**I’ve been bombarded with questions about the JR Pass. Please note that I can’t answer every question, but you if you read this entire post, I make it pretty clear on how to know if a JR Pass is worth it. Don’t take it as a personal slight if I don’t respond to you.
First-time visitors to Japan are often amazed at the extensive rail network. Admittedly taking a look at the metro map of Tokyo can be incredibly intimidating, but once you arrive you’ll quickly realize how easy it is to navigate the system. Of course, the rail network isn’t limited to just the cities, Japan easily has the most efficient bullet trains – known locally as shinkansen – in the world.
Travellers will be happy to know that the Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass) is a cost-effective way to travel across long distances in Japan. The JR Pass is only available to tourists and can be ordered before you arrive in Japan or purchased at any JR office in Japan before March 31, 2019. If you purchase it in advance, you’ll receive a voucher which you exchange for your pass in person in Japan. So if you forget your pass at home before departing, you’re out of luck. Unitl March 31, 2019, JR allows visitors to purchase the JR pass in person at any of their offices. Note that it’ll cost you a bit more if you do decide to go this route.
The pass comes in two types: ordinary and green cars. Green cars are first class seats which give you more spacious seats, but ordinary cars are quite comfortable already so there’s no need to upgrade. Let’s take a look at the JR pass price (when bought in advance) and see what the value is. Note that children aged 6-11 get 50% off the listed rates.
Days | Ordinary | Green Car |
---|---|---|
7 consecutive days | ¥ 29,110 | ¥ 38,880 |
14 consecutive days | ¥ 46,390 | ¥ 62,950 |
21 consecutive days | ¥ 59,350 | ¥ 81,870 |
Is the Japan Rail pass worth it?
It really comes down to simple math. If buying single tickets to your intended destinations cost more than a pass, then obviously the JR Rail Pass is worth it. You can look up the exact costs and times of your intended route on Hyperdia, but here’s a quick way to help you calculate if getting a Japan Rail Pass is worth it for you.
- Tokyo – Osaka: ¥ 14,450
- Osaka – Hiroshima: ¥ 10,230
Using these base trip costs you can see that a 7-day JR Pass is worth it if you do a round trip from Tokyo to Osaka. If you’re flying into Tokyo and out of Osaka, a 7-day pass likely won’t be worth it unless you’re making a side trip to somewhere far such as Hiroshima. Again, use hyperdia.com to add up all the costs of one way tickets and then compare it to the price of a JR pass. Often, you may just come out under, but you need to factor in the costs of local transit as well as using the pass to get you to/from the airport.
For the 14-day pass, you need to go as far as Hiroshima to maximize the value. If you plan on making trips to say Hakuba, Takayama, and other places, a 14-day pass may still be worth it, I just use Hiroshima as a reference point for costs. The price difference is pretty small between a 14-day and 21-day pass so adding another day trip or two and the JR pass price for 21 days all of a sudden becomes an incredible value.
If you’re flying into Tokyo, but departing from Osaka, purchasing one-way tickets might be of better value. Also note that you get to select when your JR Pass becomes activated, so if you plan your trip well, you may only need a 7-day pass even if you’re in the country for longer than that.
There are regional JR Passes available, but they can be of limited use. If you’re thinking about getting one of those instead, check with hyperdia.com to see if you’re getting good value from it.
Where is the Japan Rail Pass valid?
Since this is a physical paper pass and not an electronic card type pass, you can not use it at the turnstiles. All you need to do is show it to the ticket agent at the station and they’ll let you through. The following are the types of transportation you can use your pass on.
JR Trains – The JR Pass will give you access to all JR trains nationwide including shinkansen (except Nozomi & Mizuho trains), limited express, express, rapid and local trains. This includes the Narita Express train to/from Narita airport and the Tokyo monorail to/from Haneda airport. JR pass holders can make free seat reservations for the Shinkansen at any JR station with a JR office.
JR Trains in Tokyo – This is where a lot of confusion comes in. The JR Yamanote and Chuo lines are owned by Japan Rail so you can use those two lines for free with an active pass. The other metro lines are run by different companies and you will need to use an IC card (detailed below). You do not need a JR Pass if you’re staying just in one city.
JR Ferry to Miyajima – The JR ferry to Miyajima located near Miyajimaguchi station can’t be missed. There are only two lines and one is marked with “JR.” Just flash your pass as you get on. When you return from Miyajima, just show your pass again to get on the ferry.
Local JR Buses – Not many tourists will use local JR buses, but your pass is valid on them. The one major bus route that tourists may be interested in is the JR tourist loop bus in Hiroshima. Your JR pass is NOT valid for the Raku bus in Kyoto.
Final word
As you can see the JR Rail Pass is worth it if you’re travelling a long distance in a set time period. The other advantage is that since you won’t need to buy train tickets, you can make any random side trip when you want to.
If you’re going to be in a single major city such as Tokyo or Kyoto, then you’re better off using a local IC card for your daily needs and supplementing it with individual tickets for any day trips. To be clear, if you’re visiting just Tokyo, then all you need is a Suica or Pasmo card.
I found the JR Pass to be incredibly convenient for tourism, and far more useful than I initially expected. It seems there are a lot of JR trains that are decent alternatives to other train and bus routes, so we used it a lot. If you use Google Maps for directions as I did, you just have to filter your searches mentally for JR trains. (I wish Google Maps had a filter with just JR trains!) Often our guidebooks didn’t mention the JR alternatives, so look for them yourself to save money.
Our trip in Kyoto to the Golden Temple was a good example of how we biased our search to a JR line. There are multiple ways to travel there: either an all-bus trip, a trip on a non-JR train to a bus, or a trip on a JR train to a bus. The all-bus is the longest, but you can use the Kyoto Bus daypass. The two train journeys were faster than the all-bus, and not much different in travel time from each other. So of course we chose the JR route. This happened many times — to Himeji, Osaka (twice), Kyoto-Tokyo, and Hiroshima where we also used it for the Miyajima Ferry.
Waving the JR Pass instead of buying specific tickets to get onto unreserved trains was also far more convenient. Not all JR ticket offices have English speakers; wish you could buy tickets online or at your hotel.
As for the subways and non-JR trains, it was great to see how the PASMO card worked for all of them that we took. Couldn’t miss a Hashin Tigers game!
HamTech.
Yes the JR pass is so convenient once you learn exactly where you can use it. The app Japan Trains is also really useful since you can filter it with or without the JR Pass. I did figure out in Kyoto it was easier to use the bus. Even in Osaka, I opted to use my Suica card because it was easier than using the long way via JR pass.
Hi Barry,
I’m going to Tokyo (four days), then off to Kyoto (3 days), day trip to Nara and back to Kyoto, then heading to Nara and leaving from the Osaka airport. Since I’m not doing the round trip back to Tokyo, do you recommend getting the JR pass or is buying tickets on the go a better option? Thank you so much for your help in advance!
Krystal,
One way tickets are likely your best bet. I don’t even think the Kansai Pass will be worth it for you.
Out of curiosity, why are you headed back to Nara before going to the Osaka airport? Can you not go direct?
Hi Barry,
Me and my wife intend to travel from Tokyo to kyoto then to Nara and Osaka and then to Hiroshima and back to Osaka to fly home, Will the JR Pass be a better option ?
Hi Mark,
If you’re able to complete your travel from Tokyo to Hiroshima and back to Osaka in a 7-day window, then the 7-day JR Pass is an excellent value. You could just activate it the day you leave Tokyo or just ensure your pass is active for your return journey from Hiroshima to Osaka. If you have other side trips planned, just add up the individual costs on Hyperdia to see if it’s worth it for a 7-day or even a 14-day pass.
Hey Barry,
Since you seem to be extremely helpful with the all the other comments, wondering if you could help me out regarding purchasing a JR Pass or not.
We arrive in Haneda, and fly straight to Sapporo for 2 days.
We then fly back to Tokyo to spend 5 days there including a visit to Mt. Fuji.(Thinking to activate the 7 day JR Pass on the Monday or Tuesday so i can make my trip to Kyoto and Osaka count)
We then take a train to Kyoto for 3 days
Osaka for 1 day and then fly back from Osaka
Thanks
Wilfred,
If you’re flying back from Osaka, I doubt the 7 day pass will be worth it. You can just run your exact route via hyperdia.com to see what one-way tickets will cost you vs. a JR pass.
Hi Barry,
You seem to be super helpful. I am going to Japan for two weeks this March and i was convinced that i NEEDED to buy this JR Pass to save money in the end. However, now i am confused after reading this thread! Was hoping you could shed some light. We definitely would not do the 14 day pass, ideally the 7 day pass. If so, when would it make sense to activate it? Or is it not worth it given our route?
This is our plan:
03/09- Land in Tokyo
03/09- Tokyo, 3 nights
03/12- Hakone, 2 nights
03/14- Kyoto, 3 nights
03/17- Osaka, 3 nights
03/20- Japan, 2 nights
Fly out 03/22 from Tokyo
Hi Yelitza,
The 7-day pass isn’t much value to you since you won’t be able to make the return trip to Osaka and back to Tokyo within that time frame. A 14-day pass could be worthwhile, but you’d need to go as far Hiroshima during that time to get your money’s worth. If you don’t plan on going to Hiroshima, then just buy one-way tickets. You could always check your trip costs via Hyperdia.com and then compare it to the cost of a JR Pass
Okay, so even if we buy the Hakone pass separately and activate the JR PASS when leaving hakone on 03/14, and use it up to when we get back to Japan on the 20th, it won’t be worth it? We plan on doing the bamboo forest and a few things in Kyoto and Osaka but seems like the bus passes are better options! We wouldn’t activate the JR pass right away if need be but I’ll deff look at that site.
Generally speaking, the 7-day JR pass is only worth it if you make a return trip from Tokyo to Kyoto. If you were to activate it in Hakone, you’d be travelling a shorter distance so it would not be worth. Hyperdia.com shows you exactly how much a train ticket will cost for your route which makes it easy to calculate if a JR Pass is worth it.
Hi Barry – I was wondering if you could help me decide if the JR rail pass is a good deal for us?
Our itinerary is:
– We land in Narita and need to go to Tokyo.
– 3 nights in Tokyo
-then to Kyoto for 3 nights
-Hakone for 1 night
– Kitakata/Koriyama area 2 nights
– back to Narita to fly out
10 days, 9 nights total for a family of 4 (kids are 13 and 16).
Thank you!
Hi Mikal,
If you activate the pass on the day you leave for Kyoto, you’ll get your money’s worth. Obviously you’ll need to pay for local transit for the other spots. You may also want to look into the Hakone Free Pass (without transportation from Shinjuku)
Ok, so not cost effective to do a 14 day pass, but get the 7 day pass and just use it once we leave for Kyoto from Tokyo? How do we get tickets for the express train from Narita to Tokyo if we don’t have JR pass and reservations?
Thanks!
Correct about the 14/7 day pass. The Narita Express is a regular commuter train, you can buy tickets in the airport and just get on. There’s no need to make a reservation for it.
Thank you!
Hi Barry – husband and I are flying into Haneda for two weeks. We plan a trip to Hakone maybe twice, Tokyo Disney maybe two separate days and maybe Osaka . Would the jr pass be a good idea?
Hi Laura,
Without knowing your full itinerary, it’s hard to say if it’ll be worth it. Generally speaking, if you make a return trip from Tokyo to Hiroshima, a 14-day pass will be worth it. Just check your route on hyperdia.com and then add it all up to see if it’s a better deal to buy a pass.
Do children under 6 travel for free then?
Maxime,
Correct. Kids aged 1-5 ride for free but they’re not entitled to a paid seat. In other words, you can’t reserve a seat for them. If you reserve a seat for yourself, they must sit in your lap. If there is a free seat in the unreserved section, they’re welcome to that.
Hi Barry, thank you for the tip. I am planning to go to Tokyo – Kanazawa- Kyoto – Osaka – Naoshima -Tokyo, my trip is 15 days. `is this pass works for all these places? thanks you
Hi Lou,
Generally speaking, a 14-day JR pass is worth it once you make a return trip from Tokyo to Hiroshima. Although you’re not going as far as Hiroshima, your added trips to Kanazawa and Naoshima appear to make the pass of good value. You’ll obviously have to pay regular fares for one of your days. Depending on your itinerary, I would probably activate the pass as soon as you land and pay regular fares the day you depart.
One tip, get familiar with the JR lines in advance via Hyperdia and download the JR Trains app.
Hi Barry, we are planning to travel from Okinawa to Kyoto to spend 3 days there and then return to Narita airport – would the pass be worthwhile – we could use it to do some trips from Kyoto as well.
thanks, Barbara
Oops I meant Yokohama not Okinawa
apologies
Hi Barbara,
The 7-day is worth while as long as you use the Narita express and make a round trip to Kyoto, so yes it would be worth it. You would be able to use the pass in quite a few places and make side trips to say Nara and Osaka while in Kyoto. The JR pass is of limited use within Kyoto (except to get o Arashiyama), but it’s still of good value just for convenience purposes.
Hi Barry – we will be traveling to Japan in October. We’ll be there for a total of 15 days, spending the first four days in Tokyo. Initially, we were going to purchase a 14 day pass but it seems that JR lines are not convenient for travel within Tokyo and Kyoto. So, we are thinking of purchasing the 7 day pass so that we can travel from Tokyo to Takayama. (We will be visiting Shirakawa-go and Kanazawa but I believe the buses running to both of these towns are not included in the JR pass). From Kanazawa we will be going to Kyoto which will be our base for the rest of the trip. The first two days in Kyoto we will take 2 day trips to Himeji Castle, and Hiroshima/Miyajima to take advantage of the remaining days of the pass. After these two days we are planning on exploring Kyoto, inlacing the bamboo forest, Mt. Koya, Nara and Osaka.
My questions is – the 7 day JR pass covers practically the long distance train rides for the first half of the trip. Would it be best to combine the 7 day JR pass with a Kansai Thru Pass or a JR Kansai regional pass? Not sure which of these two passes is more useful to travel within Kyoto, Nara, Mt. Koya and Osaka and between these towns.
Thanks in advance for your response!
Hi Carol,
A few things to note to help you make up your decision
– The JR lines IMO, are very convenient in Japan. The Yamanote line goes in a circle and goes to almost every major attraction (except Sensoji), there’s also the JR Chuo line that cuts across the city and is represented by a thin grey line on this map.
http://bento.com/pix/subway/tokyo_subway_1700.gif
– The bullet trains now go directly to Kanazawa but not shirakawa as you’ve noted.
Based on what you’ve listed, to me it does sound like a 7-day pass + a Kansai pass makes sense since you’re doing all your long distance travel in those 7 days. The only question is, where are you flying out of? If it’s back in Tokyo, you need to factor that cost in. If it’s Kansai, then I think you already know the answer.
The nice thing about the Kansai pass is that it covers the journey to Koyasan which the JR pass does not.
The only other thing I would advise is to think about your route. I did something similar, but instead of Kanazawa and shirakawa, I spent extra days in Tokyo as the city has a lot to see. It’s really all personal preference, but Japan is a country where you want to slow down when you can.
I should also note that Nara was the last day trip I took and by the time I got there, I was so tired of seeing temples. I spent an hour there and decided to go back to Kyoto and just eat and shop for a change of pace. The temples in Kyoto and Koyasan are absolutely stunning.
Thanks so much for the information. Sorry, I forgot to mention that we are flying out of Osaka – for this reason, I wasn’t sure the 14 day pass made much sense.
In regards to Takayakama, Kanazawa and Shirakawa – we were originally planning on spending extra days in Tokyo and doing one day trip to see Mt. Fuji instead. As of right now, the itinerary feels a bit crammed and too fast paced…I might reconsider going to these towns. Have you been to Takayama and Kanazawa? If so, would you recommend one over the other? We would be arriving in Takayama on October 10th and I believe this is the last day of the autumn festival.
Carol,
Since you’re flying out of Osaka, it seems obvious that your idea of a JR Pass + Kansai pass makes much more sense. I personally did not do Takayama or Kanazawa for the same reasons you are thinking about dropping them now. I felt like my time was better spent elsewhere e.g. more time in Tokyo and Kyoto as my bases.
I spent 7 days in Tokyo the last time I was there and easily found enough things to entertain myself. Part of the fun of Tokyo is exploring random lesser known neighbourhoods e.g. Yanaka Ginza, Daikayama, Kagurazaka.
I had debated Mt. Fuji or Hakone, but just cuz of my timing, I didn’t think it would be worth it (there was volcanic ash in Hakone at the time).
The 2 best places I visited were Koyasan and Miyajima. Both were a touch out of the way, but I LOVED them. Himeji was nice just for the castle. You could easily stop in Himeji on your way back to Kyoto as the only thing to see there is the castle.
Thanks Barry, that’s really helpful
are there any other places you would recommend we visit from Kyoto that would utilise the pass
kind regards
Barbara
Barbara,
If you have time and are willing to do a long day-trip. Hiroshima / Miyajima is well worth it. I LOVED Miyajima. That being said, since you only have 3 days in Kyoto, you really only have time to choose ONE day trip. So it would have to be Nara or Hiroshima/Miyajima.
You could also make a long day trip out of Nara e.g. Kyoto –> Nara –> Osaka –> Kyoto. The distance between each place is only 1 hours by JR trains. Be sure to purchase the Nara bus pass if you do this route to save time. Also note that in parts of Osaka, your JR pass will not work, but you can use your Suica or Pasmo card instead.
Hi Barry, I see you are very helpful here and hope I can get a piece of advice.
I’m planning a trip to japan next march, I will arrived and depart from to Narita airport.
My planned itinerary would be:
Tokyo 4 days
Mt Fuji 3 days
Kyoto-Nara-Osaka 6 days
Hiroshima 2 days
I think te best deal would be to activate a 14 day pass once I leave tokyo for the rest of my trip and return at the end.
