Yes, you have to try it, bro, the highest fastest train in Southeast Asia... the speed is 350 K kilometers, the newest fast train in Southeast Asia, the first in Indonesia, Jakarta - Bandung, lots of tourist attractions in the city of Bandung which is beautiful and comfortable and cool and cool and beautiful....
Ww did the Green Car this summer when we was travelling Japan. My kids loved it. So quiet. And remember, off with the shoes if you use the unfolded foot rest ;)
Glad you enjoyed it too! I will know for next time about taking my shoes off (I had no idea about that rule but it makes total sense now that I know!). 🙈
I love, love, love your videos!💕I have a tbi from several mini strokes. Oftentimes, video information is presented too fast and without a lot of detail, making it difficult to process. Your videos are just right. Not too slow so as to give my brain time to forget what was just said; and definitely not too fast, wherein I don't have to repeatedly "rewind" the video to catch what was said. You also speak clearly. Bless you!🌼
Thanks so much for the breakdown of each section. I calculated my itinerary and it's either save $80 with the ordinary pass or spend another $80 for the green pass. Everything I see online says to stick with the ordinary,... but I think I wanna treat myself on this one, lol. I doubt I'll be able to afford the green pass once the price change happens too, so it's a good chance to try it multiple times rather than just on one ticket in the future.
It's true that I've always been perfectly happy with the standard car until I tried the Green Car, which is just that extra little bit of luxury if you want to treat yourself! It's nice that it's quieter and less crowded too.
I’ve only ever been in the green car once before and that was because i accidentally booked that ticket (which wasn’t a bad thing because it was a longer trip 😊). Also have to say that the luggage forwarding service is the best thing ever. I hadn’t used it on the previous 4 times i had been to Japan (mainly as i was travelling solo), but this time round i was travelling with a group and so we decided to do luggage forwarding because it would be easier through some of the bigger stations we were travelling through (eg Osaka, Kyoto, shinjuku). Usually the luggage gets there overnight or 1 day later and its fairly cheap AUD $15-20 each piece. With a big of forward planning, this service makes travelling through japan so much easier. Definitely recommend doing that to save hauling a suitcase up the many many staircases that appear to just be in Japanese train stations 😂
Hey fellow Aussie! I'll be looking to doing the same with luggage forwarding when I'm there later in the year. I've never done it before so. Is it as simple as asking the hotel staff to help with this service, filling out a form and paying a fee? Thats usually how people describe it but am a bit nervous still. Thanks!
Glad you got to try the green car (even if it was a surprise accident!). Good to know the luggage forwarding worked well. I know what you mean about those staircases! There've been times when we've done a relay up and down them with the suitcases. 😂
@@dickwintered It’s super easy! You do need to double check that your hotel is able to send or receive the luggage. Some places have it in-house, but we found that it was also available at one of the post offices that we stayed near in Kyoto which was super helpful. The staff are usually really helpful, even if their English isn’t super extensive (google translate and Say Hi to the rescue!) It honestly is pretty easy and i don’t know why i didnt do it until now! Have fun on your trip…japan is honestly one of the best places I’ve ever visited.
@@dickwinteredIt might be a good idea to email the property in advance or read the website carefully. If it is a major business hotel or a high-class inn, they will respond by courier service. Individually run hotels and B&Bs are not eligible, so it would be best to have it shipped from a nearby convenience store or take it to a courier counter at a major station.
I used the luggage delivery service and it was sooo goooood. I got my suitcases delivered on the same day (narita-tokyo) and I didn't have to worry about hauling my big suitcases (2) around the trains and while walking around the city (I arrived at about 10 am, but could check in at 3 pm+, so I had a few hours of exploring to do). And it wasn't really that pricey. Maybe it's more pricey for longer trips - still worth it.
That's good to know - I've heard a lot of good things about it! I think routes from the airport offer same day delivery more than other routes - makes sense as you want your stuff straight away!
@@lindaparker1043 Just replied to your pther comment! :-) For anyone else reading this - the Nozomi isn't currently included with any JR Pass. When the price goes up in October, you can take the Nozomi if you pay an extra fee per trip (they haven't yet announced how much it'll be).
@@Indieandcade I haven't used it myself, but the luggage delivery service is Takkyubin from Yamato Transport (they have a cute cat logo!): www.global-yamato.com/en/hands-free-travel/#anc-howto They deliver same day from the airport and some locations, but for most it's delivered next day. So you'd need to carry a smaller overnight bag with you. From what I've heard, it's an excellent service and they're very reliable, but you may need to drop it off in the morning for next day delivery. The Tokyo Station location says it offers same day delivery, but it may only be to local destinations in the Kanto area: www.global-yamato.com/en/hands-free-travel/facilities/tokyo_station.html
I'm a huge green car fan, the seats are sooooo comfortable! Highly recommended if you are doing some long Shinkansen trips. If you are tall or a "cuddly" build then the green car seats are perfect. I agree that the green cars are always less busy than the ordinary cars. As well as the Shinkansen, Green cars are available on many other JR long distance trains. Your comments about the luggage are spot on. I travel with a standard 'large' size suitcase and it is under 160cm so I don't have to make a reservation for the rear row but I always do as it makes it so much easier to travel. You *can* still use the space if it is empty and you don't have a seat reservation for that row, but it is prioritised for the people booking the rear seats (the conductor can help you find somewhere else to put your luggage if needed). Great video as always Amy :)
Glad you enjoyed it too! That's a good point about the extra space being good for larger people. And having fewer seats in the row makes it so much more comfortable!
Yes, you have to try it, bro, the highest fastest train in Southeast Asia... the speed is 350 K kilometers, the newest fast train in Southeast Asia, the first in Indonesia, Jakarta - Bandung, lots of tourist attractions in the city of Bandung which is beautiful and comfortable and cool and cool and beautiful....
My partner wants to do the green car and I was like no, standard is good. But we will be doing some peak time travel and this will increase our chances of being able to get those trains. So something to reconsider.
Hope this helps you decide! I'd always automatically gone for standard in the past as well, but I'm glad I got to try the green car - it's so comfortable!
