JR companies nationwide — one pass for the whole country
- Free Hikari/Sakura Shinkansen (only 15-20 min slower than Nozomi)
- Free seat reservations — book anytime at ticket machines or counters
- Children (6-11) at half price
- Includes JR buses (Kyoto Arashiyama routes), Miyajima ferry, Tokyo Monorail
- No per-trip ticket buying — huge convenience especially if you don't speak Japanese
- Narita Express N'EX (¥3,250 one-way) included
- Nozomi/Mizuho now accessible with surcharge since 2024 (though usually not worth it)
❌ Cons
- 70% price hike in 2023: 7-day went from ¥29,650 to ¥50,000 — now rarely a no-brainer
- Cannot ride Nozomi/Mizuho for free — surcharge starts at ¥4,960 (usually not worth it)
- Consecutive days only — no flexi option (unlike Eurail)
- Tokyo-Kyoto round trip is only ¥27,000 — 7-day pass at ¥50,000 doesn't break even
- Private railways not covered: Kintetsu (to Nara), Odakyu (to Hakone), Hankyu, etc.
- No subway coverage — still need IC card or tickets for Tokyo/Osaka city transit
- Regional passes are WAY cheaper if staying in one area (Kansai ¥2,800/day vs nationwide ¥7,143/day)
- Reddit consensus post-hike: 'not worth it for most itineraries' — do the math carefully
👍 Best For
- Tokyo → Kyoto → Hiroshima → Osaka multi-city trips (individual tickets ~¥45,000-55,000+)
- 21-day deep Japan exploration (daily cost drops to ¥4,762)
- Multiple day trips from Tokyo (Kamakura, Nikko, Karuizawa + intercity moves)
- Families with elderly/children (convenience value is high)
- Travelers who don't want to research and buy each ticket separately
👎 Not For
- Tokyo + Kyoto/Osaka only (round trip ¥27,000 is far below ¥50,000 pass)
- Staying in Kansai only (JR Kansai Area Pass at ¥2,800/day crushes it)
- Budget travelers (highway bus Tokyo→Osaka is only ¥3,000-5,000)
- Trips shorter than 7 days
- City-focused trips relying on subway and private railways
💡 Pro Tips
- 回本关键：至少3次长途新干线才能回本7天¥50,000——黄金路线(东京→京都→广岛→大阪)省约¥15,450
- Hikari比Nozomi只慢15-20分钟，完全够用——别花¥4,960买Nozomi特急券
- 延迟激活策略：到日本前几天用IC卡+单程票，把通票天数集中在高密度移动日
- 指定席免费预订——旺季提前订。提前准备好乘车清单（日期/时间/车站）交给柜台更快
- 2个地区通票替代1个全国通票：如关西Wide+JR东日本东北=¥42,000 vs 14天全国¥80,000
- 成田到市区用N'EX（¥3,250×2=¥6,500含在通票内）——这就回本了13%
- 非通票日用Smart EX的早特21票(Hayatoku 21)：东京-京都约¥10,700，省30%
- 买渠道：Klook/KKday比官网便宜10-15%，且支持中文客服和即时出票
⚠️ Common Pitfalls
- Overestimating travel needs: most people ride fewer trains than they plan — calculate FIRST
- Thinking Tokyo-Kyoto round trip justifies the pass: ¥27,000 round trip << ¥50,000 pass
- Paying ¥4,960 Nozomi surcharge when Hikari is only 15-20 min slower and free with pass
- Assuming private railways are covered: Kintetsu (Nara 35min vs JR 50min), Odakyu (Hakone), Hankyu NOT included
- Not reserving seats during peak season (cherry blossom, Golden Week, Obon) — trains get packed
- Activation wait at Narita: 60-90 min queue during peak times — activate at a less busy station instead
- Buying national pass when 2 regional passes cost half: Kansai Wide + JR East Tohoku = ~¥42,000 vs ¥80,000
- JR Pass only works at STAFFED gates — always queue at manned wickets, not automatic gates
🎫 Activation
• Window: 3 months from purchase (exchange order)
• App: No app required; physical pass exchanged at JR station
🔄 Refund Policy
• Fee: 10% cancellation fee (exchange order only, before exchange)
• Deadline: Before exchanging for actual pass at JR station
• Cannot change pass type after exchange
Last updated: 2026-03-16