I just need to resolve how to get from Narita to Tokyo without a JR Pass.
Any kind suggestions?
Regards!
Salvador,
I’m assuming on the last day you’re going to travel from Hiroshima to Narita? If that’s the case, just back time your pass and activate it 14 days from your departure date.
As for Narita to Tokyo. You can just buy a one way ticket on the Narita Express or you can take the bus. It’s roughly 3,100 yen.
Wow Barry, you seem like the person who may be able to give me some advice. I am travelling to Japan with my family in December. We are spending 3 nights at Disneyland (we arrive in Tokyo in the evening), 3 nights in Tokyo, 7 nights in Osaka and 7 nights in Hakuba before travelling back to Tokyo to fly home. The whole transport thing is confusing me. We are planning day trips to Hiroshima, Nara and Kyoto. Should we get a 21 day pass or is that not worth it?
I appreciate any assistance you are able to provide.
Sherie
Hey Sherie,
A few things to note
You’ll make your money back with the 21day pass as long as you go from Tokyo -> Hiroshima roundtrip. However, if you’re able to rearrange your itinerary, you could get away with a 14 day pass e.g. depart Tokyo Day 5 and return to Tokyo before the 14-day pass is up.
I personally think the 21-day pass is more convenient, but note that you’ll still need to pay for local transit in some places e.g. Some lines in Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima.
You’ll also want to look at your route to and from Hakuba. From what I understand, connections can be difficult.
http://www.tabitabihakuba.com/get-hakuba-osaka-kyoto/
Hi Barry,
I have read all your comments and I’m still confused on what is best for us, 2 couples.
We will be flying into Haneda airport then we need to get to Kyoto for 2 nights from there we will be going to Osaka 2 nights and then onto Tokyo for a few nights before boarding our cruise on the 13th of October.
We have tours booked in Kyoto but no where else so will probably need trains for sightseeing.
What would you suggest?
Hi Vicki,
It Assuming you’re in Kyoto and Osaka for 4 days combined total, you could probably just get a 7-Day JR pass and activate it whenever it’s convenient for you. The JR pass will be of limited use within Kyoto and Osaka, but the round trip ticket from Tokyo – Kyoto will pretty much mean you’ll break even. You can use the JR pass in Tokyo to get you to most major attractions.
To supplement your local travel, get a suica or passmo card which you can use for non-JR trains. In Kyoto, the tourist bus pass will likely be your best option.
https://www.moneywehave.com/kyoto-tourist-bus-the-raku-bus/
Hi Barry, can you help me decide the best pass to get please? I’m traveling from Tokyo (and Kamakura & Yokohama)-Kanazawa-Takayama-Kyoto (and Koyasan)-Osaka-Hiroshima (and Miyajima)-Fukuoka
I’m traveling one way and not returning to Tokyo via train, total time in Japan is about 17 days, I know it’s a busy agenda! I’m curious whether JR is the best option or maybe something else?
Thanks!
Leon
Hi Leon,
It’s a bit trickier for you since you’re going one way. I suspect one-way tickets and possibly a Kansai pass may be the best value for you, however a 14-day JR pass my be the most convenient. I would suggest pricing out your individual routes at the following sites and then compare it to available passes.
http://japan.aoimirai.net/jrpass_calculator.html
http://www.hyperdia.com/
Hello Barry,
My husband and I are planning a trip and we are struggling to understand if the JR Pass will work for us. We need to travel by train from Kanazawa to Kyoto, from Kyoto we would like to do a anumber of day trips to Nara, Konya-San and Kinosaki and the. To go from Kyoto to Tokyo.
We would be very grateful for any advice.
Kind regards
Karen
9 Oct Takayama 02 301 Car
17th century medieval town
Museums
Kanazawa 10 Oct Kyoto 02 Train
Travel to Kanazawa to drop off car
Kyoto 11 Oct Nara
1h by Car less by train
Train
Kyoto will be the central base and Nara, Koya-San and Kinosaki will be day trips by train (not car)
Home to 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites Todaiji Temple Fushimi Inari Shrine
World’s largest wooden structure and home to Japan’s largest Buddha
Kyoto 12 Oct Koya-san
3h 30m by car and will be less by train
Train
Kyoto will be the central base and Nara, Koya-San and Kinosaki will be day trips by train (not car)
Kongobuji Temple and Garan temple complex
Kyoto 13 Oct Kinosaki Train
Kyoto will be the central base and Nara, Koya-San and Kinosaki will be day trips by train (not car)
Onsen Town Hot Springs
Kyoto 14 Oct
Booked Castle Tour with Ken
Kyoto 15 Oct Tokyo Hilton
Tokyo 16 Oct Hilton
Customised tour of Tokyo with Yoko
Hey Karen,
Is there a reason you’re renting a car to Kanazawa? Also, I see you’re starting in Takayama? Is there a reason for this too? What airport are you flying into?
What I’m getting at is, if you build your itinerary a bit differently, you could probably maximize different passes.
The Kyoto Thru Pass will cover your for Nara and Koya-san. Kinosaku (if you mean Kinosaki Onsen seems out of your way). When you depart Kyoto, you could get the Takayama-Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass which would get you to Kanazawa and Takayama. You could then use that same pass to get to Nagoya before purchasing a one way ticket to Tokyo.
http://www.surutto.com/tickets/kansai_thru_english.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_takayama_hokuriku.html
If you’re schedule is fixed, one way-tickets might be your best option since you’re renting cars. If you don’t rent a car, a 7-day pass may be good enough as long as you arrive in Tokyo by the time it expires. Use the following sites to check how much you’ll spend on one way ticketes.
http://japan.aoimirai.net/jrpass_calculator.html
http://www.hyperdia.com/
Hi Barry,
I need some suggestions.
So I’m planning to go to Japan next March 2018 and going for about 14 days. I’m flying in and out from Tokyo Narita Airport. I’m not sure if I should get the 7 days pass or 14 days pass. My plan is to stay in Tokyo the first 2 nights, then move to Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Nara the next 6 days, then coming back to Tokyo on the 9th day in Japan. My problem is that do I need to use the JR pass from Narita to Tokyo and Tokyo to Narita or a general pass will do and be much cheaper? And I will be activating the JR pass on the 3rd day in Japan to travel to Kyoto area. So I’ll only need a 7-day pass.
Melody,
Using a 7-day pass and activating it on day 3 is probably your best bet. You can buy individual tickets for the Narita Express or take the bus.
One personal thing to note, I found Kobe to be incredibly boring. I went there for the beef, but I didn’t think it was anything special.
I’m actually going Kobe just to try Kobe beef tenpanyaki too!! Can you recommend some restaurants ??
Will the individual tickets for Narita Express be too expensive?
Melody,
Steakland is the most popular spot, but honestly, I think teppanyaki style steak is really overrated. I personally would rather make a run to Hiroshima and Miyajima if you have the time.
As for the Narita Express, it should be around 3,200 Yen for an ordinary class ticket. Some people think that’s expensive, but I think it’s pretty reasonable considering it’s like a 60min train ride.
Unfortunately, I dont have the time to go down to Hiroshima. How much approximately did it cost in Steakland and do I need to make a reservation?
Does the JR railway take the same amount of time to reach Tokyo (60min) ?
hi barry, I’m hoping you can help.
we are travelling to japan in October this year leaving UK 04th arriving at narita airport on the 05th. we are wondering if it is worth getting a JR pass for our time. we need to make the following train journeys
narita airport to tokyo (05th)
tokyo to kyoto (08th) first available train in the morning. how early do they start?
koyto to osaka(kansai) airport (10th)
or does it work out cheeper to do individual tickets?
many thanks
Hi
My sister and I want to travel from Hiroshima to Mt Koyo overnight then onto Osaka. Is this possible to use Japan rail pass?
Hi Leigh,
The JR pass would only cover Hiroshima to Osaka. You would have to purchase the Koyasan World Ticket to get from Osaka to Koyasan.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_012.html
Note that Hiroshima to Osaka is about 3 hours and then Koyasan is another 1.5 – 2 hour journey, so plan accordingly. If you can, try to stay overnight in Kyoto or Osaka before heading to Koyasan in the morning.
Hello Barry,
My partner and I are arriving at Narita Airport and are spending 6 nights in Tokyo, then going to Kyoto for 3 nights, Hiroshima/Miyajima for 1 night, Osaka (with a day trip to Nara) for 4 nights, then flying out of Kansai Airport. Would you advise the 7 day rail pass is more cost effective (activating it on last day when we go to Kyoto), the 14 days rail pass and activate from day 1, or just purchasing one way tickets and forgetting about the rail pass altogether?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Kristy,
The 7-day pass would indeed be the best value for you. I agree it’s best to activate it the day you depart Tokyo (use it to get to the Shinkasen station). You can then use it in Kyoto (to get to Arashiyama), Hiroshima / Miyajima and then to get to Nara while in Osaka.
There is a JR circle line in Osaka which you can use, but I found it to be not that convenient and just paid to use the regular lines.
You could also use your JR pass to go to Himeji if you wanted another day trip from Osaka.
Dear Barry,
My family will be flying to Osaka in November, taking a train to stay in Kyoto for 2 nights, then 4 nights at Osaka. Plan to go to Shirakawa-go & Kanazawa from Osaka. What is the best travelling method?
Is it worth getting the 7 day JR pass?
Any suggestions on what & where to go to while in Kyoto & Osaka.
Please advise.
Hi Maria,
If the furthest you’re headed is Shirakawa-go & Kanazawa, I don’t think the 7-day JR pass will be worth it as normally you would need to make a return trip to Tokyo to break even.
I’m looking at the Kanzai Thru pass and I doubt it would be of good value.
I suspect your best bet is to just pick up a ICOCA or PiTaPa card and just pay as you go.
Use the following sites to schedules and costs to figure out what’s the best value for your itinerary.
http://japan.aoimirai.net/jrpass_calculator.html
http://www.hyperdia.com/
My son is traveling to Tokyo with a friend for 2 weeks. They have a few activities planned, but were planning on getting the JR Pass for convenience.. can you travel to places like Osaka or Kyoto and return in a day? Can you see things like the countryside of Japan just taking trips on the train? Is there a better pass to get if staying mainly in Tokyo?
Hi Barry,
I really appreciate this article and your responsiveness to us uninitiated travellers to Japan!
Here’s my itinerary and I’m hoping you can give me your feedback on JR vs. point to point as I’ll be in
Japan for all of April, but from April 20 onward I’ll just in tokyo or doing short day trips, to Disney for example.
Tokyo to Osaka
Osaka to Tokyo
Tokyo to Kyoto
Kyoto to Toba (to see the Ise Shima area)
Toba back to Tokyo
So I can get the 21-Day pass, but I’ve been reading that the JR rail only includes the slower trains, is that correct?
Looking forward to your feedback.
Thank you in advance for your time. 🙂
Hi Michael,
Is it at all possible to do all your long distance travel within a 2 week period? E.g. activate your 14-day pass when you depart Tokyo for Osaka and make sure you return from Toba before the 14days are up? If not, the 21 days pass will still be worth it, but I’m just trying to see if it’s at all possible to bring down the costs.
With the JR Pass, you wouldn’t get access to NOZOMI and MIZUHO trains, but the time difference is only 15mins from Tokyo -> Kyoto compared to all the other Shinkansen so it really doesn’t matter.
Unfortunately I can do it in 15 days but not 14. It’s with 2 separate friends so my schedule is beholden to theirs. Good news is that I can still do day trips outside Tokyo to get even more use from the JR Pass.
But in the end, the 21-day pass will still be worth it at nearly $600?
Is there a region pass I could get or just the all japan pass?
Planning to order tomorrow so thanks a lot for your quick replies. Life saver!!
Michael,
The problem is, you’re going through multiple regions and backtracking to Tokyo, so I suspect the regional passes wouldn’t be much better. I took a look at Hyperdia and a 1-way ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto one-way is ¥14,110. Since you’re technically making that trip 4 times, that’s a total of ¥56,440. Kyoto to Toba is another ¥9,030 which totals ¥65,470. Buying a 21-day pass is still cheaper. At least you could use your pass for any other JR trains when using local public transportation.
That being said, I’m not an expert when it comes to regional passes. I would suggest posting on reddit to see if the locals have a better solution.
https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/
My mind is boggling at the trains! not sure if the Jr pass is worth it for me.
I fly into Tokyo for 5 nights,
then to Hakone for 1 night
Kyoto for 3 nights
Osaka for 4 nights
and fly out of Osaka.
From what I’ve read maybe not?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Sarah,
You’re correct, it would be cheaper to simply buy point to point tickets for your trip. That being said, the Hakone Free Pass would be of good value if you plan on doing the circuit. The Kyoto Raku Bus pass would also be good.
https://www.moneywehave.com/kyoto-tourist-bus-the-raku-bus/
Hi Barry
Traveling to japan may 2018
Only for 6 days
Staying in Tokyo
Was planning on doing a day trip to Kyoto
Is it worth it to get an JR pass
Or just the prepaid ic card.
Thankyou
Mel,
Are you flying home from Tokyo? If so, a 7-day JR pass is still worth a roundtrip ticket on the Narita Express + a roundtrip ticket to Kyoto will cost more than a 7-day pass.
That being said, with just 6 days in Tokyo, I wouldn’t advise a day trip to Kyoto as there is so much to see there. You might be better off going Kamakura instead. If you drop Kyoto, a JR pass would NOT be worth it.
Hi Barry,
We’ll be traveling from Tokyo to Fujiyama, Kyoto, Koyasan and Osaka in twelve days.
Could you please advise whether the JR pass is worthy?
Thanks heaps!
Pohism
Choo,
Are you heading back to Tokyo at the end? If so, then a 7 day pass is worth it if you can do all your travel in that time. If you’re flying out of Osaka, just buy point to point tickets. For Koyasan, you’ll need to buy the Koyasan World Heritage Ticket.
Hi Barry,
I’ll depart from Osaka, not going back to Tokyo.
Noted your advice.
Greatly appreciate your kind and prompt feedback! It’s really helpful!
Secondly, is it more convenient to travel from Osaka or Kyoto to Koyasan?
Cheers!
To get to Koyasan, you need to depart from Osaka Namba so technically speaking, it’s more convenient to travel from Osaka. If you do depart from Kyoto, just budget another hour for your travel time.
When I travelled to Koyasan, I started from Kyoto as it was more convenient for my overall schedule.
Hi Barry, I’ve spent a long time deliberating over the JR pass and it’s benefits so hoping you can advise me please.
March 2019
Fly into Osaka 5 nights, Kyoto 4 nights (day trips not yet decided) then Tokyo 6 nights (staying in and around Tokyo) Fly out of Tokyo Total stay 15 nights
Many thanks in advance, Dominique
Dominique,
Without knowing your day trips, it’s hard to say if a pass is worth it. If you plan on going to Hiroshima then a 7-day pass could be worth it if you do all your major travel within that time frame. Check hyperdia.com for individual route costs so you can start building out your itinerary.
Hi Barry,
we are travelling into and out of Tokyo (Narita) in April with 4 days in Toyko and 3 days in Kyoto. we are 2 adults and wondering whether the 7 day pass is the best option
Thanks
LM
Hi Leone,
Assuming that you’re doing all your travel in 7 days, then yes, a 7-day pass is worth it.
Remember, you can also use your JR Pass for the Narita Express so you can use it as soon as you land. The JR Yamanote Line will get you too all the major areas in Tokyo with the exception of Sensoji Temple and Roppongi.
Note that the JR Pass is of limited use in Kyoto, but you can get a Raku bus pass there for 500 yen.
https://www.moneywehave.com/kyoto-tourist-bus-the-raku-bus/
Hi Barry, we are travelling to Japan for a short stay March 2019. We are going to Nozawa Onsen from Tokyo (arriving and departing to Australia from Narita) and spending time at Disneyland/DisneySea. There are 4 adults and 3 kids ages 6-9 years. I am not sure that the JR pass would be worth it for our families? I would like your advice please. Thanks.
Hi Katie,
Are you travelling anywhere else besides Nozawa Onsen and for how long?
Looking at Hyperdia, a return ticket to TOGARINOZAWA-ONSEN will cost you about 18,000 Yen so you’ll unlikely get good value out of a 7 day pass.
If you were making a return trip to say Kyoto, you’d get your money’s worth.
Thanks, Barry. No other journeys only Tokyo to Nozawa return. 5 days in the snow and 4 days in Tokyo. I appreciate your advice. Kind regards.
Hi Barry
I understand if you buy the pass online (we are in Australia) you need to exchange it for a voucher once in Japan. We are traveling over the Dec/Jan holiday period (30/12 from Kyoto to Kanazawa, 2/1 Kanazawa to Takayama (is it better to take the bus??), 4/1 Takayama to Tokyo)
People are telling me I need to prebook our seats as it is very busy this time of year. Can I only book the seats online before we get to to Japan or do I have to wait until we get our voucher (we arrive in Osaka on 23/12)
Thanks for your help.
Hi Ros,
To confirm, you’re starting in Kyoto and ending in Tokyo? What day do you depart?
Technically speaking, the cost of buying one way tickets is cheaper than a 7-day JR pass, but it’s almost a wash. I personally would just by the 7-day pass assuming you’re doing all of your travel in 7days. You could even use it for the Narita Express.
You can only activate your pass when in Japan which in turn means you can only book your seats at that time. You book your seats at the JR office in Kyoto station. You can book ALL your seats at the same time.
Note that even if you can’t get a reserved seat, you could just line up earlier for a non reserved car.
Hi Barry
Actually we are starting in Osaka. So Osaka – Kyoto, Kyoto – Kanazawa, Kanazawa – Takayama, Takayama – Tokyo.