Yes, you have to try it, bro, the highest fastest train in Southeast Asia... the speed is 350 K kilometers, the newest fast train in Southeast Asia, the first in Indonesia, Jakarta - Bandung, lots of tourist attractions in the city of Bandung which is beautiful and comfortable and cool and cool and beautiful....
I have only rode the bullet train on e and used the green car. I think you covered this perfectly, and I agree with your assessment. Walking to and using the bathroom was an adventure with all the motion.
Thanks Amy, as usual you provded us with much needed inof. I usually buy the 21 day green car JR pass but on the longer routes. I will most likely fly, (ie Fukuoka to Tokyo to Sapporo.) Osaka to Tokyo or visa versa, I would take the train. It's more convimient and scenic. Thanks again, stay safe and healthy!
The journey up to Hokkaido can be interesting on the train, seeing it start to get snowy as you travel! But yes, flying can be quicker for some longer journeys.
I used Takkyubin (Yamamoto) to ship my luggage from Osaka to my hotel in Tokyo and it was so worth it. There were so many stairs at the train stations. It would've been a real pain to carry them. Totally worth the $30.
Bigger stations usually have escalators or an elevator in at least 1 exit, and they usually work. But a few don't. When you get to smaller rural stations that are above ground, they frequently have an overpass to reach the tracks on the other side of the station, so you have to carry your bags up and down the stairs.
thank you for telling how tall you are for reference, that's a help! with this much room you could even put your suitcase in front of you, good to know. next time I'm in japan I'd probably bite the bullet and get a JR pass too, usually I get around fine with just the local trains and busses.
The second time I visited Japan I used the Green car variant. I was quite glad I did, often getting less crowded cars and overall I felt it was more comfortable. At the time I did not found the difference in amount that big to not go for first class. I have not yet watched your video (am at the office ^_^) but I thought I share my opinion in the comment.
Excellent, that's exactly what I found too - it was much less crowded in the green car than when I walked through the standard car, on every trip. Glad it was the same for you too at another time of year!
@@cakeswithfaces Watched the video now :) Brought back good memories. Always enjoy watching your videos and I think they can help people that never been to Japan before a lot on how things work.
Im lucky in that my trip is early december, so since you can get Passes 3 months ahead, i can get one just before the price increase and lock myself in at that price. but also with the yen dropping like mad against the pound, the current green car pass price is roughly what the standard was a few months back!
Wow that's a great point about the exchange rates - how surprising!! I'm probably going to get some yen now while the rate's good, even though I don't have a trip booked at the moment! 😅
On my last trip I opted for the Green Car JR rail pass and I have to say it was well worth it for travelling down to Kyoto and then on to Kanazawa. It was much quieter in the green car carriage and the seat was very comfortable. I don't think I'll go back to standard even though there's nothing wrong with it having travelled in this class many times in the past. BTW I also treated myself to going Gran Class from Kanazawa back to Tokyo. Yes, it was expensive but I enjoyed it immensely and the bento meal and unlimited drink that came with the ticket was superb. Would I buy a Gran Class ticket again? Definitely.
I'd love to try Gran Class one day! I feel the same - I was always perfectly happy with standard class, but now I know what the green car's like I'll be tempted to go for it again!
@@lindaparker1043 You're right - currently the Nozomi isn't included with any JR Pass (green or standard). When the price goes up in October, you'll be able to ride the Nozomi if you pay an extra supplement per trip (they haven' yet announced how much that will be).
Thanks a lot really good video to get good idea about Shinkansen but just one missing thing how to book a ticket for green car from train station and choose the seat near window!!
Thanks! That's covered in this video, about booking seats at the ticket machine - you can choose which seat you want: ua-cam.com/video/5PTBmrtZ8Nw/v-deo.html
😂😂 I guess the Japanese version is: "Kiiroi sen no uchigawa ni sagatte omachi kudasai" = stand behind the yellow line. It's fun to learn the station announcements, you hear them a lot!
Several other people mentioned that in the comments too - it's something I hadn't heard of, but it makes sense now I know! Of course, I would have taken them off if I'd realised. 🙏
hmmm,... quite seriously, the next time I have to travel from Tokyo to Kyoto and Osaka to visit relatives, I'll just take the overnight bus. You can sleep so time isn't really lost and it's much cheaper. The buses I saw this week pull into Kyoto station so you end up where the train is.
Thanks for this info! I would definitely like to take the green car for the only time we use the Shinkansen. Was wondering though, would it be frowned upon if we reserved two seat windows instead of a row even though there are only two of us? The green car looked almost empty in comparison to the standard car.
I think that would be absolutely fine. There's always a chance someone might reserve the seat next to you, but you're right, the Green Car is always less busy than the standard car.
I think the green car is worth it for a longer journey, certainly anything over two hours, but standard is fine for other trips unless the train is likely to be very busy. I've always bought the green car rail pass in the past, but probably won't bother for my trip in September, as Tokyo > Kyoto will be my only long journey. The only bad time to use the standard was one trip I was on when, despite the train being busy, one carriage was nearly empty. I was surprised until the door opened, then realised the toilet must have malfunctioned as the who carriage smelled like an open sewer, with just a handful of people braving in out. Maybe they'd booked seats and were too polite to move. It is so annoying that the Hyperdia site has stopped listing train times. That was a really useful planning tool, but is now almost useless. There are other sites, but the information between them never seems to tally up.
Oh no, hopefully that's very rare that the bathrooms malfunction! (Wish I could say the same for trains in England...!) 😅 I've been using Japan Travel by NaviTime since Hyperdia stopped updating. It took a while to get used to it. Have you found the info's inconsistent between different sites?
They haven't announced many details yet so there isn't an exact date. But you should still be able to get it at the current price for October. Depending on where you buy it from, you can buy the pass 1 - 3 months in advance, so I'd buy it as early as possible to get the current price.
The unfolded footrests should never be used with shoes. In Japan, after unfolding the footrest, you must first take off your shoes before you put your feet on the unfolded footrest.
If you have Green Pass you can go in any carriage you like, so yes you can use the standard car (reserved or non-reserved) if you want to. The Green Car is reservation only, so there's no unreserved section in that class.
