Getting around
Day to day, an IC card and a transit app handle almost everything. The question most visitors actually ask is whether the Japan Rail Pass is worth adding on top — since the nationwide pass jumped roughly 70% in price in October 2023, the answer is usually “only if you are moving a lot”.
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THE SHORT VERSION
The 7-day nationwide Japan Rail Pass now costs about ¥50,000. A simple Tokyo–Kyoto round trip is around ¥28,000, so the pass only pays for itself once your shinkansen travel clearly exceeds its price. If your trip is one region — just Kanto, or just Kansai, or just Kyushu — a regional pass almost always beats the national one.
IC CARDS & TRANSIT APPS
| Tool | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| IC card (Suica/Pasmo/ICOCA) | Tap in, tap out on trains, subways and buses nationwide | Everyday travel — no need to work out fares in advance |
| Google Maps | Routing with live delays and platform numbers | Most trips, in every city |
| Norikae Annai / NAVITIME | Japan-specific transit planners | Complex, multi-line transfers |
Add an IC card to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet before you fly, or buy a physical card at any station.
WHAT THE PASS ACTUALLY COVERS
| Covers | Detail |
|---|---|
| Included | Unlimited JR trains (local, rapid, most shinkansen), JR buses, JR ferry to Miyajima — 7/14/21 consecutive days. Only "Temporary Visitor" entrants can buy it. |
| Not included | Nozomi/Mizuho shinkansen supplement, Tokyo Metro, most Kyoto city buses, Kintetsu to Nara, Odakyu to Hakone, Tobu to Nikko. Okinawa has no JR at all. |
PASS TYPES & PRICING
The nationwide pass comes in three lengths (7, 14 or 21 consecutive days) and two classes: Ordinary (standard reserved seating, the same seats most shinkansen passengers already use) and Green Car (first class — wider seats, a quieter car, roughly 40% more expensive). Almost nobody needs Green Car; ordinary shinkansen seating is already comfortable.
| Duration | Ordinary (adult) | Green Car (adult) | Child (6–11) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days | ≈ ¥50,000 | ≈ ¥70,000 | ≈ ¥25,000 |
| 14 days | ≈ ¥80,000 | ≈ ¥110,000 | ≈ ¥40,000 |
| 21 days | ≈ ¥100,000 | ≈ ¥140,000 | ≈ ¥50,000 |
Prices are indicative post-2023 figures in yen, adult Ordinary unless noted — confirm the current rate before buying. Since the October 2023 revision, holders can also pay a supplement to ride the fastest Nozomi and Mizuho services if needed.
DOES THE MATH WORK?
Add up the one-way fares for your planned shinkansen legs and compare with the pass price. Figures below are indicative reserved-seat fares — check current prices when you plan.
| Itinerary | Pay per trip | 7-day pass | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo ⇄ Kyoto (round trip only) | ≈ ¥28,000 | ¥50,000 (7-day, Ordinary) | Pass not worth it — buy point-to-point tickets. |
| Tokyo → Kyoto → Hiroshima → Tokyo | ≈ ¥44,000 | ¥50,000 (7-day, Ordinary) | Roughly break-even; the pass only wins if you add day trips. |
| Tokyo → Kyoto → Hiroshima → Osaka → Kanazawa → Tokyo | ≈ ¥60,000+ | ¥50,000 (7-day, Ordinary) | Pass wins clearly. |
| Two-week loop: Tokyo → Sendai → Tokyo → Kyoto → Hiroshima → Fukuoka → Osaka → Tokyo | ≈ ¥95,000+ | ¥80,000 (14-day, Ordinary) | Pass wins, and by a wider margin the more day trips you add. |
Each city guide lists indicative fares from the main hubs, so you can total your route quickly — see the city guides.
GETTING AROUND WITHIN ONE CITY
None of the fares above cover life once you’ve arrived. Tokyo Metro, Kyoto’s buses and Osaka Metro are almost all non-JR, so the pass would not help there anyway. The good news: local transport is cheap. A single subway or bus ride is well under ¥500, and an unlimited one-day ticket usually costs less than a single reserved-seat shinkansen leg — plenty for a full day of sightseeing within the same city.
| City | Single ride | One-day pass | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | ≈ ¥180–330 | ≈ ¥800 (Tokyo Subway Ticket, 24h) | Covers Tokyo Metro + Toei lines. The JR Yamanote loop is billed separately, ≈ ¥150–200/ride. |
| Osaka | ≈ ¥180–370 | ≈ ¥820 (Osaka Metro One-Day Pass) | Osaka Metro only; also gives small discounts at some attractions. |
| Kyoto | ≈ ¥230 (city bus flat fare) | ≈ ¥700–1,100 (bus / bus+subway one-day pass) | Kyoto sightseeing runs mostly on city buses, not JR. |
| Fukuoka | ≈ ¥210–380 | ≈ ¥640 (subway one-day pass) | Fukuoka City Subway; buses run separately on their own fares. |
| Sapporo | ≈ ¥210–380 | ≈ ¥830 (subway one-day pass) | Cheaper weekend/holiday version (Donichika Ticket) is often available. |
Budget for a local day pass on top of your JR Pass or point-to-point tickets — it is a rounding error next to shinkansen fares, and it is what actually gets you around once you are in a city.
REGIONAL PASSES OFTEN WIN
If your trip stays in one area, a regional JR pass is usually far cheaper and often more flexible (some are valid on non-consecutive days). Buy the regional pass that matches your map rather than the national one “to be safe”.
WHERE TO BUY
Buy before you arrive. You either get an “exchange order” to swap for the physical pass at a JR office (bring your passport), or a digital pass you activate online. The seller links below are affiliate links.
| Seller | Type | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official Japan Rail Pass site | Official | Buy the exchange order or a digital pass directly from the JR Group. No markup, but no bundles either. | Open ↗ |
| Klook | Reseller | Sells the nationwide pass and most regional passes, often alongside activities; occasional promo pricing. | Open ↗ |
| Rakuten Travel Experiences | Reseller | Nationwide and regional passes with home delivery of the exchange order before you travel. | Open ↗ |