But it may change and we might skip Kanazawa all together and stay in Hiroshima for a couple of nights instead… Osaka – Hiroshima, Hiroshima – Kyoto, Kyoto – Takayama, Takayama-Tokyo. We will do one day side trips from Kyoto and Tokyo as well.
Total time of stay 23/12 to 11/1.
Thanks
Ros
Hi Ros,
It’s a bit hard for me to comment right now without knowing your entire route. Obviously, in an ideal world, you would do all your major travel in a 7day window which would likely be Kyoto to Hiroshima and then all the way to Tokyo. However, that may not be possible.
I would honestly just plug your route into hyperdia to see how much one-way tickets cost compared to a 7 or 14-day pass.
http://www.hyperdia.com/en/
Obviously, if one-way tickets are cheaper then just buy those. That being said, if it’s only costing you a little more for the pass, it may very well be worth it. a JR pass will also be convenient for side trips to say Nara or Himeji while in Kyoro or Nikko and Kamakura when in Tokyo. The pass is also good for a few lines in Kyoto / Osaka and it can get you just about anywhere in Tokyo if you’re close to the JR Yamanote line.
Hi Barry – I found your post helpful as my partner and I are travelling to Japan next month!
I’ve done some research and am still deliberating on whether we should get the JR pass. We are there for three weeks and our schedule looks like this:
Fly into Narita – Tokyo (3N/4D) – Hakone (1N/2D) – Matsumoto (1N/2D) – Kanazawa (2N/3D) – Takayama (3N/4D) – Kyoto (4N/5D) – Osaka (4N/5D) – Tokyo (3N/4D)- Fly out of Haneda.
We plan on getting the Hakone Free Pass for Hakone and between Matsumoto and Kanazawa, we are doing the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. We would use the SUICA/PASMO IC Card for travels around Tokyo.
Is it worth getting a 14 or 21 day pass?
The reason why I say a JR 14 day pass is that we could use it when we leave for Matsumoto and use it on the return trip from Osaka to Tokyo. Though I did calculate individual tickets and it works out cheaper by $100AUD, using Hyperdia and using their total prices with seat reservation.
From your experience, is it easy to purchase individual JR tickets, say on the day or day beforehand? For time and convenience, it is better to get a JR Pass for our itinerary?
Cheers,
Helen.
Hi Helen,
You just got to do the math on one-way tickets which breaks down as follows:
Narita Express – ¥3,000
Tokyo – Odawara – ¥3,740
Odawara – Matsumodo – ¥8,500
Matsumodo – Kanazawa – ¥11,000
Kanzawa – Takayama – ¥6,650
Takayama – Kyoto – ¥5,600
Kyoto – Osaka – ¥1,700
Osaka – Tokyo – ¥14,450
That adds up to ¥54,640 which is technically cheaper than the 21-day pass, but simply purchasing the 21-day pass is likely still worth it as you can use it still for the JR lines in Tokyo and Kyoto. Heck, the odds are you’ll do a day trip from Osaka or Kyoto to Himeji, Nara, or Hiroshima, so there’s a very good chance you’ll come out ahead.
That being said, if you’re able to do all your long distance travel in a 14-day window, you’ll be able to save about ¥13,000
Cheers Barry – appreciate it!
BTW,
Miyajima really should be on your itinerary.
https://www.moneywehave.com/hiroshima-and-miyajima-in-one-day-from-kyoto/
Hi Barry!
We will be going on a trip and will be landing on Narita. We will be staying at Ueno for 5 days and will go to Osaka (Umeda) for 3 days. Do you recommend us getting a 7day JR Pass or just buy a single round ticket?
Thank you!
One way tickets would be better
HI,
Thankyou for your excellent article! I am heading to Japan this summer for 12 nights, and am wondering if i should get a 7 or 14 day Jr. Pass. Four nights in Tokyp, then off to Hiroshima for 1 night, then to Kyoro for 4 nights, then finally back to Tokyo for 2 nights. Any advice would be appreciated!
Hi Kelley,
Buying a 7day pass and activating it the day you depart Tokyo would give you the best value.
If you haven’t booked your accommodations yet, please consider using my booking.com affiliate.
https://www.booking.com/index.html?aid=1457715
Hi Barry,
Can you please give me your thoughts on whether a rail pass makes sense for us? This is our itinerary. I’ve stated what I think are the approximate prices per leg. I think (but am not sure) that it does make sense for us to purchase a JR 7-day rail pass, but simply wait to activate it until Day 3. Thank you for the help!!!
Day 1: Arrive Tokyo, Narita Express to Tokyo Station [4,000 yen round-trip?]
Day 2: Tokyo sightseeing [not sure, but guessing about 2,000 yen]
Day 3: Tokyo sightseeing [not sure, but guessing about 2,000 yen]
Day 4: shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagoya, transfer to Takayama [16,000 yen total?]
Day 5: Takayama to Nagoya, transfer to shinkansen to Kyoto [11,000 yen total?]
Day 6: Kyoto sightseeing [not sure if I can use my rail pass in Kyoto?]
Day 7: Kyoto sightseeing [not sure if I can use my rail pass in Kyoto?]
Day 8: shinkansen from Kyoto to Tokyo [13,500]
Day 9: Tokyo sightseeing [guessing about 1,000 yen]/ Narita Express from Tokyo Station [0 yen, already included in round trip ticket]
Rocanne,
You nailed it, getting 7-day pass and then activating it on day 3 will give you the best value. A few notes
– Buy a one way ticket for the Narita Express on the way in since you can use your JR pass for it on the way out.
– It’s unlikely you’ll use 2,000 yen per day in Tokyo, but it’s roughly 300 yen per trip
– In Kyoto, you can really only use the JR Pass for the JR Sagano line which will take you to Arashiyama. You can also use the pass to get you to Kyoto or the express train to Osaka. For Kyoto, buy a Raku bus pass instead.
If you haven’t booked your accommodations yet, please consider using my booking.com affiliate.
https://www.booking.com/index.html?aid=1457715
Hi Barry
We would be travelling as follows :
Enter into Osaka (From Jeju,Island)
10th &11th May : Osaka
11th-13th May : Kyoto
13th-16th May : Tokyo
16th May : Fly out of Tokyo
Does it make sense to take the JR 7 day Pass ? Because ideally the long distance travel would only be Kyoto to Tokyo (no return) However, we want to try out the Nozomi express (fastest bullet train) as well which is not covered in the pass and need access to the subways etc in Kyoto and Tokyo.
Please let me know,
Thank you
Saira
Hi Saira,
Since you’re only going one way, it’s better to just buy point to point tickets.
You could simply pay for the Nozomi when you buy your one way ticket, but the premium is not worth since you’ll only save about 15mins.
Hey Barry,
I’m going to Japan for 10 days in May flying in and out of Tokyo. I was planning on visiting Kyoto, Osaka and a couple other places. I don’t have much planned yet but I was wondering if you think it would be best to buy a 7 day or a 14 day travel pass.
Thanks,
Matt
Hi Matt
The 7-day pass would likely be worth it since you’re making a round trip from Tokyo. Just make sure it’s active for your travel to and from Kyoto.
If you haven’t booked your accommodations yet, please consider using my booking.com affiliate.
https://www.booking.com/index.html?aid=1457715
Hi Barry,
We would really like to get your opinion if we should get the 7 day pass. Our trip is as follows:
Arrive in Osaka
Spend 4 days in Osaka with day trips to Hiroshima and Himeji
Activate JLR 7 day pass to go Kyoto from Osaka
Spend 4 days in Kyoto
Kyoto to Tokyo
Spend 6 days in Tokyo with a day trip to Hakone
Fly off from Tokyo
Thank you and i look forward to hearing from you
Hi Pree,
I personally would advise the following
2 Days in Osaka
6 days in Kyoto with day trips to Hiroshima and Himeji ( go to Hiroshima on day 3 and activate your JR pass then)
6 days in Tokyo
The cost from Osaka to Kyoto is not very expensive if you take the local train which is why I suggest moving more days to Kyoto and using that as your base.
If you book a hotel near Kyoto station, then things can be really easy. You could also use your JR Pass to go to Nara from Kyoto if you so desired.
Also note that if you want to day trip to Hakone, it may be worth doing as you transit from Kyoto to Tokyo, but that’s a personal chouce.
Hi Barry need you advise for Japan trip planning for my family trip for 2 adult, 2kids aged 6 and 3 years old. Planning to visit Osaka, universal studio and Disneyland in tokyo. Worth to buy JR 7 day pass travel ? Planning to stay for 7 days.
either depart from Osaka and take train to Tokyo or vice versa. Save the traveling time and cost.
What is your best advise. Thank you.
Hi Barry,
Would it be cost effective for my family and I to get a 7 or 14 day JR pass with the following itinerary?
Day 1: Arrive Tokyo, Narita Airport to Skytower station
Day 2 – 5: Stay in Tokyo – sightseeing
Day 6: shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto
Day 7: Stay in Kyoto – sightseeing
Day 8: shinkansen from Kyoto to Osaka
Day 9: Stay in Osaka
Day 10: shinkansen from Osaka back to Tokyo -> Narita Airport
This is my family’s first trip to Japan (2 kids ages 8 and 10). Would you recommend decreasing the number of days in Tokyo and increasing the days in Kyoto and/or Osaka? If so, what would you recommend in Kyoto and Osaka?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Hi Christine,
Assuming that’s your set schedule, your best bet is to get a 7 day pass and activate it on Day 4 so it’s good to the end of your trip.
This is just my personal opinion, but it may be easier to just stay in Kyoto for 4 days and make day trips as needed to Osaka. This will make things a little easier since that’s one less hotel you need to worry about.
Hi Barry,
Very helpful thread with a lot of information on the JR Pass. I am wondering if you can give me the same advice you have given so many people before me.
My wife and I are travelling to Japan in 3 weeks. We are deciding whether or not to get the 21 day pass. Our itinerary thus far is:
23/06 – Arrive Osaka
25/06 – Osaka to Hiroshima
27/06 – Hiroshima to Kyoto
30/06 – Kyoto to Takayama
02/07 – Takayama to Hakone
04/07 – Hakone to Tokyo
09/07 – Tokyo to Mt Fuji for overnight climb
10/07 – Descend Mt Fuji and return to Tokyo
12/07 – Fly out of Tokyo back home
This is just shy of 3 weeks, so we were wondering whether to get the 21 day pass, or if we would be better off getting the 14 day pass and activating it at a certain point?
Any help would be great.
Thanks,
Michael
Hi Michael,
So you could get a 14-day pass, but you would need to modify your schedule a touch.
Right now, your major travel starts on 25/6 and technically ends on 10/7 which is 15 days.
HOWEVER, if you moved your day trip to Hiroshima while you’re in Kyoto, then you would only need the 14 day pass. Osaka and Tokyo are close enough that you don’t need to take the Shinkansen.
That being said, I’m assuming you’re making some side trips too that you haven’t mentioned e.g. Miyajima, Nara. For convenience purposes, a 21-day JR pass might be worth it so you’re not constantly having to worry about buying one-way tickets.
If you haven’t booked your accommodations yet, please consider using my booking.com affiliate:
https://www.booking.com/index.html?aid=1457715
Hello Barry,
I wanted some advice.
I will be going to Japan in 2 weeks.
Planning on doing 3 days in Tokyo and 2 days in Kyoto and flying out of Tokyo. Is the 7 day pass worth it ? I will be arriving at the Haneda and departing from Narita.
Hi Shay,
For convenience purposes, I would just buy the 7-day pass so you don’t need to worry about purchasing one-way tickets every time. For reference, here’s the math.
7-day ordinary pass = ¥ 29,110
Return trip to Kyoto from Tokyo = ¥ 26,800
The price difference is about $23 USD.
If you factor in the use of the monorail and JR lines in Tokyo, you’ll likely come out ahead with the JR Pass.
Note that the JR Pass does not work in the Tokyo subway so you’ll still need a suica card. In Kyoto, your JR Pass is only good for 2 lines (To Arashiyama and Fushimi Inari-taisha / Nara). You’ll need to use the Raku bus to get to other sites.
https://www.moneywehave.com/kyoto-tourist-bus-the-raku-bus/
Hi Barry,
Family of 3 A 3 C(under12).
We plan to travel end Dec to mid Jan. Question is 7 day pass or 14 days?
Current thought is:
Landing Narita. Will be in Tokyo from christmas eve to 31st Dec (should be going to DisneySea, yokohama, around tokyo and day trips) — CAN be shorter days, if you think need more in osaka kansai region.
Off to Osaka (if JR pass will take shinkansen), or fly direct
Osaka 6 days and doing day trips to Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Nagoya, (Universal Studios, Legoland) and if possible fit in mount Fuji, Hakone
then off to Seoul (from Kansai) – Tokyo
Thanks!
Hi Serene,
How many days will you be in Japan total? It’s hard to assess what is best without more information.
One thing to note right away. You are trying to do A LOT in 14 days. It’s doable, but with 3 kids, you’ll get tired really fast. See below for a rough breakdown
Day 1 – Arrive in Tokyo
Day 2 – Tokyo
Day 3 – DisneySea
Day 4 – Yokohama
Day 5 – Tokyo
Day 6 – Tokyo Daytrip
Day 7 – Nagoya Legoland
Day 8 – Arrive Osaka
Day 9 – Universal Studios (this is in Osaka)
Day 10 – Nara
Day 11 – Hiroshima
Day 12 – Kyoto
Day 13 –
Day 14 –
You can see based on a 14 day itinerary, you’ve already packed too much. 1.5 days of free time in Tokyo is not enough. Nor is one day in Kyoto.
Since you’re flying out of Kansai, you should try to build all of your long distance travel in a 7-day period which would be Tokyo to Nagoya/Osaka/Kyoto and then Osaka to Hiroshima.
If you need to spread out your travels, you’re likely better off buying one way tickets for the Shinkansen.
Hi Barry, sorry to confuse you!
At the moment, I plan to arrive 24th Tokyo and leave for Seoul on 26th for 6 days.
Go direct to Osaka for 7 days. 7th day Head back Tokyo for 6 more days.
Total we have 21 days, not 14.
So thinking of only getting the 7 days pass to start from haneda , Osaka etc …and back again to Tokyo.
Thanks!
Hi Serene
Are you flying to Seoul from Tokyo on the 26th?
From Seoul, do you fly direct to Osaka?
If that’s the case, a 7-day pass is likely best. Just activate it when you’re Osaka on the 4th or 5th day. You can then use it to get to Hiroshima, Nara, Nagoya, and Tokyo.
When the pass isn’t active, just pay locally via a Suica or Passmo card. In Kyoto, the Raku bus is the most convenient way to get around.
A 14-day pass is likely not worth it since you’ll be flying directly into Osaka and then out of Tokyo.
Hi Barry,
So hard to get the plane tickets to Seoul! Fully booked. So I’m flying out of haneda and arriving gimpo instead of narita / Kansai.
Means Tokyo /Seoul/Tokyo.
Going to Osaka from haneda.
Will activate 7 day pass from Tokyo to Osaka and return.
How do I get from haneda to Osaka?
Is it better to stay in Kyoto or Osaka to do the day trips?
Thanks
Hi Serene,
Haneda and Gimpo airports are both closer to Tokyo and Seoul respectively so it’s actually not a bad thing.
Now that you’re landing in Tokyo then headed to Osaka and Hiroshima before you head back to Tokyo to return home, a 14-day JR pass is probably a better value.
To get to Osaka from Haneda (assuming your JR pass is active) you would take the monorail to Hamamatsuchō Station, you would then take the JR Yamanote line to Shinagawa station. You would then take the shinkansen to shin-Osaka. Note that you can get to Shinagawa station directly from Haneda if you take the metro, but this line is not covered by your JR Pass.
I personally prefer to stay in Kyoto to do day trips since there are many hotels near Kyoto station and there are more things to do in Kyoto.
If you haven’t booked your accommodations yet, please consider using my booking.com affiliate.
https://www.booking.com/index.html?aid=1457715
Hi Barry,
In this case, should I take the metro to Shinagawa first and then activate the JR pass there, to get on the Shinkansen to Kyoto?
Or possible to activate at the monorail? Which route is better? since I have so many of us?
I’m planning to get the 7 day pass and activate on the day i reurn from Seoul and heading to Kyoto. from there do my day trips around and use the 6th and 7th day on route from Hakone to Tokyo. I will then have 6 more days in tokyo before heading back home.
I should be able to get around tokyo (Disney Sea, Nissin factory etc) without the JR Pass?
Thanks !
Hi Serene,
The quickest way is to take the Metro directly from Haneda. However, the cheapest way is to go via Monorail and requires a few extra steps. Note that the actual price difference is likely less than 300 Yen but you’ll save 20 mins or so.
Since you’re going to Osaka right away, you should activate your JR pass at Haneda.
If you can complete all your long distance travel in 7 days, then that’s perfect. When you’re back in Tokyo, a Suica or Passmo card will do.
Use the following site to plan your trips. Remember, Japan trains ALWAYS come on time.
http://www.hyperdia.com/en/
Hello Barry,
Can you help me pls if it’s worth buying the JR pass or not. I’ll be travelling with my 8 y/o child. We’ll be arriving and departing from Haneda airport. We’ll be staying in Tokyo for 3 days then on the 4th day to Kyoto. We’ll stay in Kyoto for 4 days then back to Tokyo for 2 days. Plan to take JR Nara line to Fushimi Inari. Also JR Sagano line to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. I booked a full-day trip to Nara.
Can I use the JR pass to explore Ginza and other areas in Tokyo?
Thanks.
Hi Grace,
Getting a 7-day JR pass will likely be worth it just for the convenience purposes. Obviously there will be 2 days in Tokyo where you can’t use the pass so just use a Suica or Passmo card during that time.