Hi Amy! Do you know of Coco ichiban Museum in Nagoya near Biwajima Satation? Some youtuber mentioned it (forgot who), but I can't find it on google maps, thanks in advance!
Wow, I had no idea! Thanks for telling me! If only I'd known when I was in Nagoya earlier this year! It seems that's where their first restaurant was. Looks like this is it on Google Maps: goo.gl/maps/vnrVomjEv91MATpM7
Sakura season's the most popular time to visit Japan, and also the holidays in Japan, so I'd recommend booking in advance. Some routes are very frequent eg Tokyo to Kyoto runs as much as every 10 mins at some times of day! But especially if you want to get the seats with extra space for luggage, book in advance as there'll be lots of tourists travelling at that time.
Green cars are now the equivalent of business class, not first class. The equivalent of first class is "GranClass" on the Tōhoku Shinkansen, Hokuriku Shinkansen, etc., but there are no GranClass seats on the Tōkaidō and Sanyō Shinkansen.
Someone else just commented that yes, you should remove your shoes, so that's a faux pas on my part. 🙊 I didn't even think of that - but it makes sense now I know that!
@@cakeswithfaces Please take a good look at the material and pattern on both sides of the footrest. You'll probably understand why. Because they are same as carpets and seat's face.
@@cakeswithfaces Thank you for reply. I think it's inevitable even if foreign tourists don't know about it. We have a different culture. I would be happy if you could show to foreign tourist how to use the Green Car footrest in a video.
10:54 LOL I took the shinkansen a couple weeks ago and also missed Mt Fuji despite constantly checking for it! Perhaps the clouds or my ADHD lol. I took the green car as well and enjoyed it, its priced very reasonably too compared to a regular seat. The only regret I have is ordering a pork cutlet sandwich on the train, it was SUPER dry and bland 😅Next time I'll just bring food with me onboard haha
Oh no, seems like Fuji can be sneaky sometimes! Sorry you missed them too! I don't eat meat but my friends always love the katsu sandos from the convenience store.
@@cakeswithfaces Unfortunately, wagon sales on the Tokaido Shinkansen will be discontinued in October of this year. 😭😭😭😭😭 If you are a Green Car passenger, you can order by the app. However, the types of products that can be purchased will probably decrease significantly. 😢
This link should work: railway.jr-central.co.jp/pwd/_pdf/N700S.pdf It's updated each day (Japan time). The N700S runs the same route as the regular Tokaido shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto.
Nozomi is not covered by the JR Pass tho, correct? If I'm trying to get from Tokyo Station to Kyoto Station, is there a green car option for someone who has a pass? I was watching a 6 year old video from someone and they were saying the train, I think Hikari did not have a green car. I bought a Green car pass before the hike, and now I'm like , .......?
If you bought your JR Pass before the price went up, it doesn't include the Nozomi. If you bought it after the price went up, you can pay an extra supplement (per trip) to go on the Nozomi if you want to. The Hikari does have a Green Car (that's the one I'm in, in this video!). If you have a Green Car pass, you can go in the green car whenever you want to. Many limited express trains have them too, not just the shinkansen. However, the Green Car is reservation-only, so you have to reserve a seat each time (free of charge).
Please be aware that the Nozomi cannot be used with a JR Pass, no matter if you have the standard JR Pass or the Green JR Pass. You have to take the slower Hikari or the even slower Kodama. The video suggests that you can ride the new Nozomi if you have a JR Pass. You can't even ride the old one with it.
Absolutely right! I didn't mean to suggest that at all. There are so many things to mention about the JR Pass, so this video's just focussing on comparing the green car vs standard car, and where to put your luggage.
The new JR pass starting in October at much higher prices allows you to ride the Nozomi, but you have to pay a surcharge which depends on the route. Doesn't seem that worthwhile to me since the surcharge is not minimal, and the difference in travel time over Hikari isn't huge, e.g. less than 1/2 hour between Tokyo and Kyoto.
Yes, that's correct. Only reason for choosing the faster trains with additional fee would be to get some seats during high season. This is why I ordered green passes for September/October. September will probably be find but I expect the Shinkansen to be crouded in October. Choosing more expensive options could result in better chances in seat reservations during peak times. I plan to go across Japan within 7 weeks, sometimes just staying for one day in one place but with the higher price of the JR pass, even I would have no reason to use it. Luckily I still can use it for the old price and even with a green pass, it is well worth it.@@twostate7822
I think it's worth it, especially at the moment with the exchange rate of the Yen so weak. I wish I'd waited to buy my yen, could have saved a lot/bought more....ah well.
You never know how the exchange rate's going to go in the future. I just bought some yen, even though I don't have a trip planned - it's the best rate in 8 years right now.
I had no idea about that before! Someone else mentioned that in the comments; I hadn't heard that before and there's nothing telling you that in the train. 🙈 But now I know for next time, thank you!
Hi Amy great video. One quick question if you have a standard JR pass and want to try the green car as a treat is it possible to get an upgrade to your ticket just for one trip? Thank you
To get on the Shinkansen, you need two tickets: a regular ticket and a limited express ticket. If you want to ride a green car like this time, you can use your JR pass as a ticket and purchase a green limited express ticket for an additional fee to ride the green car of the Shinkansen. . However, you cannot ride the Nozomi train, which is the fastest train between Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, with the JR Pass.
I booked mine on the ryokan's own website (so they wouldn't have to pay extra fees to a booking website!). I'd highly recommend Morizuya in Kinosaki: www.morizuya.com/en/ You can also book many of them here: www.japaneseguesthouses.com/ All of the ryokan in Kinosaki can also be booked through this website: visitkinosaki.com/
グリーンの座席のフットレストは、床と同じカーペットは靴、シートと同じカーペットは素足です！ 他の方の迷惑になりますので、絶対に間違えない様に！！！ For the footrests of the green seats, wear shoes on the same carpet as the floor, and bare feet on the same carpet as the seat! Do not make a mistake, as it will cause trouble for other people! ! !
Interesting that you didn't mention smartEX at all. I used the website in May and it was very straightforward. There even was a green car discount for reserving in advance, and they claim reserved seats are slightly cheaper than buying at the station. I could also register my IC card, so all I had to do at the station was tap in and pick up my seat reservation confirmation at the gate!
