Which Japan Rail Pass Should I Buy? Pick by Your Route (2026)
For the classic first trip you don't need a JR Pass. A 7-day pass costs ¥50,000 on the official site, while the classic Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka trip costs about ¥29,500 in separate tickets. For other routes, compare the regional passes, day passes and IC cards below.
Find your route below. The fares and pass prices come from JR's and the operators' official pages, checked on 6 November 2026. Several passes changed or ended in 2026.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. When the official site or separate tickets are cheaper, we say so.
Staying in Tokyo: do I need any pass?
No JR pass. Load a Suica card for JR trains and buses, and add a Tokyo Subway Ticket on days you ride the subway a lot. It covers all Tokyo Metro and Toei lines and starts on your first ride.
Tokyo Subway Ticket
For overseas visitors. All Tokyo Metro and Toei lines.
Affiliate link. [How to use it →](/passes/tokyo-subway-ticket)Hakone Freepass
8 kinds of transport, including the Odakyu round trip from Shinjuku and the buses, cable car, ropeway and boat in Hakone.
Affiliate link. [Is it worth it? →](/passes/hakone-freepass)Doing several day trips from Tokyo (Nikko, Karuizawa, Kawaguchiko)? Look at the JR Tokyo Wide Pass, ¥16,000 for 3 days (from 14 March 2026). JR Tokyo Wide Pass →
Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka: is the JR Pass worth it?
No. Separate tickets are about ¥20,000 cheaper than the 7-day pass.
Adding Hiroshima: JR Pass or a JR West pass?
Tokyo → Kyoto → Osaka → Hiroshima → Tokyo is ¥45,460 in separate tickets. That's close to the ¥50,000 pass, but still cheaper, and the pass makes you skip the Nozomi or pay ¥4,960–¥6,500 per ride.
Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass
5 days. Shin-Osaka–Hiroshima Shinkansen, Kansai JR trains, HARUKA from Kansai Airport and the Miyajima ferry. Doesn't cover Tokyo.
Affiliate link. Shin-Osaka–Hiroshima return alone is ¥21,900.JR Pass
Wins only if side trips in the same 7 days (Himeji, Nara and others) add more than ¥4,540 to the ¥45,460 above.
Adding Kanazawa: is the Hokuriku Arch Pass worth it?
Tokyo → Kanazawa → Kyoto → Osaka one way is about ¥22,900 in separate tickets. The Hokuriku Arch Pass is ¥35,000 for 7 days, so it only pays off if you ride the arch in both directions or add many side trips.
When does the JR Pass actually win?
When your long rides add up to more than ¥50,000 inside 7 days. Example: Tokyo → Kanazawa (about ¥14,600) → Kyoto (¥7,720) → Osaka (¥580) → Hiroshima (¥10,950) → Tokyo (¥19,760) is about ¥53,610. The pass saves around ¥3,600, but only if you ride the Hikari and Sakura instead of the Nozomi.
The official site is ¥3,000 cheaper than agencies for 7 days. Agency links are affiliate links. You can buy the pass at most one month before its start date.
Kansai only: what replaced the Kansai Area Pass?
JR West stopped selling the Kansai Area Pass on 30 September 2026 (passes bought before then stay valid). For Osaka, Kyoto and Nara, you can pay as you go with an ICOCA card: Kyoto–Osaka is ¥580 and Kyoto–Nara ¥720.
Kansai WIDE Area Pass
5 days. Kansai plus Okayama, Takamatsu and Tottori, Shin-Osaka–Okayama Shinkansen, HARUKA.
Northern Japan or Kyushu?
JR EAST PASS
All JR East lines. Replaced the old JR East Pass (Tohoku area) in March 2026.
Affiliate link. [JR EAST PASS explained →](/passes/jr-east-pass)All Kyushu Pass
Kyushu Shinkansen and limited expresses. Not valid on the Sanyo Shinkansen Hakata–Kokura.
Common mistakes
Buying the JR Pass "to be safe"
It only pays off if your long rides inside 7 days add up to more than ¥50,000. Add up your actual rides first. Inside cities, IC cards and day passes do the job.
Expecting the JR Pass to cover the Nozomi
It doesn't. You buy a Nozomi ticket per ride (¥4,960 Tokyo–Kyoto or Shin-Osaka), or ride the slower Hikari for free. Nozomi with the JR Pass →
Buying a regional pass that doesn't reach Tokyo
None of the JR West passes covers the Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka. Budget that leg separately.
Still not sure?
Put your exact trips into the calculator. It compares separate tickets with the JR Pass, including the Nozomi fee.
The Klook link is an affiliate link. Compare with the price on JR's own booking sites.