The JR pass can be used to get you to Nara from Kyoto. Within Tokyo, you can use it on any JR line (Yamanote and Chuo). The only major destination in Tokyo where your JR pass won’t get you is Sensoji temple.
Hi Barry. We are travelling to Japan in September/October this year and will spend time in Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Osaka and Nikko. We have purchased our Japan Rail Pass (and will activate upon leaving Tokyo).
Would you suggest a Pasmo or Suica card (or something else) for travel in the areas where our Japan Rail Pass doesn’t cover?
Thank you heaps.
Hi Janet,
Any IC card will do to supplement your travels in Japan. Pasmo and Suica are essentially the same thing. Basically, you can use your Suica card just about any place where your JR pass is not accepted. There are a few exceptions though e.g. say you buy a regional pass such as the Hakone Free Pass or the Koyasan World Heritage Ticket. In Kyoto, buying Raku bus pass is likely better since those buses are aimed at tourist.
One other thing to note. Although Osaka has a few JR lines, I personally found that it was not as convenient as just using my suica card and riding the regular lines.
Hi Barry,
I found this article helpful but I would like to seek for your advice with our itinerary if we can maximize the use of JR pass:
Day 1 – ETA KIX then go to Kyoto
Day 2 & 3 – Kyoto (Arashima, Gion District, Fushimi Inari etc)
Day 4 – Nara day trip then go to Osaka
Day 5 – Osaka (Osaka Castle, Ume, Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi)
Day 6 – USJ
Day 7 – Osaka to Tokyo
Day 8 & 9 – Tokyo
Day 10 – ETD Narita
Thank you.
Hi Marrah,
Since you’re flying into KIX and then out of Narita, I suspect a 7day JR pass will not be worth it. It’ll likely be cheaper to simply buy one-way tickets.
You can double check the math by checking your routes via hyperdia.
http://www.hyperdia.com/en/
Hi Barry,
Thanks for the reply. Yeah, we figured that the 7day JR pass is not worth it. We’re thinking of getting 4day JR West Kansai Rail Pass (KIX-Kyoto-Nara-Osaka) then purchase local passes for our DIYS in Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo. Thanks again ^_^
Marrah,
The Kix pass not even be worth it since all of those areas are easily accessible from each other via regular commuter lines.
The Raku bus pass is handy for Kyoto. You can get to/from Nara to/from Koyoto or Osaka for less than 600 yen. The train from Kix to Kyoto is about 2900 Yen.
You’re probably better off just purchasing your Kix to Kyoto ticket on its own, and then purchasing an IC card to use for your regular travel. In Kyoto, use the Raku bus since it gets you to all the tourist attractions.
thanks for the additional info Barry. and yeah I am planning on getting the Raku Bus pass for our Kyoto DIY based on your recommendation from your other blog. actually I was thinking of getting the JR West Kansai Pass for the main reason that it is ‘unlimited’, is that right? if not, will an ICOCA + Haruka IC card suffice for our trip in Kansai region? thanks again
Hey Marrah,
It is unlimited, but based on cost, I think you’ll spend less using an IC Card. the ICOCA + Haruka IC card is likely the best value for you IMO since you’ll mostly be in the Kansai region. The odds are the amount you spend on that will cost you less than had you bought a KIX pass.
I see. another thing that I’m confuse with is about the ‘reserved seats’. how is it done if we’re using an IC card? thanks again.
Hi Marrah,
Which reserved seats are you referring to? As far as I know, IC cards do not get you access to reserved seats on the SHinkansen, you’d purchase that ticket separately.
I’m not really sure about this but I’m referring to reserved seats on the JR train. Can we also use the IC card on the JR trains/buses?
Hi Marrah,
Reserved seats are ONLY for the Shinkansen. You need to buy a separate ticket for that.
Your IC card will work on all modes of transportation in Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo (regardless of who owns the line). Note that it’s cheaper to just buy a bus pass for Kyoto (and Nara if you don’t want to walk).
If I recall correctly, it won’t work in Hiroshima on the tram, but you can just buy an individual ticket on board.
yay! thanks for answering my queries. now I understand. thanks a lot Barry and God bless
Hi Barry,
We will be going to Japan in September for 14 days, and I am trying to put together an itinerary that would make the most sense. Flying in and out of tokyo, but I would like to visit osaka, kyoto, nara, hiroshima, and miyajima, I originally also was going to fit in Kobe, but read on your previous comment that it wouldn’t be worth it. Would the 14 day JR pass be worth it? Also, do you think that we’re trying to fit in too much on our 2 week schedule?
Hi Lynn,
I actually did a similar route but I also did Koyasan so I don’t think you’re trying to fit in too much. I even spent 7 days in Tokyo during that trip.
I personally did not enjoy Kobe. I think Kobe steak is a bit overrated and you can get it anywhere in the country so it’s not like you NEED to go to Kobe for it. That being said, Kobe is only 30mins from Himeji so if you’re going to the castle, you could easily stop in Kobe after.
Since you’re there for 14 days and you’ll be doing a return trip from Tokyo all the way to Hiroshima, the JR Pass will pay for itself. You’ll still need an IC card for some cities and I recommend the Raku bus pass for Kyoto. In Hiroshima, you’ll have to buy separate tickets for the tram.
Hi Barry,
I am heading to Japan for 14 days in September. 5 Days in Tokyo then headed to Nagoya for 1 day followed by Osaka for 4 days, Kyoto for 2 days and then back to Tokyo for 2 days (Narita Airport).
Do you suggest buying the 7 day JR Rail pass or 14 day one?
Hi Becs,
as long as you leave and return to TOkyo within those 7-days, yes a 7-day pass is best for you.
[…] and possible, but I wouldn’t recommend them since you’ll be cramming in too much stuff. A 7-day JR pass will likely be worth it, so be sure to pick one up before you depart. Here’s how to spend one week in […]
Hi Barry,
I will be in Japan for a total of 14 days in September. I could really use your advice about whether I should get a 14-day JR pass or a 7-day JR pass with a regional pass of some kind. Here is my itinerary (everything is flexible):
Sept 20 Day 1 – Arrive Haneda/Tokyo
Sept 21 Day 2 – Tokyo
Sept 22 Day 3 – Tokyo
Sept 23 Day 4 – Kyoto
Sept 24 Day 5 – Kyoto
Sept 25 Day 6 – Kyoto
Sept 26 Day 7 – Kyoto
Sept 27 Day 8 – Kyoto > Kobe
Sept 28 Day 9 – Kobe > Hiroshima (& Miyajima)
Sept 29 Day 10 – Hiroshima >osaka
Sept 30 Day 11 – Osaka > Tokyo
Oct 1 Day 12 – Tokyo
Oct 2 Day 13 – Tokyo
Oct 3 Day 14 – Leave Haneda/Tokyo
I am planning to do some side trips as well – Nara while in Kyoto, maybe Takayama from Tokyo?
What do you think – 7-day pass plus regional pass(es) of some sort, or a 14-day pass?
Also, what is your suggestion for the best/easiest/shortest way to get to Takayama?
Thanks in advance!
Hi JL,
I think a 14-day pass would be easiest. You can activate it at the airport and use it immediately on the monorail.
You’ll still need some regional tickets (not passes) in Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima, but that shouldn’t cost you much.
In Kyoto, purchase a Raku Bus pass and use it for convenience. Your JR pass will get you to Arashiyama.
https://www.moneywehave.com/kyoto-tourist-bus-the-raku-bus/
Hi Barry,
Thanks for all of the great information. I am heading to Japan in October. We will be arriving in Osaka and staying for 4 nights. Then heading to Nagoya for 2 nights and the Tokyko for 7 nights. We fly out of Tokyo. From what I have read, we would be best to buy single tickets instead of a JR pass, is that correct? What sort of card should I use yo pay for tickets, Pasmo, IC? Also, is it easy to travel with suitcases or should we use the bag transport?
Thanks in advance for your help,
Amy
Hi Amy,
Yes, I believe one way tickets would be best. You can buy tickets for the Shinkansen directly from any JR office. They accept cash or major credit cards.
As for local transportation, any IC card will work, but purchasing a Raku Bus pass in Kyoto is a good idea too since it’ll take you to all the major tourist attractions>
Suitcases are fine, just note that during rush hour, trains will be packed so avoid those times if you can. Some train stations are massive too and finding the elevator may not be easy. If you happen to have “backpacks” I’d recommend those, but I also wouldn’t stress about it either.
Thank you so much. Is the bus pass available to purchase on the bus?
Hi Amy,
A single ticket is 230 yen or you can get a day pass for 500 yen. You can read this guide I wrote about the Raku bus for more details.
https://www.moneywehave.com/kyoto-tourist-bus-the-raku-bus/
Thank you
Hi Barry!
Thanks for this! Husband and I are celebrating our Honeymoon and we are so excited! Grateful for this article. Our itinerary is such:
SEPTEMBER 24TH- FLY TO JAPAN
SEPTEMBER 25TH- LAND IN JAPAN
September 26- Tokyo Disney (stay in tokyo)
September 27- Disney Sea
September 28th- October 2st- TOKYO (5 days)
October 3rd- Travel to Hakone, stay overnight in ryokan
October 4th- travel to Kyoto
October 5th-8th- Kyoto ( 4 days), (two of which we would like to commit to Hiroshima & Miyajima)
October 9th- Travel back to tokyo
October 10th- Fly home
We don’t know if the 7 day or 14 day rail pass is worth it, or even if we should get it.
Thank you so much!!
Hi Laura,
Since you depart Tokyo on the 3rd and return on the 9th, you would only need a 7-day pass (activate it on the third).
You can use an IC card (SUICA or passmo) for your local travels in Tokyo. For Hakone, you’ll want to buy the local pass. In Kyoto, you can use a combination of the Raku bus (requires a pass) and your IC card. You can use your JR Pass in Kyoto to get you to Arashiyama, Nara, and Osaka. In Hiroshima, the local trams also take suica cards.
Here are some other articles I wrote that may interest you.
https://www.moneywehave.com/kyoto-3-day-itinerary/
https://www.moneywehave.com/hiroshima-and-miyajima-in-one-day-from-kyoto/
https://www.moneywehave.com/kyoto-tourist-bus-the-raku-bus/
Hello Barry,
Thank you for this information! I just graduated from college and saved enough for my dream trip. I am super excited! I am wondering if it’s worth getting the 7 day pass or the 14 day pass? I will be coming in from Tokyo then heading to Kyoto then Osaka and back to Tokyo for New Years Eve. I am staying for 20 days. Which one would you recommend?
Thank You!
I will be spending 7 days in Kyoto then starving Osaka for 5 days then head to Tokyo
Hi Rachel,
It depends on your route but as long as you go as you make a return trip to Hirsohima from TOkyo, a 14-day pass will pay for itself.
Hi Barry,
What if my itinarary like this? Will 14 days jr pass worth?
10 NOVEMBER
SHINJUKU
SHIBUYA
11 NOVEMBER
ASAKUSA , Akhibara
12 NOVEMBER
Tsukiji Market ~~ Roppongi ~~ Tokyo Towel ~~ Ginza
13 NOVEMBER
OSAKA = Cup Noodle Museum, Dotomburi, Shinsaibashi shopping area, Glico man, Giant Crab, night culinary, 24 hr shopping at DON Q SHINSAIBASHI
14 NOVEMBER
OSAKA = Osaka Castle, Tempozan giant ferris wheel, Santa maria Cruise, Tennoji Temple, Umeda sky building rofftop garden, Hev Five mall and ferris, Dombori river cruise
15 NOVEMBER
HIROSHIMA
MIYAJIMA ISLAND
16 NOVEMBER
HIMEJI CASTLE
KOBE
17 NOVEMBER
KYOTO
18 NOVEMBER
KYOTO
19 NOVEMBER
KANAZAWA
20 NOVEMBER
SHIRAKAWA GO
21 NOVEMBER
YOKOHAMA
22 NOVEMBER
YOKOHAMA
23 NOVEMBER
Tokyo- KAWAGUCHIGO
24 NOVEMBER
Tokyo -KAMAKURA
25 NOVEMBER
Tokyo – EDO WONDERLAND
26 NOVEMBER
TOKYO – Odaiba
27 NOVEMBER
BACK TO BALI
Do u think for the 1st 3 days in Tokyo, do we need to buy tokunai pass for 750 yen or using suica?
What about another city? Will Jr pass pass cover for the local trains for each city or there is an extra fees to buy train tickets or bus?
Thanks in advance
Hi Queenie,
Yes a 14-day pass will be more than worth it based on your itinerary. Just use a Suica card in Tokyo. Your suica can also be used in Kyoto and Osaka for local travel.
Just a few notes.
– You’re doing a lot on day 2 in Osaka. It’s doable, you’ll just be busy.
– If You’re going to Himeji castle, there’s no point in going to Osaka castle, Himeji is MUCH more interesting
– Besides steak and a robot statue, there’s not much to do in Kobe. That being said, since you have it paired with Himeji, you should be good.
– 2 days in Kyoto may not be enough, I would consider adding a day and maybe dropping one from Yokohama
– If you’re spending extra time in Kyoto, you can likely drop Kamakura and edo wonderland
– The backend of your trip with all the day trips is a bit much, you’re going to be travelling too much, you’ll be exhausted.
These are just my own casual observations, you can ignore me if you think you can do it.
Hi Barry,
Thank you for your information.
If you were saying that our backend trips a bit too much specially we are going with our parents. So what do you think that we should skip and what should we do then?
Since all the hotels are booked ?
Do you think is worth to go to Himeji and kobe? We all are vegetarian.. but is it worth to check the city tho?
Or we should take jr and go to Kyoto since u mentioned 2 days in Kyoto won’t enough?
What about shirakawago? Small little town.. is it worth the time to go there or we should just explore Kanazawa or Takayama ?
Thanks again!
Hi Queenie,
I would personally just cut back on some day trips. Tokyo has A LOT to see, so you could just wander the different neighbourhoods and check out the various museums. I spent 9 days in Tokyo the last time I was there and I didn’t even see everything I wanted.
As mentioned, I would also dedicate more time to Kyoto.
Himeji castle is nice, but note there are no elevators. I don’t know how old your parents are, but it’s all stairs. Kobe has a few things to see in the city, but it’s relaly not that exciting. You could spend that extra time in Osaka.
Shirakawago is nice but so are Kanazawa and Takayama. Of those 3, pick one. The bigger issue is that you’re still packing in A LOT of travel. I’m in my mid 30’s and just reading your itinerary was exhausting.
Hi there Barry! You seem to know a lot! Me and my partner is coming from South Korea and taking the ferry to Fukuoka 🙂 we then intend to spend 14-17 days in Japan traveling up to Tokyo with day trips and are researching if a 14 days Jr pass might be worth it. Our itenerary looks like this atm:
Fukuoka (2 days) – >
Hiroshima (3 days with ferry to Miyajima) – >
Himeji (1 day) – >
Osaka (3 days, day trips to Nara and Kobe) – >
Kyoto (3 days, maybe some day trip) – >
Tokyo (3-5 days) (flying to Hongkong after this)
Sadly our to “long trips” are very far apart (Fukuoka-Hiroshima and Kyoto-Tokyo) and since we are traveling one way we have a hard time deciding if its worth getting a 14 days Jr pass.. It seems really nice to have the freedom with the pass but I don’t know if its wise to go for that. Sadly we won’t be able to get all the way to Tokyo in just 7 days I think.
What would you recommend?
Cheers
Amanda and Carl
Hi Carl,
A one way fare from Hakata (Fukuoka) to Tokyo is ¥42,300 whereas a 14-day JR pass is ¥46,390 so you’ll easily be able to get your money’s worth and I’m not even counting your side trips. The convenience alone makes it worth it IMO. You would still need an IC card for local transit.
Here are a few notes about your Itinerary.
You don’t need a separate day in Himeji. Just do Himeji/Kobe (Kobe is kind of boring) as a day trip from Osaka. You could add that extra day to Tokyo or Kyoto.
Since you’re already doing Hiroshima, Miyajima, and Osaka as separate day trips, you might as well spend 3-4 full days in Tokyo. Kanzawa or Takyama are good day trip options, but no need to set it in stone, just see how things go when you’re there.
There is A LOT to do in Tokyo.
Hi Barry,
fantastic job!
I have a question regarding my itinerary:
I stay in Tokyo from November 17th to November 22nd. On November 23rd I go to Osaka and stay there until 29. I plan.to do 3 days Osaka and 3 days Kyoto in that span. Then on 29 to 30th, one night in a ryokan in Hakone. and back to Toyko for last 2 days
Do you think the Japan rail pass 7 days is worth it?
Thanks for your help
Hi Lan,
You’ll just come out ahead with the JR pass with that route but note you’ll still need to pay for local transportation in those cities. Kyoto only has two JR lines. Osaka has a JR line that goes in a circle, but it’s not always that convenient.
Hi Barry,
Bart from The Netherlands here! I came across your website while searching the best means of transportation during my trip to Japan from Nov 3rd – 19th. A lot of good and useful information but I am still wondering what is the best itinerary for me, with or without a JR pass?
I will travel with my girlfriend from Tokyo on Nov 7th to her family in Nagoya, we will stay here a few days and then travel on Nov 12th to Kyoto. Here we are planning to stay either 2 or 3 days, and here the difficulty to chose for either a JR pass or single tickets begins for me:
If we are leaving on the 14th the JR pass will probably not be valid anymore to travel to Osaka / Kobe (since we are then on our 8th day and the JR is only valid for 7 days). Might as well stay another day and leave on the 15th for Osaka, buying a single ticket? I have no idea where to find the expenses for that trip, though.