That sounds great, glad it worked so smoothly, and that's very handy being able to put the tickets on your IC card. So far I've always used a JR Pass, but there's a chance after the price increase it might work out better buying individual tickets on some occasions, so I'm sure I'll try it too at some point!
@@cakeswithfaces I've never actually used the JR pass. The staffed ticket gate hassle early on plus no Tokyo Metro made it unattractive for the little bit of money saved, especially on longer, one-way trips on a split itinerary. I got a Hello Kitty themed IC card on my first visit in 2015 at Kansai Airport with the "ICOCA & HARUKA" bundle, and have been using that every year since then.
@@zeeZerl Whether the JR Pass is worth it does depend on your plans - especially after the price increase in October. It's much better now you can use the JR Pass in the automatic ticket gates - definitely an improvement!
@@zeeZerl You usually have to take at least a round trip shinkansen trip to make the 7 day pass worthwhile, and even more shinkansen trip for longer passes. The current JR pass is like a regular ticket in that you insert the pass into the ticket slot in the front of the gate, and pick it up as you exit the gate. You still need to pick up seat tickets for each segment.
Recently they got rid of the food trolleys on the Tokkaido shinkansen (between Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka). Usually I'll buy food from a convenience store on my way to the station (they're EVERYWHERE in Japan and have an excellent selection). There are also lots of shops inside the station. Sometimes they're good, and sometimes in the shinkansen section they focus more on "omiyage" = boxed souvenir sweets that people buy as gifts when they travel. But the shinkansen section of the station is where you'll find the fancy ekiben boxed lunches. You might also like this video about how to take the bullet train: ua-cam.com/video/89_tv2LpitM/v-deo.html
@cakeswithfaces Thanks. I guess Japan places these stores conveniently. We can't read, so knowing they are around the Shinkansen gates / area is a good sign. Is it after the gate? Or both before gate and inside platform? lol
@@mogtrader8 Stations are huge, so there'll be shops before the ticket gates and after. The shops selling ekiben (train bento boxes) are usually after the shinkansen ticket gates. Usually there's not too much on the platform itself, but sometimes there's a small kiosk up there.
@cakeswithfaces Thank you very much. It will be our first time and this helps us, mentally. We're afraid of being overwhelmed, but will remind ourselves to keep an eye out when inside. It feels like Japan is well planned and organized meaningfully. 😃
@@mogtrader8 I remember how many questions I had when I first went to Japan! (That's partly why I make my videos, and my book). It is very organised and works well most of the time, and people are friendly if you get stuck!
At the time, masks were required on public transport and people were still wearing them in pretty much all public places. They've since relaxed the rules now so now not everyone wears them.
@@Roland1. Currently there's no requirement to wear masks any more (although in most places it wasn't mandatory, but everyone wore them anyway). I'd obviously have preferred not to wear one but it seems polite to follow the local culture and wear one if everyone else is, to be considerate. It is relaxing now though, so it's already not the same as earlier this year, from what I hear.
In the last 20 years or so, people in Japan wear a mask everywhere because loads of them suffer from hay fever and do not want to annoy others by coughing and sneezing in the close proximity of rush hours, etc.
Yes, both the standard and green car passes include the whole of Japan. There are regional versions that only cover a specified area, but it's very clear which they are, so I don't think you'd get them mixed up!
Just found your channel and I love it!! I’m traveling to Japan with my mom in Feb 2024. I’m wondering if it’s possible to buy our JR pass now a bit, early before the price hike in October? Also-have you heard of Gran Class on the Shinkansen?
So glad you're enjoying my videos! I'd love to try Gran Class - it looks so luxurious! :-) If you want to get the JR Pass at the current price, Klook have an exclusive deal where they're offering passes 6 months in advance (most places are 1 - 3 months).
I'm going to Japan in November and was thinking of getting the Green car JR Pass as a one off, would you know if i miss my booked train can I simply rebook a later train or would have to buy another ticket?
You might need to go to the counter and tell them to cancel the reservation you didn't take. I changed my mind about when I wanted to travel, and the ticket machine wouldn't let me book another train on that route on the same day. I had to go to the counter and get them to cancel the original booking before I could make another one, so I'd imagine something similar might happen. It's often fine to make a reservation when you arrive at the station to take the train, so if you're not sure which time you'll be travelling that might be the easiest thing to do (unless it's a busy time and there's a chance the trains would be fully booked).
@@cakeswithfaces Thanks so much for replying, I'd looked on line but couldn't find a definite answer one way or the other. PS loved your book its been a great help with planning my trip!
Hi sis, may I ask how to reserve for the 160cm luggage? Coz I book from Klook reserved seat but no selection for the luggage. Should I go to JR counter at my departure station before my departure date to reserve for it? Thanks
You need to book the seats at the end of the carriage. You can make the seat reservation either at the counter of a JR station, or at a seat reservation ticket machine - there's a demonstration here: ua-cam.com/video/5PTBmrtZ8Nw/v-deo.html If you bought your JR Pass from japanrailpass.net, you can reserve seats online before you go; if you bought it from anywhere else, you have to wait till you're in Japan.
I had the green car JR Pass so all green car tickets were included. You can check shinkansen prices on the Japan Travel app by Navitime (or on Google!). :-)
Sorry, I wish I'd filmed that now too! I can't find it now but when I was editing this I saw a plan of the train and there are spaces in certain rows - there's a photo in this article: english.kyodonews.net/news/2019/10/07b385712506-in-photos-interior-of-new-shinkansen-bullet-train-model-n700s.html?phrase=postwords=&words= I don't know if you've seen Accessible Japan already, but it's a really useful site. They have some info about accessibility on the shinkansen - hope it helps: www.accessible-japan.com/shinkansen-wheelchair-accessibility/ On regular trains there's also a space for prams/wheelchairs - you'll see it in my video about travelling with luggage (not edited/uploaded yet but look out for it!). That video might also be useful as we were avoiding steps and escalators with the suitcases, so it shows what it's like finding the step-free route (there is always one but it's not always the most obvious route!).
