Japan Rail Pass: the complete guide to traveling Japan by train

Japan has one of the most efficient, punctual, and extensive railway systems on the planet. Traveling the country by train is not merely a mode of transport: it is an experience in itself. Watching Mount Fuji appear through the window of a Shinkansen at 285 km/h, arriving in Kyoto from Tokyo in just over two hours, or crossing the entire country from north to south without delays is something you are unlikely to forget. And for foreign visitors, there is a tool that can simplify — and reduce the cost of — the entire journey: the Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass). But it is not always the obvious choice. After the price increase in October 2023, the key question is: is it still worth it? In this guide we break down everything you need to know to make the best decision.

What the Japan Rail Pass is and how it works

The Japan Rail Pass is a transportation pass created exclusively for foreign tourists visiting Japan on a short-term visa. It is managed by the JR (Japan Railways) group, which operates the majority of the country’s rail network, including the famous Shinkansen bullet trains. The pass allows unlimited travel on virtually the entire JR network for a period of 7, 14, or 21 consecutive days. This includes not only the Shinkansen but also regional trains, local trains, certain JR buses, and the JR ferry to Miyajima island. The concept is straightforward: you activate the pass on the day of your choosing, and from that moment you can board any covered JR train without purchasing an additional ticket. Simply show the pass at the staffed gates in stations.

Pass types and current prices

The JR Pass comes in two classes — Ordinary (standard class) and Green (first class, equivalent to business class) — and three durations. The current prices, in effect since October 2023, are as follows. The Ordinary pass costs 50,000 yen for 7 days, 80,000 yen for 14 days, and 100,000 yen for 21 days. The Green pass costs 70,000 yen for 7 days, 110,000 yen for 14 days, and 140,000 yen for 21 days. Children aged 6 to 11 pay half price, and children under 6 travel free as long as they do not occupy their own seat. To put this in perspective: a single ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto on the Shinkansen costs approximately 14,170 yen, and a Tokyo-to-Hiroshima ticket costs around 19,440 yen. If your itinerary covers multiple cities, the savings can be substantial.

Which trains are covered (and which are not)

The JR Pass covers most Shinkansen services, but there is one significant exclusion: the Nozomi and Mizuho trains, which are the fastest services on the Tokaido, Sanyo, and Kyushu Shinkansen lines. In practice, this means that to travel from Tokyo to Kyoto or Hiroshima you will take Hikari or Sakura trains instead of the Nozomi. The time difference is minimal: the Hikari takes roughly 2 hours and 34 minutes from Tokyo to Kyoto compared with 2 hours and 15 minutes on the Nozomi. To reach Hiroshima with the JR Pass, the standard combination is a Hikari to Shin-Osaka and then a Sakura to Hiroshima, with a total journey of around 5 hours. In addition to the Shinkansen, the pass covers limited express, rapid, and local trains across the entire JR network, certain long-distance JR buses, and the Tokyo Monorail. It does not cover municipal subway lines, private railways such as Kintetsu or Odakyu, or airport express services unless a specific reservation is made.

Where to buy and how to activate the pass

The JR Pass can be purchased in two ways. The first is to buy an exchange order through authorized travel agencies in your home country or on the official Japan Rail Pass website before your trip. Once in Japan, you present the order along with your passport at a JR exchange office — available at major airports such as Narita and Kansai, and at large stations including Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima — and you receive the physical pass. The second option is to buy it directly in Japan at certain JR stations, though it is more convenient to arrange it before arrival. When you activate the pass, you choose the start date: it can be the same day or any date within the following 30 days. Remember that the exchange order is valid for 3 months from the date of issue.

The Shinkansen: an engineering marvel

To understand the value of the JR Pass, you need to understand the Shinkansen. The world’s first bullet train ran on 1 October 1964 on the Tokaido Line, connecting Tokyo with Osaka just before the Tokyo Olympic Games. At the time, its top speed of 210 km/h made it the fastest train on Earth. Today, Shinkansen trains in regular service reach up to 320 km/h, and in experimental tests a Japanese maglev train reached 603 km/h in April 2015 — the world record for a rail vehicle. But the most impressive aspect is not speed: it is punctuality. JR Central operates 323 daily trains on the Tokaido line with an annual average delay of less than one minute per train, including delays caused by natural disasters. In over 60 years of service, carrying more than 10 billion passengers, there has not been a single passenger fatality due to a train accident such as a derailment or collision.

Key routes with the JR Pass

If you are traveling with a 7- or 14-day JR Pass, these are the routes that offer the best value. The Tokyo – Kyoto route (Hikari, 2 h 34 min) is probably the most popular among tourists. The Tokyo – Hiroshima route (Hikari + Sakura, around 5 h with a transfer at Shin-Osaka) takes you to the Atomic Bomb Dome and to Miyajima island, whose ferry is also covered by the JR Pass. The Tokyo – Kanazawa route (Hokuriku Shinkansen, 2 h 30 min) connects you with the Sea of Japan coast and its historic gardens. The Kyoto – Nara route (local JR train, 45 min) is perfect for a half-day excursion to the deer park and Todai-ji temple. And the Osaka – Kobe route (JR train, 20 min) lets you explore the port and sample Kobe beef. A 10-day itinerary connecting Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Kobe makes extraordinary use of the 14-day pass.

Is the JR Pass worth it in 2026?

The answer depends on your itinerary. If you plan to move between several cities — for example, a Tokyo-Kyoto-Hiroshima-Osaka circuit — the 7-day pass at 50,000 yen pays for itself easily, since the Tokyo-Kyoto return plus the Kyoto-Hiroshima return alone would add up to more than 67,000 yen in individual tickets. On the other hand, if you are only staying in Tokyo and making a single day trip to Kyoto, buying individual tickets is probably cheaper. The general rule: if you are going to use three or more long-distance Shinkansen journeys within the pass period, you will almost certainly save money. Do not forget that regional passes (JR East, JR West, JR Kyushu) also exist and may be more economical if your route is concentrated in a single area of the country.