After the 14th/15th of November we will probably travel with local transport. On the 19th I am leaving back from Osaka to Amsterdam, so I also don’t have a roundtrip back to Tokyo.
A lot of information but my question thus is, what should I do:
– Buy a 7 day JR pass
– Buy a 14 day JR pass; or
– Buy single tickets for each trip?
Hope you can help me out! Thanks in advance
Hi Bart,
It sounds like you’re better off doing one way tickets unless you play on making a run to Hiroshima and back while in Kyoto. To calculate one-way tickets, use Hyperdia- http://www.hyperdia.com/
You would have to use a suica card for local transportation in the cities or the raku bus in Kyoto.
Hi Barry,
Thanks so much for your quick reply! I just checked Hyperdia and indeed, turns out one way tickets are the best option for my trip as it stands now. Thanks again for the tips!
Cheers!
Hello Barry,
We are flying into Haneda Airport on January 23rd, and going via bullet train out to Lotte Arai resort in Myoko on Jan 24th, where will stay a week, then back to Shinjuku for 4 days. We want to be able to do some travelling whilst in Shinjuku to sight see and get alot of activities done, but most likely won’t be doing much travel whilst out on the ski resort for a week. What do you recommend for our travel options? A JR pass is so expensive if we won’t really be needing it!
Hi Shanelle,
Since you’re based in two locations and one for a full week, you’re likely just better off buying one way tickets on the Shinkansen. As for within Tokyo, just use a Suica or Pasmo card. It won’t save you money, but it’ll be easier to get around.
Hey Barry,
Just planning my trip to Japan and a little confused on transport and if the JR pass is worth it.
Flying into Osaka for 4 days doing day trips to kyoto and hiroshima then spending 5 days in Tokyo. Is the pass worth it?
Hi Roly,
A Roundtrip to Hiroshima from Osaka will cost you 20,460 yen while a one way ticket to Tokyo is 14,140 which makes a 7-day JR pass worth it since it’s ¥ 29,110. The pass itself will have limited used in Osaka/Kyoto/Hiroshima, so just use an IC card or the bus for those destinations.
https://www.moneywehave.com/kyoto-tourist-bus-the-raku-bus/
https://www.moneywehave.com/hiroshima-and-miyajima-in-one-day-from-kyoto/
Hi Barry,
Great information, thank you. I will be heading to Japan in June from the 4th-13th. We land at Narita and were thinking of the following itinerary;
4th Narita Express to Tokyo
5th Tokyo
6th Train to Kyoto
7th Kyoto
8th Day Trip to Nara
9th Day trip to Osaka
10th Train Back to Tokyo
11th Tokyo
12th Tokyo
13th Narita Express to Airport
Will the 7 day pass cover all of these trips? I was curious to see if I can use the pass to get a round trip narita express ticket and use the return portion after the 7 days on the 13th. If not is the pass still worth it? Thank you!
9th Train to
Hi Jeff,
You would just about break even with a 7day pass even if you don’t use the Narita Express with it. The convenience alone would be worth it.
Hi Barry,
I am travelling to Osaka from Kansai Airport for 5 nights and then going to Kyoto for 2 nights, Tokyo for 6 nights and back to Osaka for 2 nights and may go to Nara for a day trip. Do you know it is worth buying the JR pass in this case? Thanks
Hi Sally,
If you get the 7-day pass and go to Tokyo and back within that time frame, you’ll probably come out just ahead.
Hi Barry,
So just the transitioning from Tokyo back to Osaka? Would using the JR pass be more efficient and faster than the local trains? Thanks again
Sally,
The JR pass can be handy in Toko since the JR Yamanote line will get you to almost every major tourist attraction. Within Osaka and Kyoto, it has limited use. If you do a run to Hiroshima during this trip, then a 14-day pass will be worth it. It would also almost cover your entire stay.
Hi Barry,
Would the total cost for the local trains be cheaper than the JR pass if i was to buy the 14 day pass ?(basically my entire japan trip) Thank you
For the 14-day pass, it would only be cheaper if you went Osaka, Hiroshima, Tokyo, and back to Osaka. You can basically compare by checking the cost of all your individual trips via http://www.hyperdia.com/
Even if it’s a minimal amount of savings, the convenience of the JR pass is often worth it.
Hi Barry,
Is purchasing the ordinary jr pass alright or do I need to purchase the regional pass
Im going to osaka for 5 days, kyoto for 2 days, tokyo for 6 days and then back to Osaka for 2 days
Hi Barry,
My sister and I are travelling to Japan in December.
Flying into Tokyo (6 nights), move to Osaka (1 night) move to Kyoto (3 nights)
Flying out of Kyoto.
I have been told JR Pass is the way to go, however, after reading the comments perhaps one day tickets are a better option.
Thank you
Hi Lilli,
Unless you’re planning a day trip to Hiroshima when you’re in Kyoto, the odds are individual tickets will be more cost effective for you.
Hi Barry
Loved your article but I am still a little confused.
Itinerary is as follows:
Tokyo (5 nights as base camp to look around tokyo, Mt Fuji, Snowy Monkeys) –> Osaka (base camp for 4 days)
Osaka –> Kyoto –> Osaka
Osaka –> Nara –> Osaka (departing flight from Osaka)
Is it best to get a JR pass? or should I buy individual tickets? Whats your suggestion?
Thank you so much 🙂
Hi Matthew,
The odds are buying one-way tickets are better value. You can use a Suica/Pasmo reloadable card for convenience, but it won’t save you any money. You’d then just need to buy tickets for your longer journeys.
Hi,
Need your advise on my itinerary below to decide buy 7 days or 14days pass or not at all .
Day 1 – KiX – OSAKA
Day 3 – OSAKA- Kyoto
Day 5 – Kyoto – NARA – Kyoto
Day 7 – Kyoto – Tokyo
Day 10 – Tokyo – Osaka
Day 13 – Osaka – KIX
based on above , would be spending 3 to 4 days in Kyoto and Tokyo. Osaka is 3 days each for the 1st leg and last leg.
What other options should I have other than JR
hi Barry,
Based on what I read , perhaps easier for me to confirm with you my understanding . based on the above itinerary I provided , it would be more worth to buy 7 days pass . From Osaka – Kyoto -NARA, more worth to buy the iC card and RAKU card ?
Buy the 7 day pass and activate it on the day i leave Kyoto to Tokyo and then to Osaka . Within Tokyo and Osaka, I can also use the 7 day pass and It will cover the same period until I leave Osaka for KIX .
Is my understanding correct?
thank you so much.
Hi Valerie,
Unless you’re making a side trip to Hirsohima, a 14-day pass won’t be worth it. You’d likely break even with the 7day pass if you used it for the return trip to Tokyo and within Tokyo.
Within Osaka and Kyoto you can use an IC card or the Raku bus https://www.moneywehave.com/kyoto-tourist-bus-the-raku-bus/
Thanks Barry for the information.
it is of great help.
Hi Barry,
Planning a week in Japan and trying to see as much as possible!
Flying into Tokyo, spending 4 nights here over New Years Eve,
We’d like to check out Kyoto, Okayama, Hiroshima after New Years. Doing each for a day or so and returning back to Tokyo for our flight out.
After reading many of the posts here it seems the JR pass would be worthwhile for us? But I’m wondering if we need to be purchasing any additional transit passes for our 4 days spent in and around Tokyo?
Thanks so much.
Hi Taylor,
How many days total are you doing in Japan? a 14-day pass pays for itself if you make the roundtrip from TOkyo to Hiroshima. If you can do all your train travel in 7days then obviously get a 7day pass. That being said, there is A LOT to see in Kyoto so I recommend allocating 2-3 days there if you have time.
You wouldn’t need an additional pass beyond the JR pass, but you would need an IC card which can be used in almost every major city.
Ah we are only going to be there for 7 days and I think now realizing Hiroshima might be too ambitious for our short time frame unfortunately since we’ll be in Tokyo before and up to New Years Eve then have from the 1st-4th at night available for other travel. Best to head to Kyoto then for those days?
Taylor,
It’s doable, but you just need to be realistic about what you plan on seeing in each city.
Here’s a rough one week guide I wrote https://www.moneywehave.com/one-week-in-japan/
But yeah, if you’re there from the 1st-4th, that means you’d arrive in Kyoto in the late morning of the 1st. That gives you time to see one part ok Kyoto. On the 2nd, you could spend the entire day in Kyoto. On the third, you could make a run to Miyajima.
https://www.moneywehave.com/?s=miyajima
The 4th could be spent exploring Kyoto again or making a side trip to Osaka or Nara. To be realistic, you may be tired of temples by this time so Osaka may be a better choice compared to Nara.
Hi Barry,
I’ll be flying into Osaka (2 nights) , travel to Kyoto (4 nights), one of the days in Kyoto will be a day trip to Nara, then travel to Tokyo (2 nights). Depart fr Tokyo. Is it worth getting the 7 days pass?
Hi Nicole,
It would be cheaper to buy one way tickets. You can use an IC card for trips within Osaka, Tokyo and parts of Kyoto. Within Kyoto, it may be easier to use the Raku bus. Nara has an all day bus pass you can purchase.
Hi Barry,
Would really appreciate some help as i cannot wrap my head around this JR Pass and if i would be saving.
I’ve booked a 15 days trip to Japan in Jan/Feb 2019.
Flying into Osaka – Kobe (2 nights), Hiroshima (1 night), Kanazawa (2 nights), Tokyo (3nights), Kyoto (4 nights), Then back to Osaka to spend the remaining days.
I’m assuming the 14 days JR Pass would be cheapest? would the JR pass alone get me too all destination above?
I would be very grateful for any advice.
Regards
Gareth
Hi Gareth,
A 14-day JR pass is the best value for you and would get you to all the places you’ve listed. Note that Kobe doesn’t have much to see. You would still need an IC card and Raku Bus pass for some local transit, but the JR pass will be good on any JR owned line.
Thanks Barry for the information and clearing things up.
Good Evening Barry,
Could you please tell me what would be the cheapest way for me to travel from Narita airport to Akihabara? Can I get the tickets at the station? I was told it’s very difficult to travel around in Japan and I’ve never been before. I am staying in Tokyo for 5 days only, including 2 day conference. Is there much to see in Akihabara?
Thank you so much for being so helpful here.
🙂
Maggie
Hi Maggie,
The easiest way to get to Akihabara from Narita is to take the Narita Express to Tokyo station and then take the JR Yamanote line to Akihabara station. You can purchase your N’ex ticket in Narita. You’ll need to buy a reloadable IC card (Pasmo or Suica) to use the JR line. I believe you can purchase that in Narita, but you can also get it at Tokyo station from the automated machines.
Japan has the BEST public transportation in the world, it’s incredibly easy to get anywhere. All the metro stations are in English and the majority of Staff who work at train stations speak English.
Akihabara is the electronics town so there are a lot of anime shops and maid cafes if you’re into that kind of stuff. You’re better off just taking the train to some of the other popular spots e.g. Shibuya, Shinjuku, Harajuku, Ueno. The JR Yamanote line goes in a circle so it’s pretty easy to get to all of those locations without transferring. You should also go see Sensoji temple which is by Asakusa station (requires a transfer).
The Tokyo metro map is actually pretty easy to read once you understand it. At any given station, you’re looking for the line first e.g. “JR Yamanote” or “Ginza line”. You then look for the platform towards the next stop that you want to go to. E.g. If you’re Akihabara station and you want to go south to Tokyo station, you’d look for JR lines and then the sign that probably says “Tokyo, Shimbashi” since are the next major stops
This is so much help!!! Thank you ever so much Barry! 🙂
hi, Barry. my family and i want to go to japan. we will go to osaka first for 6 days and then to tokyo for 8 days. which one do you think is the best choice, jr pass or ic card? thank you
Hi Agnes,
Use an IC card for local transit and then buy a one-way ticket to Tokyo on the Shinkansen.
hi barry,
but what do you think the most suitable ic card???
thank you
Hi Agnes,
It makes no difference as they’re all interchangeable. ICOCA, Passmo, and Suica would all work on each other’s systems. There are also no discounts if you choose one over the other.
Then, what do you think the most used IC card that people usually use in japan??
Thank you
Best Regards
Hi Bary,
Me and my fiancee plan to go to japan for honeymoon. Do you have itenararyas well as JR pass recomendation.
From what i read from your previous post, if we plan single trip Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka (not return), it’s cheaper to buy single ticket, is it true?
Below is my rough itenerary
Tokyo 4N
3day city tour + 1 day disneyland
fuji 1N
Stay in hakone
kyoto 2N
City tour
Osaka 4N
2 day city tour
1 day harry potter trip
1 day round trip to Nara
Appreciate your kind help 🙂
Hi Sophia,
Congrats on the engagement and soon to be wedding/honeymoon! It is indeed cheaper to buy one way tickets if you plan to fly out of Osaka.
Your itinerary looks pretty reasonable. Osaka is a bit small so you might not need 2 days there, maybe giving a third day to Kyoto is worth considering. That being said, you could decide at the last minute since Kyoto is so close to Osaka and you could easily backtrack for the day.
A few notes
– Purchase an IC card and use that in Tokyo / Osaka / and Kyoto when you can
– In Hakone, the Hakone Free Pass might be worthwile, but it depends on what you’re doing there
– In Kyoto, the Raku bus may be easier – https://www.moneywehave.com/kyoto-tourist-bus-the-raku-bus/
Here are some other resources I wrote
https://www.moneywehave.com/one-week-in-japan/
https://www.moneywehave.com/kyoto-3-day-itinerary/
Barry—-quick question for you. I am heading to Japan with my family in May-June 2019. We will be there from Monday to the following Wednesday.
3 days Tokyo
3 days Osaka (Kyoto side trip) Shinkasen Trip from Tokyo to Osaka
1 day Kyoto
Then either last 2 days back in Tokyo or Kanazawa and Tokyo (1 day each). Shinkasen from Kyoto to Tokyo on 7th day of travel????
I will be on the ground in Japan from Monday 5-27 at 1:30pm to Wednesday June 5 at 3:15pm. Should I buy a 14 day JR ticket? Also—what is your thought on the green pass. I will be with my wife and 2 kids (10 & 14)
Hi Doug,
As long as you complete your long distance travel within any 7 days, you’ll make your money back as long as you make a return trip from Tokyo to Kyoto. If timing works out where you can activate it the day you arrive in Japan, that helps since you can use the JR pass on the Narita Express (or the monorail if you’re coming from Haneda).
The 14day pass seems excessive since you’re only there 9 days. It would only be worth it if you go as far as Hiroshima.
I don’t think paying extra for the green car is worth it. The regular class cars are excellent and you can reserve your tickets so why pay the premium?
Hi, thank you for this post!
Id like to ask for some opinion.
Im planning to go to Kyoto for a day,
My journey in the morning starts from DOBUTSANMAE station or SHIN IMAMIYA station straight to saga arashiyama, then, we’ll go to kiyomizu dera temple, then, fushimi inari, then gion then back to kyoto station before going back to shin imamiya.
(And the next day we’d be using KANSAI AREA PASS for snow activities at hakodateyama)
I’d like to know if it’s better if I use KANSAI AREA PASS (KAP) at kyoto (starting from the beginning of my journey-shin imamiya), as I know KAP only covers JR LINES and JR buses, Which I read from one of your posts that Raku Bus in Kyoto is not covered under JR Pass, so yeah (might get another bus pass for that lol), but do U think it’s better if I just use KAP to tour around kyoto since my main concern is, it’s quite costly from shin imamiya to saga arashiyama, and kyoto to shin imamiya, after calculating, it costs me maybe nearly 2000yen for only that.
Based on your post, it seems that you do recommend to use IC card in kyoto. So, i’m quite confused now, if I really should get the KAP or just use IC Card for kyoto. I’d still have the suica card in any ways, so i’m thinking if I should have KAP if it does save cost better than the IC card in terms of the transportation.
Btw, here’s my iti;
Day 1- arrival at KIX at 10pm, straight to shin imamiya area hotel. (No pass, maybe Suica)
Day 2- Shin imamiya to USJ (maybe Suica)
Day 3- Shin Imamiya / Dobutsanmae station to OSAKA AMAZING PASS to tour around Osaka.
Day 4- shin imamiya/ dobutsanmae station to kyoto (cant decide on the pass)
Day 5- shin imamiya/dobutsanmae station to Hakodateyama (JR kansai area pass)
Day 6- shin imamiya/dobitsanmae station to nara to rinku town to KIX (no pass, maybe suica)
Thank you for reading
Adding a day to the KAP could be beneficial, but the savings you get is likely minimal.
From SHIN IMAMIYA you could technically get to Arashiyama via JR lines only, but that adds some time. Kiyomizudera is on the opposite end of the city so you’d have to backtrack to Kyoto station and then take the Raku bus. To get to fushimi inari, you have to go back to Kyoto station again and catch the JR Nara line. Finally, to get to Gion, you’d have to Kyoto station and take the raku bus. As you can see, that’s a lot of backtracking.
I personally would probably just use an IC card and the Raku bus since it would be more convenient.
Hello,
My entry point is in Osaka (4d3n) then I’m off to Kyoto for 4d3n including a day trip to Nara (head back to Kyoto at night). After that, I’ll travel to Tokyo (5d4n) which will be my exit point.
Is the 7-day JR Nationwide pass worth it for this IT?
Thanks a lot!
Hi Mark,
One-way tickets for the Shinkansen would be cheaper. Use an IC card or the raku bus for local transit.
That being said, if you plan on making a trip to Hiroshima and then your way to Tokyo within 7days, the 7 day pass would be worth it.