I came to Japan today and it it ridiculously crowded and super hot because of the humidity. Also very, very expensive. I am no stranger to Japan at all and I was shocked by the negative changes.
Gran Class is the best!!!!! Too bad is not available on most of the routes. You need to TAKEOFF your shoes to use the foot rest in unfolded position. Notice the fabric? Having your shoes on the fabric is like standing on the seat with your shoes on. HOW RUDE!
I'd love to try Gran Class one day! 🎶 I honestly didn't realise about taking your shoes off for the footrests - if I'd known, I would of course have taken my shoes off. It's very embarrassing now, I wish I'd known at the time.
While i dont expect me and my group to get any Green car reservations, especially since most of us want to be together, i definitely enjoyed the tour of the inside. While Im somewhat familiar from my trip in 2019, having an updated view as well as being able to show my group so some of their questions can be visually answered was very helpful.
It's a few years old, but the process of taking the shinkansen (standard car) is the same as in this older video, apart from you can now insert your JR Pass in the ticket gates: ua-cam.com/video/89_tv2LpitM/v-deo.html
Hi Amy, thank you for the video. May I ask how tall your Boyfriend is for reference? I am 190cm tall and not sure if the 125.- Eur price difference for the 2week JR pass is worth it. I am planing to travel the area between tokio and fukuoka in September. Will I have enough space in the ordinary class?
Neither of us are very tall, he's about 5 foot 6. The standard car is also very spacious, with more room than any other train I've been on. I've always been very happy with it - but the green car is more plush and has even more space. There are two holidays in September this year (18th and 23rd), so that first long weekend may be busier on the trains. A major advantage of the green car is that it's less busy and crowded than the standard car. However it's not a major holiday, so not something to be too concerned about. This older video shows more of the standard car if that helps: ua-cam.com/video/89_tv2LpitM/v-deo.html
Great video - no surprise there - but there was one snippet of information that I found quite significant for anyone planning a trip to Japan: the price increases in the Japan Rail Pass. Apologies if you've covered that elsewhere but I googled a few articles on that - Whoa! To be fair, it was probably the best deal out there for foreigners so we have had it good for a long time. But still.... Anyhow, thanks for bringing that to my attention!
Glad you caught that news now - they announced it a few weeks ago. At first I thought it seemed like a huge price increase but as I found out more about it, there hadn't really been much change in the price for years and years, so instead of increasing it gradually over time, it's been in one go. They say it's still pretty good compared to other rail passes (eg for Europe), but I don't really know anything about them. I think now it's just worth doing a bit of maths to check if you might be better off buying individual tickets instead of automatically getting the JR Pass. For mot people just going to Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka, you'd still be paying a similar amount for individual tickets.
Thanks for making this video. We are still debating to get green pass or regular. I have question though! If we have a green pass, how does it work with JR busses and other trains apart from Shinkansen in terms of reservation? Thanks!
Some non-shinkansen trains have a green car - mostly long distance express trains. With them it works exactly the same as reserving a seat on the shinkansen. With other trains that don't have green cars, you can go on them just as you would with a regular JR Pass. I haven't used JR buses so not sure about them!
If you book your tickets in advance on Smartex (official website from Japan Railways), there are discounts for booking in advance. If you book 30 days in advance, the green car isn't too much more than the regular price for the standard car. The only downside with the discounted tickets is that if you miss your train, they aren't valid for other trains that day like full price tickets.
Yes, you have to try it, bro, the highest fastest train in Southeast Asia... the speed is 350 K kilometers, the newest fast train in Southeast Asia, the first in Indonesia, Jakarta - Bandung, lots of tourist attractions in the city of Bandung which is beautiful and comfortable and cool and cool and beautiful....
It is quite something to hear comments on Shinkansen in a standard British English, just like the voice of Donna Burke whose voice is very widely known as "the Voice of Shinkansen" for travellers using Tokaido Bullet Trains. I often use the Green Cars on conventional lines and they are also good.
Great video, thank you. We're doing research into booking our JR pass and found this, as well as many of your other videos, to be very helpful. Certainly the Green Car looks more premium. Do you feel there is a better car in terms of booking the rear seats with luggage storage?
In terms of luggage, there'll be better availability of seats with luggage space in the green car, because it's always less full than the standard car. However you can't put suitcases by your knees in the green car because the luxurious, larger footrest is in the way!
The foot rest that opens, the inside part, is for feet and not shoes. When you pull down the foot rest and then pull open that flap, that is for feet with socks or stockings, NOT SHOES! If one is on a budget, then the green car is really an extravagance that is not necessary. Especially considering that JR Passes go up 40% in October 2023.
That's a good point - it must have been good to have a bit more space at that time especially. Now I've tried the Green Car, I'd always want to take it if I have the budget!
i feel like some of the green car amenities are already included in other limited express trains. so the premium is still the Shinkansen speeds. as a bigger person, i didnt find the fixed arm rests more comfortable. felt more confining.
Thanks for sharing your feedback on the seats, that's helpful to know. Some limited express trains are amazing! And the views are often more scenic than on the shinkansen.
Hi! Just wanted to say thank you for making such great videos ! I’m planning a honeymoon trip to Japan December and these have been very helpful. I have a question, should I buy the JR pass now before the price change in October 2023 for my December 2023 trip ? Will I lose any benefits if I buy it now or is it better to wait until October 2023 to buy it ? I don’t understand what all is changing so I figured I’d ask for your guidance !
I'd definitely buy it before the end of September so you can get it at the current price and save money! At the start of October the price is going up. They've said you'll also be able to pay a supplement to ride the Nozomi (the fastest shinkansen, which isn't currently covered by the pass), so you might not be able to do that; it's not confirmed exactly how it'll work yet. However that's not a problem as the trains you can ride are still just as fast, they just stop at one or two extra stations.
Yes you can buy the pass before Oct at the current price, but please be noted that you need to redeem the pass in Japan within 3 months of purchase. For example, if you plan to arrive in Japan on Dec 20 and redeem the pass that day, you shouldn’t buy your JR pass before Sep 20.
@@Anthony-traveller888 Ye s- it depends where you buy it from. Some agents sell it 3 months in advance, and a few are only 1 month in advance. At the moment Klook are offering it 6 months in advance.
