Only if you travel far. The 7-day pass costs ¥50,000, while a Tokyo–Osaka round trip by Nozomi costs ¥29,440: you need roughly Tokyo to Fukuoka and back within 7 days before the pass pays off. For one region, a regional pass is usually cheaper. Prices are from JR’s official sites, checked on 28 October 2026.
By Mikako Yoshida ·Published 28 October 2026
JR Pass prices
| Pass | Adult | Child (6–11) |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary, 7 days | ¥50,000 | ¥25,000 |
| Ordinary, 14 days | ¥80,000 | ¥40,000 |
| Ordinary, 21 days | ¥100,000 | ¥50,000 |
| Green Car, 7 days | ¥70,000 | ¥35,000 |
| Green Car, 14 days | ¥110,000 | ¥55,000 |
| Green Car, 21 days | ¥140,000 | ¥70,000 |
When does the 7-day pass pay off? (Nozomi, reserved seat, adult)
| Trip within 7 days | Single tickets | 7-day pass | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo ⇄ Shin-Osaka | ¥29,440 | ¥50,000 | Single tickets |
| Tokyo ⇄ Hiroshima, plus N’EX to and from Narita | ¥45,800 | ¥50,000 | Single tickets, just |
| Tokyo → Shin-Osaka → Hakata and back, one ticket per leg | ¥61,480 | ¥50,000 | JR Pass |
Add up your JR trips
Count each one-way trip you will take while the pass is valid.
- Narita Airport ⇄ Tokyo (N’EX)¥3,140
- Kansai Airport ⇄ Kyoto (HARUKA)¥2,700
- Kansai Airport ⇄ Shin-Osaka (HARUKA)¥1,900
- Tokyo ⇄ Nagoya (Shinkansen)¥11,300
- Tokyo ⇄ Kyoto (Shinkansen)¥14,170
- Tokyo ⇄ Shin-Osaka (Shinkansen)¥14,720
- Tokyo ⇄ Okayama (Shinkansen)¥17,770
- Tokyo ⇄ Hiroshima (Shinkansen)¥19,760
- Shin-Osaka ⇄ Hiroshima (Shinkansen)¥10,950
- Shin-Osaka ⇄ Hakata (Shinkansen)¥16,020
Buy the pass: Klook · KKday · official JR Pass site
Buy single tickets at the station, or compare regional passes: Klook · KKday · regional passes
Adult, one way, standard season, reserved seat. Shinkansen fares are for Nozomi: with the pass, Hikari is covered and Nozomi needs an extra ticket. HARUKA is the visitor one-way ticket bought from 1 November 2026. Children aged 6–11 pay about half. Checked 29 October 2026.
How to read the table
The single fares are standard-season Nozomi reserved seats: Tokyo–Shin-Osaka ¥14,720, Tokyo–Hiroshima ¥19,760, Shin-Osaka–Hakata ¥16,020, and N’EX between Narita Airport and Tokyo ¥3,140. They are a little higher in the busy season, and JR Central and JR West will raise them from 1 July 2027 (Tokyo–Shin-Osaka ¥15,420).
The pass also covers JR local trains such as the Yamanote Line, and the N’EX and HARUKA airport trains, so short rides add a little to its value. It does not cover subways or private railways such as Keisei, Nankai and Kintetsu.
Nozomi and Mizuho need an extra ticket
The pass covers Hikari, Kodama, Sakura and other Shinkansen, but not the fastest Nozomi and Mizuho trains unless you buy a special ticket for pass holders before boarding: Tokyo–Kyoto or Tokyo–Shin-Osaka ¥4,960, Tokyo–Hiroshima ¥6,500, Shin-Osaka–Hakata ¥4,960. It is sold from one month ahead at station ticket machines and counters, and cannot be booked online before you arrive.
Between Tokyo and Osaka, Hikari takes a little longer than Nozomi, so many pass holders simply ride Hikari.
Useful before you fly
Airport transfer when you have a lot of shopping bags
Luggage storage in Tokyo for the hours before an evening flight
Regional passes (adult)
| Pass | Price | Days | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansai Mini Pass | ¥3,000 | 3 | JR local and rapid trains around Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe and Nara; no Shinkansen or HARUKA |
| Kansai WIDE Area Pass | ¥12,000 | 5 | Kansai, plus the Sanyo Shinkansen to Okayama, Tottori and Wakayama |
| Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass | ¥17,000 | 5 | Kansai to Okayama and Hiroshima |
| JR-WEST All Area Pass | ¥26,000 | 7 | Kansai to Hakata, and the Hokuriku Shinkansen |
| JR TOKYO Wide Pass | ¥16,000 | 3 | JR East around Tokyo: Izu, Nikko, Fuji and Narita Airport; not the Tokaido Shinkansen |
| Hokuriku Arch Pass | ¥35,000 | 7 | Tokyo to Kanazawa to Osaka by the Hokuriku Shinkansen |
| JR Kyushu Rail Pass, Northern Kyushu | ¥15,000 | 3 | JR Kyushu in the northern half of Kyushu (All Kyushu: ¥22,000) |
| Hokkaido Rail Pass | ¥22,000 | 5 | JR Hokkaido; ¥23,000 if bought in Hokkaido |
The Kansai Area Pass is no longer sold
JR West stopped selling the Kansai Area Pass on 30 September 2026; passes bought by then can still be used. For Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe and Nara the closest replacement is the Kansai Mini Pass (¥3,000 for 3 days), sold only as an e-ticket outside Japan.
Where to buy
Buy the nationwide JR Pass from travel agents such as Klook and KKday, as an Exchange Order that you swap for the pass in Japan within 3 months of issue, or on the official JR Pass site, where you can also reserve seats online.
Regional passes are sold on JR West’s and JR East’s booking sites and by travel agents: regional passes on Klook, KKday. For every pass you need Temporary Visitor status: if you enter through an automated gate, ask an officer for the passport stamp.
Questions
Can I buy the JR Pass after I arrive?
Does the JR Pass cover the airport trains?
Do I still need Suica or ICOCA?
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