Hi Barry,
Ive been reading all these comments and still can’t decide whether to purchase 7 day JR pass or not. Need your opinion. My itinerary is as below:
Osaka – 3 days (including a day trip to Kyoto)
Osaka to Mt Fuji(Mishima St.) day trip – not decided yet to use shinkansen or sleeper bus.*
Mishima St. to Tokyo – 3 days in Tokyo
* Is it worth it if I purchase 7 day JR pass @ one way JR shinkansen tiket to Mishima St. @ buy a sleeper bus ticket ?
Appreciate your help a lot. Thanks 🙂
Hi Amina,
I suspect that using an IC card / Raku bus and one-way tickets on the Shinkansen will be best for you.
I personally would take then Shinkansen over the sleeper bus but I value comfort over cost.
Greetings to you Barry !
I have read the comments. Understood that JR pass is best suited for Tokyo, Kansai pass / Suica / Pasmo card for Osaka, Kyoto bus for Kyoto. Perhaps you could enlighten me with your travel knowledge.
I will be flying into kansai airport (Osaka), bought Peach airline tickets on the 5th day to fly out into Tokyo (Total of 10 days in japan). My wife and I booked hotels in osaka for 4 nights and hotels in tokyo for 5 nights (all not paid yet).
We would most probably re-consider our itinerary as we like to stay a few nights in kyoto (read that you mentioned kyoto has much more to see hence one day won’t be enough).
We are also thinking of cancelling our flight tickets if visiting attractions are worth as such, spending couple of night in osaka and couple of nights in kyoto before traveling into tokyo (by JR pass).
I guess what I am really asking is, should i still purchase kansai pass for couple of days in osaka, and JR pass (7 days) for travel within tokyo be worth it even i were to visit kyoto in between?
So sorry, questions from a first-timer. Thank you so much in advance for your time in responding.
Hi Joseph.
From what I understand, you have 10 days in Japan total. You’re flying into Kansai and then out of Tokyo? You’ve booked a flight between Kansai and Tokyo with the option to cancel the flight and you want to know if 7-day pass is worth it? Is this correct?
If that’s the case, you need to consider your itinerary. You have 4-days in Osaka/ Kyoto and 5 days in Tokyo. If I were you, I would consider the following as rough itinerary.
Day 1 – Arrive at KIX, make your way to Kyoto as your base. If you’re in your hotel by noon. Consider Arashiyama and Kinkaku-ji. Gion or fushimi inari at night
Day 2 – Full day eastern Kyoto
Day 3 – Day trip to Osaka, perhaps detour to Nara on way back to Kyoto (or skip Nara)
Day 4 – Activate JR Pass – Make a run to Hiroshima / Miyajima
Day 5 – Shinkansen to Tokyo
Day 6 – Tokyo
Day 7 – Tokyo
Day 8 – Day trip to Kamakura (if you don’t go to Nara)
Day 9 – Tokyo
Day 10 – Tokyo
In the above scenario, a 7-day JR pass is worth it since you would have made the run to Hiroshima. If you’re not doing Hiroshima, don’t bother with the JR Pass. Then Kansai Pass also won’t be of good value to you.
I personally don’t think there’s a need to fly to Tokyo from Kyoto since it’ll likely take longer (when you consider the time getting to/from the airport as well as the wait times)
Greetings to you again Barry !
Can’t thank you enough for your time to provide travel advises, even to provide the rough itinerary.. Unfortunately we don’t have the option to cancel our flight out Osaka. It is more like we will forfeit the tickets if the attractions in kyoto are more ‘must-go-worthy’ than rushing to catch our flight.
I noticed that you indicated full day visit to eastern kyoto on Day 2. Is there really a lot to visit over there?
Cheers bro !
Hey Joseph,
If the flight is booked, I wouldn’t go out of my way to forfeit it. I think the time you have set aside is good. Don’t bother with a JR pass.
What you could do is, the day before your flight, stay the night in Osaka. This will be your day in Osaka and it’ll put you closer to the airport. With the other days, stay in Kyoto.
Kyoto has A LOT to see so you could easily do a whole day in Eastern Kyoto. That being said, you may eventually get bored of temples. When you’re on the ground, you could always decide at the last minute to go to Nara, Himeji, or Hiroshima as a day trip. Hiroshima is 3 hours by Shinkansen from Kyoto, so only do it if you really want to.
The nice thing about Japan is that there are so many trains and they always run on time. You can literally decide at the last minute.
Don’t worry too much about any passes, the odds are you won’t save very much especially since you’d have to forfeit your flight.
Good day to you Barry,
Sorry for the late reply. I have completed my kyoto itinerary. Much thanks to your guide.
If I may ask one last ques, would there be any food i.e ramen/sashimi you definitely recommend in osaka/tokyo (possibly outlets that are not very crowded)? 🙂
Your replies have been very helpful to us. It was a pleasure talking to you.
Hi Joseph,
Ichiran Ramen is my fave and I think it’s worth the wait. Afuri ramen is also very good. Both are in Tokyo. Sushi/Sashimi in Tokyo is so fresh that it doesn’t matter where you go.
Hey Barry!
Looking for some advice. We’re in Japan four days (quick I know) so seeing as much as we can. Landing in Osaka, going straight to Tokyo, couple days there, a night in Kyoto, then back to Osaka to fly out. Would a JR pass be of good value for this itinerary?
Osaka – Tokyo
Tokyo – Kyoto
Kyoto- Osaka
Many thanks!
Hi David,
You’d probably come out just break even or come out slightly ahead with the 7-day JR pass. You’d have to purchase it when you land and then immediately take the Limited Express Haruka train from KIX to Shin-Osaka where you’d then jump on a train to Tokyo. On the way back, you’d just go to Kyoto and then make your way to the airport eventually.
That being said, if you’re only there for 4 days, I would advise staying in Kyoto / Osaka and not making the run to Tokyo, you don’t have enough time. There’s TONS of stuff to see in Kyoto and Osaka in 4 days. You can even take a day trip to Nara or Himeji.
Fantastic. Thanks for your thoughts.
Buy it there? Or buy in Canada before leaving the country?
You can now but in person when you land if you’re travelling before March 31st, but I believe it’s a little more expensive. If you have time, you can buy it in advance.
Hi Barry. I will be travelling to Tokyo and Kyoto with my friends in mid-late June 2019. We are planning to arrive at KIX Osaka airport and travel to Kyoto straight away with the Haruka express, or the Airport express+local train to Kyoto station. We will be spending 4-5 days in Kyoto, before travelling to Tokyo, spending 4-5 days in Tokyo and leaving from Narita airport.
We are planning to spend a total of 10 days in Japan, and are unsure if JR pass will be worth it? Especially considering the JR pass is only available for 7 days or 14 days. We are also quite unfamiliar with how costly the local train transports are in Kyoto and Japan.
Hi Lynn,
A 7-day JR pass would only be worth it if you also plan on doing a trip to Hiroshima. I don’t think a 14-day pass would be worth it.
Local transportation costs depend on the city and distance you travel, but it’s reasonable in my opinion. Besides the Raku bus in Kyoto, there aren’t many local passes that are worth it. You’re better off just using an IC card and preloading it with funds, then add more cash when you need to. Generally speaking, you should budget $10 USD per day for local transport.
You’ll obviously have to buy a one-way ticket from Kyoto to Tokyo which is about 13,000 Yen, but IMO that’s reasonable considering the distance and how quickly you’ll get there.
Hi Barry,
I did some research on the locations we are visiting in Tokyo and Kyoto. There are two to three activities that are not on the JR lines, while the rest can use JR pass to get there. Will it still be cheaper to use IC card in Tokyo? I heard transport in Tokyo is particularly expensive.
Hi Lynnm
IC cards can be used on ALL lines in Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo so it doesn’t matter what line you use.
As for costs, it really depends on your definition. E.g. I live in Toronto and if I were to pay a cash fare, it would cost me $3.25 CAD per trip. That’s about the same cost in Tokyo. Now if you’re taking 5-6 rides in a day, then yes it can add up, but as mentioned, it’s also based on distance so sometimes it’s not that expensive.
In other words, you should plan your days so you’re not zigzagging around the city. If you go to Hyperdia.com, you can find out EXACT costs of each trip.
Hi Barry,
Regarding IC cards, how and where could I purchase those? Would I get them in Osaka KIX, or prior my trip to Japan?
Hi Lynn,
Your best bet is to buy the Haruka + ICOCA combo ticket at the airport.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_icoca_haruka.html
Note that with the ICOCA card, you can only return in Kyoto or Osaka if you want a refund of the 500 Yen deposit. Some people return it before they get on the Shinkansen and the buy a new IC card when they arrive in Tokyo. They would then just return that before they get on their flight home to get the 500 yen back again. I personally don’t think it’s worth the hassle. Plus, I like keeping transit cards as a souvenir.
Hi Barry,
Thank you for advice!
Will discuss what you’ve told me with my friends, and see if JR is really worth it in the end.
Many thanks!
Hi Barry!! Wil be going from Tokyo to Osaka , then from Osaka to Kyoto and from Kyoto back to Tokyo !, it will be within 7 days when we start are trip. Should we get the pass..
Syeda,
Yes, the odds are the pass will pay for itself during that time period.
Hi! If travelling to Japan in 2 weeks. Going from Osaka to Tokyo and returning to Osaka, will it be worth it to get a JR pass? Can I use it to go from Osaka to Kyoto and back? And Osaka to Himeji and back? And Osaka to Nara and back? Sorry, so many questions.
Hi T,
The 7-day pass will be worth if you can make it to Tokyo back within that time. If you get the 14 day pass, you need to make another trip to Hiroshima for it to be worth it. Yes the JR Pass will get you to Himeji and Nara but you may have to take some trains that aren’t owned by JR to get you to the stations that are owned by JR first.
Hello Barry,
Can you please look at our itinerary and tell us what’s our best option. Is it best to get a 14 days JR pass or individual tickets? My husbands parents have been to Japan and said they had the Jr Pass and found that is very helpful to have it for peace of mind, as the trains are very busy. Would it be too complicated and risky to buy individual tickets?
Our itinerary is not set in stone as we haven’t booked hotels yet, we are trying to find the best options.
Arrive in Tokyo. 6 nights in Tokyo
2 nights in Hakone
4 nights in Kyoto
Travel to Mount Koya via Osaka and stay for 1 night
3 nights in Osaka with day trips to Hiroshima and Nara
Fly from Osaka
Thank you
Hi Paula,
Your parents in law are definitely right about the convenience and peace of mind, but let me share a few things for you to consider.
– From a straight cost perspective, you’ll probably just break even or come up a little under. IMO, I would just pay for the 14-day pass and activate as soon as you land in Tokyo. Just make sure you’re in Osaka at the end of the 14days. Although you likely won’t save money, it’s very convenient to be able to access any JR train whenever you want. Keep this in mind in Tokyo as it’s to your benefit to stay near a JR train station. Almost every major attraction in Tokyo can be accessed by a JR line with the exception of the fish market and Sensoji.
– You’ll still need a Suica card to use non JR lines in Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka/Hiroshima
– In Hakone, you may need to buy the Hakone free pass
– In Kyoto, you’ll likely be better off buying a raku pass
– For Koyasan, buy the world heritage in Osaka.
– If you’re going to Hiroshima, try to make it to Miyajima too
Although you’ll be spending a decent amount on transit, it’s 100% worth it. Trains can get crowded during rush hour so avoid it whenever you can. For your shinkansen journeys, reserve a seat when you know what time you plan on departing (this can be done in advance).
I am SO excited for your trip. My wife and I did a similar itinerary a few years ago and it was absolutely fantastic.
Thank you so much for your help. It made it all much easier to understand. Do we buy the other passes (hakone, world heritage etc) in Japan or can we buy them online?
We are super excited about this trip. We love travelling so we’ll be following your blog more often, great advice!!
Hi Paula,
Since you have the JR pass, you can buy the pass from Odawara station which is a bit cheaper than the version from Shinjuku. Double check this. Also note that the Hakone free pass is only useful if you plan on doing the Hakone circuit e.g. mountain ropeway and pirate ship. If you’re going to Hakone just to hang out in the onsen, I don’t think you need the pass.
World Heritage pass is bought from Namba or Shin-Imamiya – https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_012.html
I have quite a few posts on Japan on my site so you might find some of the info useful. Feel free to reach out anytime.
For Hakone to Mount Fiji would you recommed buying a Hakone Pass or Fuji Hakone Pass and pay separetly to get to Mount Fuji?
Sorry Barry, I’ve only just seen your reply regarding the Hakone Pass. Thank you, I will read your posts. Very kind of you to help.
Hey Paula,
It depends what you want to do, you’d just have to look at your itinerary and then decide what’s best for you.
One thing to note. You’re already really starting to pack your schedule. Adding Mt. Fuji to your itinerary will be BUSY.
I totally understand why you’re considering it, but even with the bullet trains, you’ll be doing A LOT of travel. I literally had a similar itinerary but decided to drop Hakone / Mt. Fuji to spend more time in Tokyo. At the end of my trip, I didn’t even want to see another temple so I spent most of my time eating and shopping.
If you don’t mind all the travelling, then go for it!
I did think that we are doing too much, we do tend to travel a lot. I felt the same during our trip to China last year.
We’ll have to check our itinerary and decide what we want.
Thank you for all your advice!!
Here’s something a close friend asked me when I told him I wanted to hike Mt. Fuji (he had done it).
He said, do you hike a lot at home? I go no. He then says then why would you want to hike a mountain in Japan? It’s not something you just decide to do, you gotta train for it even if you take the easiest route.
I dropped Mt. Fuji from my itinerary immediately after that.
Hi Barry,
I am trying to figure out if the Japan Rail Pass is worth it for my family – 2 adults, and I child aged five. We will be in Japan a total of 18 days with an itinerary as follows: 9 days Tokyo, 6 days Kyoto and then 2 days in the Hakone/Mt Fuji area, and from there to back to Narita. The 21 day Japan pass seems quite expensive. I am wondering if we might be better off to either pay for individual tickets or only purchase a 7-day pass which covers the period of travel from Tokyo to Kyoto and Kyoto to Mt Fuji. I am also wondering which is the best and most accessible place to see the mountain not climb it eg Hakone?? Would appreciate your advice.
Best
Hi Pam,
A 21-day pass isn’t worth so rule that out now. A 7 day pass is worth it if you add a trip to Hiroshima/Miyajima. If you don’t plan on doing that, then you’re probably better off just buying one way tickets. A 14-day pass is also worth if you do a trip to Hiroshima because you can use it during some of your time in Tokyo, and make it all the way back to Tokyo after going to Kyoto and/or Hiroshima.
Hi Barry,
My family and I will be traveling to Japan in October. We are flying in to KIX and staying in Kyoto for 6 nights (visiting Osaka, Nara and Shiga). We will then head to Hakone for a night and to Tokyo for 7 nights.
We will be in Japan for a total of 15 days. Should we get a 14-day pass or break it down by region? I admit I’m thoroughly confused as to which pass to purchase.
Thank you for your help!
I forgot to add that we are flying out of Narita.
Hi Jamie,
Based on your itinerary, it’s likely cheaper to buy one way tickets on the Shinkansen as opposed to a pass. If you plan on doing a trip to Hiroshima, a 7-day pass would be worth it as long as you complete your travel to there and to Tokyo within that time frame.
Hi Barry,
I’m planning a trip to Japan this May with my husband and daughter. We will be in Tokyo for 4 nights ( will 4 nights be enough?) and 3 nights between Kyoto and Osaka. Would you recommend the 7 days Jr pass? Which city do you think would be be best for us to make as our home base while we’re in Kyoto and Osaka? We are flying to Seoul out of Osaka.
Thank you so much,
Nikki
Hi Hang,
You could live a decade in Tokyo and still not see everything =P. Four nights is a good amount of time since it appears you only have one week total in Japan. Don’t bother with a 7-day pass since you’re flying out of Osaka. Just buy a one way ticket on the Shinkansen and use a suica card in TOkyo/Osaka and the raku bus in Kyoto.
As for where to stay between Kyoto and Osaka, I personally prefer Kyoto. I stayed by Kyoto station last time for convenience. That being said, you need to keep your daughter in mind. Kyoto is more about history and temples. Osaka is good for food and shopping so think about what’s more important to you.
Thank you for the quick response. We haven’t purchased our flight yet so we’re flexible with our dates/ days in Tokyo. Glad you mentioned the difference between Kyoto and Osaka. This trip is our gift to our daughter who is graduating from college. And you know shopping and good food with college kids;).
Hi Nikki,
One thing I forgot to mention. Often people say Seoul is a Tokyo-lite. I personally think Tokyo is 10X more fun, but I’m also not into K-pop. I would choose TOkyo every time over Seoul. That’s not to say Seoul isn’t interesting, it’s just a different type of city.
If you have flexibility, then of course I would recommend adding days to your trip to Japan =D
Hi Barry,
Thanks for the article but I am still confused and indecisive if its worth its to get the JR pass. My friends and I will be at Japan for 12 days. We will be arriving and flying out of Narita Airport.
Tokyo for 5 days —> Kyoto for 3 days ——> Osaka for 3 days —-> Back to Narita Airport (Tokyo)
Should we bother to buy the JR pass? If yes, where can we buy it in advanced or is it better to wait once we land at the airport? What is a better deal that will help us save money?
Thank you in advance! Much appreciated!
Hi Kristen,
The way your itinerary is currently scheduled doesn’t give you much value for a 7-day pass since it’ll take you 8 days to complete your travel from the day you leave Tokyo to the day you return. A 14-day pass could be worth it, but you would have to make a day trip to Hiroshima. The advantage of a 14-day pass is that you can use it in TOkyo a fair amount if you stay near a JR line and you could also make other day trips e.g. Kamakura, Nara, Himeji/Kobe. You would also be able to use the JR pass from the airport to Tokyo and then from Tokyo to Narita when you depart.