You must take your shoes off,when you use the other side of foot rest.😊
Oh no, I had no idea about that! 🙊 But that makes sense, now I think about it. Thank you. 🙏
Yes, you have to try it, bro, the highest fastest train in Southeast Asia... the speed is 350 K kilometers, the newest fast train in Southeast Asia, the first in Indonesia, Jakarta - Bandung, lots of tourist attractions in the city of Bandung which is beautiful and comfortable and cool and cool and beautiful....
😊@@ocshaljufrian6109
Ww did the Green Car this summer when we was travelling Japan. My kids loved it. So quiet. And remember, off with the shoes if you use the unfolded foot rest ;)
Glad you enjoyed it too! I will know for next time about taking my shoes off (I had no idea about that rule but it makes total sense now that I know!). 🙈
I love, love, love your videos!💕I have a tbi from several mini strokes. Oftentimes, video information is presented too fast and without a lot of detail, making it difficult to process. Your videos are just right. Not too slow so as to give my brain time to forget what was just said; and definitely not too fast, wherein I don't have to repeatedly "rewind" the video to catch what was said. You also speak clearly. Bless you!🌼
Ah that 's great to hear! So glad they're just right! I try to include everything, because I had so many questions when I first went to Japan!
Nice! Green car for me whenever I get to visit Japan. And your purse is So Adorable, Amy!
Thanks, the Hello Kitty fruits series is next level! Enjoy the green car - you'll be travelling in style and comfort!!
About the footrest, when you unfold the footrest that's for your feet to rest without your shoes.
I didn't realise that when I filmed this! Obviously, now that I know, I'll be sure to take my shoes off next time.
Thanks so much for the breakdown of each section. I calculated my itinerary and it's either save $80 with the ordinary pass or spend another $80 for the green pass. Everything I see online says to stick with the ordinary,... but I think I wanna treat myself on this one, lol. I doubt I'll be able to afford the green pass once the price change happens too, so it's a good chance to try it multiple times rather than just on one ticket in the future.
It's true that I've always been perfectly happy with the standard car until I tried the Green Car, which is just that extra little bit of luxury if you want to treat yourself! It's nice that it's quieter and less crowded too.
I’ve only ever been in the green car once before and that was because i accidentally booked that ticket (which wasn’t a bad thing because it was a longer trip 😊). Also have to say that the luggage forwarding service is the best thing ever. I hadn’t used it on the previous 4 times i had been to Japan (mainly as i was travelling solo), but this time round i was travelling with a group and so we decided to do luggage forwarding because it would be easier through some of the bigger stations we were travelling through (eg Osaka, Kyoto, shinjuku). Usually the luggage gets there overnight or 1 day later and its fairly cheap AUD $15-20 each piece. With a big of forward planning, this service makes travelling through japan so much easier. Definitely recommend doing that to save hauling a suitcase up the many many staircases that appear to just be in Japanese train stations 😂
Hey fellow Aussie! I'll be looking to doing the same with luggage forwarding when I'm there later in the year. I've never done it before so. Is it as simple as asking the hotel staff to help with this service, filling out a form and paying a fee? Thats usually how people describe it but am a bit nervous still. Thanks!
Glad you got to try the green car (even if it was a surprise accident!). Good to know the luggage forwarding worked well. I know what you mean about those staircases! There've been times when we've done a relay up and down them with the suitcases. 😂
@@dickwintered It’s super easy! You do need to double check that your hotel is able to send or receive the luggage. Some places have it in-house, but we found that it was also available at one of the post offices that we stayed near in Kyoto which was super helpful. The staff are usually really helpful, even if their English isn’t super extensive (google translate and Say Hi to the rescue!) It honestly is pretty easy and i don’t know why i didnt do it until now! Have fun on your trip…japan is honestly one of the best places I’ve ever visited.
@@jurrassitol15 thanks friend! Did you email each hotel beforehand to see if they could do it?
@@dickwinteredIt might be a good idea to email the property in advance or read the website carefully. If it is a major business hotel or a high-class inn, they will respond by courier service. Individually run hotels and B&Bs are not eligible, so it would be best to have it shipped from a nearby convenience store or take it to a courier counter at a major station.
Woot Grand/Green class time glad you got on it!!!
Moving up in the world! 💅😝
This video was SO incredibly helpful. THANK YOU!!!
Thanks so much, really glad to hear that!
I used the luggage delivery service and it was sooo goooood. I got my suitcases delivered on the same day (narita-tokyo) and I didn't have to worry about hauling my big suitcases (2) around the trains and while walking around the city (I arrived at about 10 am, but could check in at 3 pm+, so I had a few hours of exploring to do). And it wasn't really that pricey. Maybe it's more pricey for longer trips - still worth it.
That's good to know - I've heard a lot of good things about it! I think routes from the airport offer same day delivery more than other routes - makes sense as you want your stuff straight away!
@@cakeswithfacesi thought JR pass doesn’t work on Nozomi shinkansen even when you have the JR pass Green Class.. you can only take hikari shinkansen
@@lindaparker1043 Just replied to your pther comment! :-) For anyone else reading this - the Nozomi isn't currently included with any JR Pass. When the price goes up in October, you can take the Nozomi if you pay an extra fee per trip (they haven't yet announced how much it'll be).
@@Indieandcade I haven't used it myself, but the luggage delivery service is Takkyubin from Yamato Transport (they have a cute cat logo!): www.global-yamato.com/en/hands-free-travel/#anc-howto
They deliver same day from the airport and some locations, but for most it's delivered next day. So you'd need to carry a smaller overnight bag with you. From what I've heard, it's an excellent service and they're very reliable, but you may need to drop it off in the morning for next day delivery.
The Tokyo Station location says it offers same day delivery, but it may only be to local destinations in the Kanto area: www.global-yamato.com/en/hands-free-travel/facilities/tokyo_station.html
@@cakeswithfaces this is so helpful! Thank you so much! And for your videos :)
AHHHH I bought my favorite dress from you and you happened to make the first video that popped up about green card! Thanks so much for all you do
Aww that's so lovely to hear, thank you so much!! 🥰 So happy you like my designs! 🎶 (And enjoy the Green Car if you decide to go for it!).