I personally think making a run to Hiroshima and Miyajima is worth it.
https://www.moneywehave.com/hiroshima-and-miyajima-in-one-day-from-kyoto/
Hi there, like to seek advice if I should get a jr pass because i had heard shinkansen tickets are even more expensive buying them alone. I will be going to Nagano- shiga kogen from hanede airport for skiing for 5 days then back to tokyo for 2 days. The 7 days pass costs sgd 397, is buying standalone shinkansen tickets cheaper since i wont b travelling much in shiga. Where do i buy shinkansen tickets from btw? Thanks for your help!
Hi Joanna,
I’m not familiar with Nagano so I would advise you go to hyperdia.com and compare the price of one way tickets vs. the 7day JR pass. Make sure to uncheck NOZOMI / MIZUHO / HAYABUSA (SHINKANSEN) since those trains are not included in the JR pass.
I suspect one way tickets will be better which can be purchased at any JR office.
Thanks for your quick response Barry. You mentioned in your post that I should consider going for one way fares rather than the JR pass. Can you recommend a site where I can price the one way fares in order to compare?
hyperdia.com is the best site to use. Make sure to uncheck NOZOMI / MIZUHO / HAYABUSA (SHINKANSEN) since those trains are not included in the JR pass
Thanks Barry. Your knowledge is truly awesome!!
Hi Barry. Need your help. I will be travelling to Japan ( Tokyo and Kyoto ) in April ( tokyo -> kyoto -> tokyo ) . Flying in and out of Narita, Tokyo. Will probably do a day trip from kyoto to nara. We are 2 adults and 2 kids ( 6 yrs and 1 yr). Do you think buying the JR pass would be a better option for us than to buy tickets for each journey ? If yes, then where can I buy the JR pass from ? Thanks in advance for your help.
Gazal,
If you’re completing your travel between Tokyo -> Kyoto -> Tokyo within 7-days, then the 7day pass will likely be worth it. You order the pass online and it’s usually mailed to you. If you happen to live in a major city, you could check online if there are any travel agents that can arrange them for local pick up. Just google “JR Pass my city” or something along those lines.
Thx Barry. I will be travelling from Hong Kong and am sure there will be travel agents helping out with pick up of passes here. i will check it out. Thx for your help.
Do you reside in Hong Kong? In my opinion, it’s best to get it in your home country.
yups living in HK 🙂 PR here
I’m incredibly jealous of your location. Maybe not the working hours, but I love HK!! You will have zero issues getting a JR pass in HK. One thing to note, there are A LOT of packaged deals to Japan from Hong Kong which may be worth looking into. I’ve had friends go to travel agents who basically arranged flights, hotels, and the Shinkansen tickets for less than if he did everything themselves.
Thx for the tip. Will explore it as well. I agree HK is very well placed in Asia . I am also not a fan of long working hrs here but its a trade off so I enjoy its proximity to other Asian countries 🙂
Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions about Japan.
Hello Barry,
Hoping you can help me work out whether myself and my husband should purchase 7 day JR rail passes for our trip to Japan in April.
We arrive in Tokyo (Haneda Airport) on April 20th (we are staying in Shinjuku), on the 24th we plan to take the bullet train to Kyoto, then on the 27th we will travel to Osaka (we will fly home from Osaka on April 30th).
In total we will be in Japan for 10 nights (11 days). As far as I can see it will not be worth purchasing the pass as we will not be making a round trip to Tokyo.
Any advice would be very much appreciated!
Many thanks
Hi Holly,
One way tickets would indeed be a better deal for you. That being said, if you plan on making a trip to Hiroshima while in Kyoto or Osaka, then a 7-day pass may pay for itself
Thank you Barry! I will look in to that option
Hi Barry,
I’m travelling to Japan in two weeks and will be there for a total of 15 days. Our current schedule is:
Jan 24 – Arrive to Tokyo
Jan 30 – Hakone
Jan 31 – Kyoto
Feb 4 – Osaka
Feb 5 – Nara day trip
Feb 8 – Depart from Osaka
All the different train and bus lines are overwhelming me. Would you recommend getting any of the passes (JR or Kansai?), and is the Hakone Free pass only available with return trips to Shinjuku? Also, does the PASMO card work in all three major cities, or do I need to get different ones? Thank you so so so much in advance for your help. Your expertise is so invaluable.
Hi Natalie,
A JR Pass won’t be worth it based on your itinerary. Just buy one way tickets for the Shinkansen. The Hakone Free Pass has a version which does include roundtrip transportation from Shinjuku – https://www.odakyu.jp/english/passes/hakone/
Many people just buy it at Odawara station since that’s the gateway station to Hakone.
Your Pasmo card will work in the major cities, but in Kyoto, it might make more sense to buy a raku bus pass. Nara also has a bus pass, but you could easily walk to many of the sites.
Yes, I figured it didn’t seem to make sense but needed your expert opinion. Thank you so much. You’ve been very helpful 🙂
Can I activate m6 JRPass atNarita to cover the train jourbe6 into Tokyo? How far ahead do you need to order a pass as I u derstNd it gets sent in the mail I live in Canada!
Hi Maxine,
Yes, you can activate your pass as soon as you land at Narita. I personally give myself a month to get the pass, but it usually doesn’t take long. If you live in Toronto or Vancouver there are even a few agents where you can pick it up in person (after you’ve ordered it).
http://www.jtb.ca/eweb/jrpass/alljrpass.aspx
Hi Barry,
Working on a trip for myself and adult daughter and came across your article and have read through the comment section only to be more confused than when I started 🙁 As others have done, I thought getting a JR pass would be best (14 or 21 days or not at all??) but now I’m not so sure.
Travelling in April/May coming from Seoul to:
Osaka (3 days)
Nara (1 day)
Kyoto (3 days)
Hiroshima (2 days)
Hiroshima to either Hokkaido or Tokyo
If Hokkaido (3 days) and probably via plane rather than rail due to time and not wanting to take the tunnel
Tokyo (7-10 days based on if Hokkaido)
As you can see, the Hokkaido portion is still in question and I think there are some potential day trips from Tokyo that might be worth doing that I haven’t yet fully explored. Other than coming into Osaka and leaving via Tokyo, nothing else is set in stone so if you have any advice on the order of things I’d certainly appreciate it! Thanks!
Hi Barry,
We arrive in Osaka Kansai at 6 pm for 8 nights, departing from Kansai for Tokyo at 6.40 am where we’ll spend 6 nights before embarking on a cruise from Yokohama.
Any suggestions, particularly re Osaka & day trips / JR rail pass etc. I’m finding it all rather confusing – my other half booked the cruise and has now handed it over to me!!!
Thanks.
Hi Jan,
From Osaka most people do Hiroshima, Kyoto, Nara, and Himeji. If you’re able to travel to Hiroshima and Tokyo within 7 days, the 7-day pass will be worth it. If you don’t plan to do Hiroshima, just buy one-way tickets.
Thanks Barry. I am wondering if a 5 day JR Kansai Hiroshima Area Pass would suffice for us.
Jan,
You’d have to compare your route on Hyperdia.com to the costs of the Kansai pass to know if it’s worth it.
Hi Barry,
This trip to Tokyo would be the first for my teenagers. We are a family of 5. Our trip is approximately 9 days. Most days will be spent in Tokyo and maybe 1 night in Osaka. Do you think it’s worth it to get the JR Pass to make use of the Tokyo->Osaka-> Tokyo route?
Hi Elena,
If you use the JR-pass for the Narita Express either on the way in or out of Tokyo, you’ll probably just break even so it’s more like do you want the convenience of the pass? To take full advantage of the pass, be sure to stay near a JR line in Tokyo. The pass has limited use in Osaka. Also note that in TOkyo, you could use the pass to day trip to Kamakura or Yokohoma (if you wanted).
Hi Barry and wow all the comments…lots of advice!
So we (me, my husband and 2 teenage sons) are traveling to Japan from Louisiana for a 10 day trip. Looking at May 27/28 to June 8 and I have no idea what I am doing! I am trying to put together an itinerary but am stuck. My oldest teenage son has cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair. How do we get around with him? I guess we are flying into Narita but how do I get from airport to hotel with luggage and trying to maneuver him in his wheelchair? This is his dream trip so I am trying to plan the best of the best in 10 days.
Hi DeMarie,
I’m not familiar with how accessible Japan is but I did come across this site.
https://www.insidejapantours.com/blog/2016/04/26/accessible-japan/
You may want to reach out to Josh for some advice.
Flying into Narita 3rd Feb from Ireland
Tokyo 2 nights
Osaka 2 nights
Flight from Osaka to Okinawa 2 nights ( Cherry Blossom)
Okinawa to Singapore
Could you advise what is the best way to travel
From Tokyo to Osaka
And what are the best sights to see in Tokyo : Osaka
Would love to see Mt Fuji
Hi Joanne,
There’s no point in getting a JR pass based on your itinerary. With just 2 nights in Tokyo and 2 nights in Osaka, you won’t have time to stop and see Mt. Fuji. THat being said, if you’re paying attention on the train ride to Osaka, you’ll see it in the distance.
The best sites are the typical ones
Tokyo: Shijuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Yoyogi, Akihabara, Ueno, Sensoji, all the food
Osaka: Osaka Castle, Dontonbori, Umeda Sky.
Spend a day in Kyoto if you can.
Hi Barry.
Thank you so much
Kind regards
Joanne
Hello Barry, our online life-saver!
I am going to Japan for 11 days in March, flying in/out Narita.
My plan is:
day 1 – fly in, move to Kyoto
day 2 – 4 Kyoto
day 5 back to Tokyo
day 6 Tokyo city
day 7 morning Kamakura, then move to Atami (plum garden) – end the day at Lake Ashi, sleepover
day 8 – morning to ARAKURAYAMA SENGEN PARK/ views of Mt. Fuji and later in the day back to Tokyo
day 9 – 10 – Tokyo
day 11 – departure in the morning
I have purchased the 7day JR Pass and I am wondering if activating it on day 5 ( Kyoto – Tokyo) makes more sense or activating it on day 1 leaving me in Tokyo to get some 1 or 2 day subway pass & Narita express..
While doing Tokyo, I was thinking about going also to: NARITASAN SHINSHOJI TEMPLE. and seaside in case weather will be nice.
What would you suggest? What is the situation in Tokyo and in Mt.Fuji area to use the JR Pass?
Thanks a LOT for any advise,
Lena
Hi Lena,
I concur that it makes more sense to activate your pass on Day 5 when you depart for Tokyo as you’ll get more value there.
I’m not familiar with Arakurayama Sengen Park, but according to this site https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6905.html you can take the JR train and bus to get there.
Hi Barry,
Thank you for the insights. I was wondering if I should get a JR pass if I am travelling from Osaka to Hiroshima on a 5D4N tour. I intend to tour Hiroshima for 2 days at least going to miyajima etc. Day 1 would be at Osaka. Day 2 and 3 would be around Hiroshima. Day 4 and 5 would be back at Osaka. What would you suggest?:) I have been to Himeiji Castle and Nara and Kyoto so I am not going to these places again 🙂 Also do you have other suggestions on places I must visit along the way?
Thank you so much.
Hi Luke,
A round-trip ticket from Shin-Osaka to Miyajimaguchi is 20,700 Yen, so it’s not quite worth buying a JR Pass.
You could go to Koyasan from Osaka as an overnight or a long day trip, but your JR Pass won’t really be of any use there.
Hi, I am just trying to see if it is worth buying the JR pass. I will be coming in from Osaka (getting in around 7pm) and starting my trip in Kyoto (July 7th-July 13th) with a day trip to Osaka (potential to do one other day trip nearby) Then heading to Tokyo for the rest of the trip (July 13th- July 20th) Flight back home is 2am July 21st so will be at the airport around 11pm. I read that Kyoto doesn’t have many JR train lines and that it really isn’t worth it for kyoto, but I was wondering if it is worth getting a 7 day to use mid Kyoto so that I have it for half my Kyoto stay for travel to and from Osaka and then for my trip to Tokyo. I will more than likely get a Pasmo/Suica pass to use for when the JR pass doesn’t work.
OR is it more worth it to just get a kyoto sightseeing pass (2 day pass 2,000 yen) and for osaka day trip get a Kyoto-Osaka
Sightseeing Pass (Keihan + Osaka Metro) (1,400 yen) then use tokyo subway ticket (72 hr pass 1,500 yen) and to be safe get a Pesmo/Suica pass.
Megan,
If one of your day trips is Hiroshima, then a 7-day pass will likely be worth it if you can complete that trip and your journey to Tokyo within that time frame.
Both the kyoto sightseeing pass and Kyoto-Osaka Sightseeing Pass tend to be good value. If I recall correctly, the 72 hr pass in Tokyo doesn’t cover the JR lines which are above ground so that’s something to consider. Just about every major area has a subway line nearby, but you may have to make some transfers whereas the JR Yamanote line goes in a circle.
I will not be doing a day trip to Hiroshima. more likely I will do Nara or Osaka again. Also I know the Tokyo Metro does cover the JR lines. I would also be grabbing the Pasmo/Sucia pass to use when it is more convenient. So if we take Hiroshima out of the picture it is probably more worth it for me to just get Kyoto-Osaka sightseeing pass a Pasmo/Sucia pass for when I might need to use JR lines or for when the JR line is more convenient and also a tokyo metro pass. and paying the one way fare from Kyoto to Tokyo (13,600-13,910 yen)
Thank you so much for your help it is extremely appreciated.
Hi Barry, I am so glad that I found this article. My boyfriend and I are going to Tokyo on 15/5/2019 for 8 days (leaving on 22/5/2019) and we are planning to stay in the Shinjuku area (near the station). Our plan is to stay in Tokyo for a few days and then do a day trip to Mt Fuji (just to see the view). We also plan to visit Kawasaki, Yokohama and Kamakura and Nikko (this is optional as I am not sure if we have enough time for Nikko).
Do you think if I need to get a JR Pass? Does the JR East Pass cover the above area please? Thank you.
Hi Caroline,
I believe the JR East pass covers all of those destinations, however you need to double check based on where you plan on seeing Mt. Fuji. Most people go to either Hakone or Kawaguchiko Lake to see Fuji. Also when you say the view, do you plan on hiking the mountain or you just want to see the mountain from a distance?
That being said, you’re doing A LOT of travel in 7 days. That’s 5 day trips in 8 days and that’s counting the day you arrive and depart. You’re going to spend A LOT of time on trains and that barely leaves you any time to do anything in Tokyo.
You know the way you like to travel better than I do, but with that limited amount of time, I would only pick one or two day trips from TOkyo or possibly just spend 2 nights in Kyoto or somewhere else.
Thank you so much Barry! I think I am going to figure out what I want to do / where I want to go in Tokyo first. I think I will just drop the day trip to Nikko cos that’s a 2 hour ride one way.
We are just going to see Mt Fuji from distance and we might just go to Hakone for a day. I know that’s a lot of day trips 🙁 I wish I could extend my trip longer. Thank you for your help Barry, have a nice day.
If you’re going to Hakone to see Mt Fuji, you can buy a roundtrip Hakone free pass with transportation from Shinjuku ticket which would eliminate the need for a JR Pass. Since you’ll likely drop some day trips, it likely wouldn’t have been worth it anyways.
hi Barry, we are travelling the following rout:
9th Feb – Osaka Airport – Kyoto
12th Feb- Kyoto – Takhayama
12-14th Feb – going to Alps by a car rental/ local bus
14th Feb – NAGONO -Tokyo .
16th Feb – Tokyo to Harita airport
Does it worth buying 7 days JR Pass?
thank you Natalia
Hey Barry!
Im having a little trouble deciding whether or not a 14 day JR pass is worth it for my trip in March.
We will be flying in/out or Narita airport
Day 1-3 tokyo
Day 4-7 yokohama
Day 8-11 Osaka kyoto & nara
Day 12-14 last days in tokyo then head back to our flight in narita
Are there alot of JR options & do you think we will have to pay for any additional transportation fees based on my itinerary?
Hi Nina,
You might just break even if you get the 7-day pass and use it when you depart Yokohama for Osaka and then your journey back to Tokyo/Narita.
Osaka and Kyoto have limited JR lines. I’m not familiar with Yokohama so I can’t really comment there.
Hì Barry,
We are first time travelers to Japan and have three weeks in early November, we fly into and out of Narita airport.
We are thinking of spending a week in Tokyo and like the look of Kouenji.
One week in Osaka and one week in Kyoto, do you think we would be best with the three week pass.
Thanks in advance
Jo
Hi Jo,
It sort of depends on your route. You’d have to compare way tickets vs. the cost of a pass via hyperdia.com.
One week in Kyoto and one week in Osaka is a bit long unless you plan on doing a bunch of day trips.
Hey Barry,
Would I break even if I got a 7 day JR Pass, traveling a total of 14 days. Landing in Osaka. purchasing one way tickets to Kyoto. Day trips to Ōsaka and Nara. Activate pass on day 7 to travel up to Tokyo then take the train back to Ōsaka.Thanks for your feed back!
Jessica
Hey Barry,
Would I break even if I got a 7 day JR Pass, traveling a total of 14 days. Landing and flying out of Osaka. I would purchase one way tickets to Kyoto. Day trips to Ōsaka and Nara. Then Activate pass on day 7 to travel up to Tokyo and take the train back to Ōsaka.Thanks for your feed back!
Jessica
Hi Jessica,
Generally speaking, you’d probably break even with that route. I’d double check on hypderdia.com to see if you’re getting your money’s worth. Don’t forget to factor in your trip to the airport if it falls within those 7-days.