I'm a huge green car fan, the seats are sooooo comfortable! Highly recommended if you are doing some long Shinkansen trips. If you are tall or a "cuddly" build then the green car seats are perfect. I agree that the green cars are always less busy than the ordinary cars. As well as the Shinkansen, Green cars are available on many other JR long distance trains.
Your comments about the luggage are spot on. I travel with a standard 'large' size suitcase and it is under 160cm so I don't have to make a reservation for the rear row but I always do as it makes it so much easier to travel. You *can* still use the space if it is empty and you don't have a seat reservation for that row, but it is prioritised for the people booking the rear seats (the conductor can help you find somewhere else to put your luggage if needed). Great video as always Amy :)
Glad you enjoyed it too! That's a good point about the extra space being good for larger people. And having fewer seats in the row makes it so much more comfortable!
Yes, you have to try it, bro, the highest fastest train in Southeast Asia... the speed is 350 K kilometers, the newest fast train in Southeast Asia, the first in Indonesia, Jakarta - Bandung, lots of tourist attractions in the city of Bandung which is beautiful and comfortable and cool and cool and beautiful....
Great & helpful vid. I’m taking the Shinkansen from Chitose to Tokyo so I am considering taking a green car option for that long trip.
You will be very comfortable in the green car! There's also Gran Class on that one if you want real luxury... It looks amazing! 😍
My partner wants to do the green car and I was like no, standard is good. But we will be doing some peak time travel and this will increase our chances of being able to get those trains. So something to reconsider.
Hope this helps you decide! I'd always automatically gone for standard in the past as well, but I'm glad I got to try the green car - it's so comfortable!
Yes, you have to try it, bro, the highest fastest train in Southeast Asia... the speed is 350 K kilometers, the newest fast train in Southeast Asia, the first in Indonesia, Jakarta - Bandung, lots of tourist attractions in the city of Bandung which is beautiful and comfortable and cool and cool and beautiful....
I have only rode the bullet train on e and used the green car. I think you covered this perfectly, and I agree with your assessment. Walking to and using the bathroom was an adventure with all the motion.
Glad you enjoyed it too! Hehe, maybe you picked a time when there were some curves in the track!
Thanks Amy, as usual you provded us with much needed inof. I usually buy the 21 day green car JR pass but on the longer routes. I will most likely fly, (ie Fukuoka to Tokyo to Sapporo.) Osaka to Tokyo or visa versa, I would take the train. It's more convimient and scenic. Thanks again, stay safe and healthy!
The journey up to Hokkaido can be interesting on the train, seeing it start to get snowy as you travel! But yes, flying can be quicker for some longer journeys.
One thing I noticed when traveled green car is great sound isolation…it,s so very quiet….
So relaxing and calm!
im now sofa travelling with japan explorer.
I used Takkyubin (Yamamoto) to ship my luggage from Osaka to my hotel in Tokyo and it was so worth it. There were so many stairs at the train stations. It would've been a real pain to carry them. Totally worth the $30.
Great! I've heard lots of good things about it!
@@SaeedElAhmadi Yes, it's the same service. I love their cat logo!
Bigger stations usually have escalators or an elevator in at least 1 exit, and they usually work. But a few don't.
When you get to smaller rural stations that are above ground, they frequently have an overpass to reach the tracks on the other side of the station, so you have to carry your bags up and down the stairs.
thank you for telling how tall you are for reference, that's a help! with this much room you could even put your suitcase in front of you, good to know. next time I'm in japan I'd probably bite the bullet and get a JR pass too, usually I get around fine with just the local trains and busses.
Bite the bullet (train) 🚅😂
The second time I visited Japan I used the Green car variant. I was quite glad I did, often getting less crowded cars and overall I felt it was more comfortable. At the time I did not found the difference in amount that big to not go for first class. I have not yet watched your video (am at the office ^_^) but I thought I share my opinion in the comment.
Excellent, that's exactly what I found too - it was much less crowded in the green car than when I walked through the standard car, on every trip. Glad it was the same for you too at another time of year!
@@cakeswithfaces Watched the video now :) Brought back good memories.
Always enjoy watching your videos and I think they can help people that never been to Japan before a lot on how things work.
@@WolfyLuna Thanks, I hope so! I remember how many questions I had when I first went to Japan - it was exciting but also quite nerve-wracking!
Standard Class is still comfortable than a plane seat. Just look at those legroom it’s still wider than premium economy plane seat
Yes they're both much more spacious and comfortable than the plane! Best trains I've ever been on!
Im lucky in that my trip is early december, so since you can get Passes 3 months ahead, i can get one just before the price increase and lock myself in at that price.
but also with the yen dropping like mad against the pound, the current green car pass price is roughly what the standard was a few months back!
Wow that's a great point about the exchange rates - how surprising!! I'm probably going to get some yen now while the rate's good, even though I don't have a trip booked at the moment! 😅
On my last trip I opted for the Green Car JR rail pass and I have to say it was well worth it for travelling down to Kyoto and then on to Kanazawa. It was much quieter in the green car carriage and the seat was very comfortable. I don't think I'll go back to standard even though there's nothing wrong with it having travelled in this class many times in the past.
BTW I also treated myself to going Gran Class from Kanazawa back to Tokyo. Yes, it was expensive but I enjoyed it immensely and the bento meal and unlimited drink that came with the ticket was superb. Would I buy a Gran Class ticket again? Definitely.
I'd love to try Gran Class one day! I feel the same - I was always perfectly happy with standard class, but now I know what the green car's like I'll be tempted to go for it again!
i thought JR pass wont let you ride NOZOM even when you has green class JR rail pass..
@@lindaparker1043 You're right - currently the Nozomi isn't included with any JR Pass (green or standard). When the price goes up in October, you'll be able to ride the Nozomi if you pay an extra supplement per trip (they haven' yet announced how much that will be).
i always wanted to know what a green car looked like!
It was a real treat to try it out - so comfy! 🎶
Thank you for another very informative video.
Thanks, hope it's useful!
Thanks a lot really good video to get good idea about Shinkansen but just one missing thing how to book a ticket for green car from train station and choose the seat near window!!