Hi Barry,
So happy to find your post. We are going to Japan mid of April , flying to and from Narita airport. We are staying in Tokyo ( 12-17)5 days and then heading to Kyoto arriving 17.04 till 20.04 and then going back to Narita airport in Tokyo. We are family of five. Reading about all different transportation makes my head spin. Do you think is worth it to buy JR Pass or continue with buying single tickets . Since is only Tokyo and Kyoto. I was even thinking to fly back to Tokyo Narita as we are spending one night there. Would love to hear your feedback
Hi Monika,
Generally speaking if you can do a return trip from Tokyo to Kyoto + a trip to Narita on the NEX in 7 days, you’ll probably just about break even.
If you’re not going to do any side trips while in Kyoto e.g. Nara or Osaka, you might come out just under breaking even.
You should input your routes via hyperdia.com so you have an estimate of what you would spend on one way tickets and then compare that to the 7-day pass cost.
Hello,
We are flying into Osaka and staying there 5 dats with day trips to Hiroshima, Kyoto, Nara and the spending 6 days intokyo with a a couple days at Disney . Is the pass with it for us?
If you can do all your travel between Hiroshima, Kyoto, Nara and Tokyo within 7 days, then the 7day pass is worth it. I’m assuming you’re flying out of Tokyo
Yes we are flying into Osaka and flying home Tokyo. There are 4 adults and we are trying to budget so we can spend our money on fun activities
WIth the exception of theme parks, most attractions in Japan are free or inexpensive. Train travel will seem expensive, but considering it will get you just about anywhere, I think it’s actually a good price.
Hi Barry
I am flying to Japan on the 23 March and staying until the 30th of March. Arriving at Narita airport. I would like to stay in Tokyo for 3 days and 4 days in Kyoto. Flying back on the 30 march at Narita airport. Do u think l should buy a 7 days JR pass? Do u recommend to stay in Tokyo first or Kyoto first?
Thanks for your help in advance.
Hi Jenny,
It’ll probably be easier for you to just stay in Tokyo first. Narita is about 90 mins from Tokyo and then Kyoto is another 2 hours by train so you need to add at least 4-5 hours to your journey when you factor in picking up your luggage and then getting to your hotel in Kyoto.
A 7-day JR pass will likely be worth it, just be sure to be back in TOkyo before it expires.
Hi Barry
Just wondering if you could help. I am looking to travel to Japan in October and flying into Hiroshima- then working my way to Osaka(day trip to Kobe)- Kyoto- Tokyo (maybe a day trip somewhere) then fly out from here. Would the pass be good value for me? In total I would be travelling 14 days.
Thank you in advance
Hi Barry
Just wondering if you could help. I am looking to travel to Japan in October and flying into Hiroshima- then working my way to Osaka(day trip to Kobe)- Kyoto- Tokyo (maybe a day trip somewhere) then fly out from here. Would the pass be good value for me? In total I would be travelling 14 days.
Thank you in advance
Hi Helen,
Since you’re not doing a return trip, a 14-day pass likely won’t be worth it. If you can do all your travel within 7-days, it would be good value.
Hi Barry,
We are travelling to Japan on March 29, 2019. Here is our itinerary:
March 29-Arrive in Tokyo and staying for 3 nights
April 1-6- Travel to Osaka, staying in Osaka for 5 nights. Travel to Kyoto, Nara and possibly to Hiroshima during this stay
Apri 6-8- Disneyland and Disneysea
April 6-14 Back to Tokyo. We will get a one day tour to Mt Fuji and Hakone during this stay.
Do we need to get a JR pass and if so which one do we get?
Thank you so much Barry.
Rhoda
Rhoda,
The 14-day pass is good if you activate it when you leave for Osaka. I’m assuming you’ll use the pass to get to Hakone also. You’ll be back in Tokyo by the 14-days so that makes it worth it. Keep in mind that you must go as far as Hiroshima for you to break even.
Hi Barry!
If we buy the Hakone and Mt Fuji tours that includes transport, do we still need the 14 day pass? Thank you
Rhoda
Hi Barry!
My family and I are travelling to Tokyo in feb and are unsure as to wether we should buy a JR pass or not.
Our plans are: Narita (one night) —> Hakuba (7 nights) —> Osaka (3 nights) —> Tokyo (5nights)
We have a bus booked to get us from Narita to Hakuba, we think that perhaps trains will be the best way go get around once leaving Hakuba but just need a little help please.
Thank you in advance!
Hi Kelsey,
You’ll probably be better off buying one way tickets on the Shinkansen once you depart Hakuba. In both Osaka and Toyo, just use an IC card.
Thank you so much Barry, your reply was so quick!!
Last time I was in Tokyo we used an IC card, if I purchase one in Osaka, can I use the same card in Tokyo or are they different cards?
Yes, the IC cards you buy in Osaka can be used in Tokyo. That being said, you can’t refund your Osaka card in Tokyo.
Some people will refund their card before they depart Osaka and buy a new one in Tokyo. Personally, I wouldn’t bother cuz all you’re really losing is a few dollars for the deposit.
Hi Barry !!
Myself and two friends are travelling to Japan in 2 weeks time and we are still unsure of whether to purchase JR pass or not …
We are in Tokyo (6 nights) , then Kyoto (3 nights) , then Osaka (3 nights ) then fly home from Osaka , do you think rail pass will be worth it ?
Thanks so much
Unless you plan on making a trip to Hiroshima, a JR pass won’t be worth it. If you do decide on Hiroshima, buy a 7 day pass.
Hi Barry,
8 of us will be in Tokyo for a month long trip but only have free time on the weekends to travel far distances. We probably will use subway/train on the weekdays to close places within Tokyo, but are interested in visiting other prefectures in Japan on weekends. Will the pass be worth it. If so, which option would you recommend? Thank you!
Flo,
You can only get the JR pass for 3 weeks at max so you’d have to compare prices on Hyperdia.com to see if your routes are worth it. It’s possible it could be, it just depends on how far you plan on going during those weekend trips.
hi barry
you’ve been very helpful to everyone
i ave 16 and 7 yrs ol we are in tokyo for 6 days which place is the best to go
Thank
junha
This article will give you some ideas
https://www.moneywehave.com/one-week-in-japan/
Hello Barry! Thanks for the post although I’m still a little confused so hoping you can help. My family and I will be in Japan for 12 days, trying to decide which (if any) JR pass to get. Our itinerary is below.
March 23 – arrive at NRT (4 nights in Tokyo)
March 27 – train from Tokyo to Kyoto (one night stay in Kyoto)
March 28 – train from Kyoto to Osaka (7 days in Osaka)
April 3 – leave Osaka via KIX
We are also thinking of a trip to see Mt Fuji (from Tokyo?) and to Nara (from Osaka?).
Would a 14 day JR pass be worth it? Or just the 7 day pass to use in Tokyo and to Kyoto/Osaka? Or should we just get individual train tickets to Kyoto/Osaka and a regional JR west pass?
Any help is much appreciated.
Hi Geneva,
Since you’re not making a return trip to TOkyo or going as far as Hiroshima, one way tickets on the Shinkansen are probably best.
Hello Barry, we are a group of three traveling for the first time to Japan for seven days – March 7-14, 2019.
We are flying in and out of Narita. We’re planning to stay in Tokyo for 2 days sightseeing day trips around Tokyo and Mt Fuji. Are private tours better? Then we plan to go to Osaka on the 10th to the 12th, hopefully will have the time to make a quick trip to Kyoto.is that likely? On the 12th we go back to Tokyo and explore it some more and leave on the 14th. I guess a JR pass is a must? Please feel free to suggest alternatives to our plan. Thank you so much. Hope to hear from you soon.
Hi Marilyn,
A 7-day JR pass would likely be worth it. With 7 days total in Japan, I don’t recommend spending more than 4 days outside of Tokyo. That would likely mean a trip to Hakone and possibly an overnight where you can see Mt. Fuji. Spend two days in Kyoto if you want to see temples. If you want to explore the food scene and shop, go to Osaka instead. I personally would choose Kyoto over Osaka.
Hi Barry,
Thanks for being so helpful and assisting so many people figure out if they JR pass is right for them. As most, trying to figure out the best method is confusing – so your advice is greatly appreciated. Despite suggestions from others (being told to get the pass that covers all of Japan) I’m not convinced that the JR pass would be best for us.
Our October dates are as follows:
• Osaka: 2nd – 6th (with a day trip to Nara and Universal)
• Kyoto: 6th – 11th (day trip to Kobe)
• Nagoya: 11th – 15th (during this time we would need to head to Suzuka Circuit for the F1)
• Tokyo: 15th – 22nd (when we depart back to Sydney)
We were told to get the JR pass for all regions for 7 days (to be activated when we leave Osaka) to get us to Kyoto and Nagoya. And from there, buy a single ticket to Tokyo. But with the destinations being fairly close in the Kansai region, would it be worth just getting a general train card?
Thanks and look forward to your reply 🙂
Hi Kate,
There’s no way a 7-day JR pass would be worth it for your itinerary. You can double check on hyperdia.com, but I’m almost positive it’ll be cheaper to buy one way tickets.
Hi Barry,
Thanks so much for reaffirming my thoughts. I checked out hyperdia and you were right. We are actually saving $100s by buying individual tickets. Thank you again!
Hi Barry,
My friend and I are flying into Haneda airport. We are planning to go straight to Kyoto the day we arrive in Haneda. We are planning to stay in Kyoto for a couple of days and then head back to Tokyo for the remaining of our trip. I am not sure yet if we will add a trip to Osaka. Do you think the 7 day pass is worth it? Also, for the other train/subway passes, is there a discount to get the pass rather than getting a single ticket?
Thanks.
Edna,
You’d probably just break even. But this assumes you’re able to use the JR lines in Tokyo and the the Monorail from Haneda.
THere is an all day ticket you can buy for the Tokyo subway, but note that doesn’t include the JR lines which may have more direct access to spots depending on where you’re staying.
Hi Barry,
My family and I are flying to Narita airport during March and we plan to go straight to OSAKA for 4 days (including Kyoto for 1 day). Then we will make our way back to Tokyo and spend 5 days there. Do you think I should get the 7 days pass, since I will need to purchase additional metro pass for 2 days in Tokyo after the 7 days JR pass expired. I also heard it’s better to purchase the OSAKA-Kyoto train pass for better convince. With all these extra train passes that we have to purchase, I’m not sure if the 7 Days JR Pass is worth it.
Thank you,
CIndy,
You’ll probably break even or come under just a bit. The JR pass is convenient, but since you’re going right to Osaka, you’ll have limited use of it there. You might as well buy one way tickets for the Shinkansen and use an IC card or raku bus pass (in Kyoto) for all your local transit.
Hi Barry,
My girlfriend and I are flying into Haneda Airport in March and are staying Tokyo for the first four nights. While we are there we are considering a day trip to Mt. Fuji. After this, we are staying Kyoto for four nights and are considering a day trip to Nara. We will then stay in Osaka one night and fly out of Kansai International. Would the 7-day rail pass be worth it if were to include all of these day trips? Or would it be better to buy the tickets individually? Any help is much appreciated
Hi Dan,
It’s likely cheaper to buy one-way tickets. Note that instead of doing a day trip to Mt. Fuji, you’re probably better off doing it on your way to Kyoto since it’s on the way.
Hi Barry
We are going for the rugby wc.
16days
Travel from tokyo to kyoto
Return 8 days later
Other days we travel tokyo to yokohama and kyoto to kobe.
As the trip is 16 days it would need to be21 day pass to include airport runs.
Looking simply it would suggest individual tickets would be far more cost effective but will adding up daily innercity travel and smalller trips around tokyo anf kyoto respectively make up thd difference.
And is yhe highr JR cost made worthwhile taking out the hassle of buying numerous individual tickets?
Scott,
You could just get a 14-day pass and pay for the remaining two days out of pocket. That being said, I don’t think a 14-day pass would be worth it for your itinerary. You’d have to run your exact route via Hyperdia.com and then compare it to the cost of a 14-day pass for your answer.
I suspect one way tickets for the long distance travel and IC cards / Raku bus pass for local travel will be more cost efficient.
Buying individual tickets on the Shinkansen is easy since it can be done at any JR office. if you know your route and the trains you want, you can buy all your tickets at any time and reserve your seats at the same time.
HI Barry
I am going with my family (husband and kids 11, 7 and 3) to Tokyo. Our agenda is Tokyo (Haneda), Osaka, Kyoto and home from Narita.
Is the JR pass the way to go?
Can the JR pass be used for metro areas in Tokyo?
Also how do you book your seats for JR?
Amani,
Will you be travelling to Osaka and back to TOkyo within 7-days? If so, the 7-day JR pass is worth it
Hello Barry,
First off I want to say thank you for the very informative and precise way of explaining the JR system.
We will be visiting Japan for 6 days. Our point of entry is Haneda airport and same with point of exit. We will concentrate mostly in Tokyo and a day trip to Kyoto and back to Tokyo. Would the 7-day JR pass be worth it?
Thank you and more power
Hi Erronn,
You’ll probably just break even but that’s still worth it for the convenience. Try to stay near the JR Yamanote line in Tokyo so you can maximize the pass while you’re there. You can even use the pass from Haneda via the monorail.
Hello Barry, I came across your very helpful page and wondered if you could give me some advice. I am visiting Japan in April for 2 weeks. We stay in Tokyo for 4 days, then travel to Kyoto for 3 days. Afterwards we are going to Hiroshima for one night before moving to Osaka for 2 days (with one day trip from Osaka to Nara). Then we go back from Osaka to Tokyo for the four nights. We are also going to Fuji Q for the day, and also Lake Kawaguchiko both from Tokyo (but on separate days). Would you recommend the Japan Pass and if we should go for the Green Pass as we will have our big luggage with us? Thank you!
Rebecca,
Get the 14-day pass as it’ll more than pay for itself. THere’s no need to get the green version as the regular shinkansen are very spacious and there’s plenty of room for full size luggage.
Hi Barry:
We have a two week trip to Japan scheduled for April and are wondering if we go with Japan Rail pass for 14 days (i think we will after seeing how our trip breaks down.
Fly into Tokyo April 13th then straight to Kyoto
Kyoto Home base April 13th to April 20th
April 15th – day trip Osaka
April 17th – day trip to Himeji and Hiroshima
April 20th travel to Tokyo
Tokyo home base April 20th to April 27
April 24th- Overnight night stay in Hakone Onsen
April 27th travel back home
Omar,
A 14 day pass will definitely be worth it. You may want to stop in Hakone on your way back to Toyo since you pass by it. That would just save you a bit of time.
Hi Barry, I’m travelling to Japan during the Golden Week (I didn’t know that until yesterday *sigh*). I’m going to get a JR pass but there are quite a few options to choose from.
Osaka (26-29/4)
Kyoto (29/4-2/5)
Tokyo (2/5-6/5)
My questions are:
1. Will the JR pass cover all of my public transportation needs at the very least, within Osaka Kyoto?
2. Will it cover my journey from Osaka to Kyoto (29/4 train)?
3. Can I use the JR pass to travel from Kyoto to Tokyo? Or should I buy a seperate Shinkansen train instead?
Thanks in advance, you definitely seem as a person who knows this context well!
Hi Chan,
You’re flying into Osaka and out o Tokyo right? If so, there’s no point in getting a 7-day JR pass as you won’t get your money’s worth. I recommend buying your Shinkansen tickets from any JR office as soon as you can and reserving your seats since it’ll be golden weak (you only really need the Shinkansen from Kyoto to Osaka).
As for local transportation, purchase an IC card in Osaka and just load it with funds. You can use the same card in Kyoto and Tokyo. However, note that if you want to get a full refund on the card, you need to refund it in Kyoto and then buy a new one in Tokyo (different regions). You’d then have to refund the one you bought in Tokyo before you leave. Personally, I think this is a hassle and a waste of your time to get a few hundred yen back, your time is more valuable.
In Kyoto, it might make more sense to buy a raku bus pass depending on where you’re going.
Hi Barry,
My friend and I are planning to be in Japan from May 24th to June 5th. I’ve looked into the JR pass and it looks like it might not be worth it but I’m not sure if I’m doing this right. If you don’t mind, could you please review our itinerary to see if it’ll be beneficial to have a JR Pass in your opinion?
May 24th: Flying into Osaka (KIX)
May 26th: Day trip to Nara
May 27th – 28th: Staying a night at a ryoken by Amami station in Osaka
May 28th: Kyoto
May 30th: Day trip to Uji
May 31st: Tokyo
June 5th: Flying out of Tokyo (NRT)
Thanks for your help!
Hey Lisa,
You’re doing things right. It’s definitely better to buy one way tickets for the shinkansen.
Hi Barry, I’m just so glad to find your page here and reading your threads. You’re awesome to offer advise for so many people! I live in Toronto too!
I would love to know your thoughts for our family trip of 5. We plan to an 8 days trip in Tokyo this summer and wonder if it’s worth it for buying a JR pass for 2 adults and 3 kids.
Arriving Narita airport
3 nights in Shinjuku
1 night in Hakone
1 night in Kyoto
2 nights in Nagoya
1 night in Tokyo
Leaving Haneda airport
Hi Kar,
You would probably just break even with the 7-day pass. That being said. If you changed your itinerary so you have 2 nights in Tokyo at the beginning of your trip and 2 nights at the back end, you’d be able to use your 7-day JR pass on the Narita Express and return to Tokyo after Nagoya.
Any reason why you’re spending 2 nights in Nagoya? That’s not a typical spot for most visitors.
I should note that you’re doing a lot of travel for 8 days.
Thanks so much for your help Barry. We’re staying in Nagoya because we will go to Shirakawago
Also, do you know if JR pass will cover bullet train portion from Tokyo to Kyoto
Kar,
If you’re going to Shirakawago, that’s A LOT of travel you’re doing in 8 days with three kids. Shirakawago is a healthy distance from Nagoya.