Thanks! That's covered in this video, about booking seats at the ticket machine - you can choose which seat you want: ua-cam.com/video/5PTBmrtZ8Nw/v-deo.html
Very helpful. Thanks!
Glad it helps! :-)
I was waiting to hear the Japanese version of "Mind the gap" in the station.
😂😂 I guess the Japanese version is: "Kiiroi sen no uchigawa ni sagatte omachi kudasai" = stand behind the yellow line. It's fun to learn the station announcements, you hear them a lot!
“ashimotoni gochui kudasai” ,which means “whatch your step”. 😊
@@aisaka19600710 Oh yes, you hear that a lot! On escalators, etc, too!
Pro tip: you're supposed to take your shoes off when using the soft side of the footest.
Several other people mentioned that in the comments too - it's something I hadn't heard of, but it makes sense now I know! Of course, I would have taken them off if I'd realised. 🙏
hmmm,... quite seriously, the next time I have to travel from Tokyo to Kyoto and Osaka to visit relatives, I'll just take the overnight bus. You can sleep so time isn't really lost and it's much cheaper. The buses I saw this week pull into Kyoto station so you end up where the train is.
東北新幹線（touhoku sinkansen）& 北陸新幹線
（Hokuriku sinkansen）の
グリーンクラス（Green class）
のサービス（Service）は
更に格上（Service of the upgrading）です。
機会があれば試してみてください
（Please challenge it）😊
I hope I can try them all one day!
Thanks for this info! I would definitely like to take the green car for the only time we use the Shinkansen.
Was wondering though, would it be frowned upon if we reserved two seat windows instead of a row even though there are only two of us? The green car looked almost empty in comparison to the standard car.
I think that would be absolutely fine. There's always a chance someone might reserve the seat next to you, but you're right, the Green Car is always less busy than the standard car.
I think the green car is worth it for a longer journey, certainly anything over two hours, but standard is fine for other trips unless the train is likely to be very busy. I've always bought the green car rail pass in the past, but probably won't bother for my trip in September, as Tokyo > Kyoto will be my only long journey.
The only bad time to use the standard was one trip I was on when, despite the train being busy, one carriage was nearly empty. I was surprised until the door opened, then realised the toilet must have malfunctioned as the who carriage smelled like an open sewer, with just a handful of people braving in out. Maybe they'd booked seats and were too polite to move.
It is so annoying that the Hyperdia site has stopped listing train times. That was a really useful planning tool, but is now almost useless. There are other sites, but the information between them never seems to tally up.
Oh no, hopefully that's very rare that the bathrooms malfunction! (Wish I could say the same for trains in England...!) 😅
I've been using Japan Travel by NaviTime since Hyperdia stopped updating. It took a while to get used to it. Have you found the info's inconsistent between different sites?
Well im full now ,lovely cup of tea.
富士山を見ることが出来なかったのは残念でしたね。富士山は恥ずかしがり屋(She is shy)なのですぐ隠れてしまうのです💦
It's always a rare treat to see Fuji-san! 🗻
Also, do you know when in October will the price increase take place? Our trip starts the second week of October.
They haven't announced many details yet so there isn't an exact date. But you should still be able to get it at the current price for October. Depending on where you buy it from, you can buy the pass 1 - 3 months in advance, so I'd buy it as early as possible to get the current price.
@@cakeswithfaces thanks. The plan is to buy them next month.
@@j_609 That's what I'd do for sure! 🙂
グランクラス（ファーストクラス）もあります。
ぜひ試してみたいです
The unfolded footrests should never be used with shoes. In Japan, after unfolding the footrest, you must first take off your shoes before you put your feet on the unfolded footrest.
I didn't realise that at the time - so embarrassing. 🙈🙏 Obviously, now that I know, next time I'll take my shoes off.
If you have a JR green pass are you able to use the regular non-reserved cars too or only the Green Cars? Thank you :)
If you have Green Pass you can go in any carriage you like, so yes you can use the standard car (reserved or non-reserved) if you want to. The Green Car is reservation only, so there's no unreserved section in that class.
Hi Amy! Do you know of Coco ichiban Museum in Nagoya near Biwajima Satation?
Some youtuber mentioned it (forgot who), but I can't find it on google maps, thanks in advance!
Wow, I had no idea! Thanks for telling me! If only I'd known when I was in Nagoya earlier this year! It seems that's where their first restaurant was. Looks like this is it on Google Maps: goo.gl/maps/vnrVomjEv91MATpM7
Hellow, welcome to Japan.
Thank you, I love Japan!
Maybe a stupid question but can you ride Ordinary if you have a Green? I mean if you missed reserve a place in Green car.
Yes, you can go in the ordinary car too. ☺️
Thanks for this video, so helpful!! Would you recommend booking tickets in advance or just 1 day ahead or same day during Sakura season?
Sakura season's the most popular time to visit Japan, and also the holidays in Japan, so I'd recommend booking in advance. Some routes are very frequent eg Tokyo to Kyoto runs as much as every 10 mins at some times of day! But especially if you want to get the seats with extra space for luggage, book in advance as there'll be lots of tourists travelling at that time.
暑いときは車内販売のアイスがいいよ
スプーンが折れそうなくらい硬いけど
I've heard of that! But not tried it!
Thanks for the video, please help to review the LUUP scooter rental service , how to check out and return the scooter for tourist , thank you !
If I try it out I'll definitely make a video!
Green cars are now the equivalent of business class, not first class.
The equivalent of first class is "GranClass" on the Tōhoku Shinkansen, Hokuriku Shinkansen, etc., but there are no GranClass seats on the Tōkaidō and Sanyō Shinkansen.
I'd love to try Gran Class one day, it looks amazing!
Yep, you will love it too, so if you have a chance, please try it.
Do we remove the shoes when using the foot rest?
Someone else just commented that yes, you should remove your shoes, so that's a faux pas on my part. 🙊 I didn't even think of that - but it makes sense now I know that!
@@cakeswithfaces
Please take a good look at the material and pattern on both sides of the footrest.
You'll probably understand why.
Because they are same as carpets and seat's face.
@@あいうえお-o6s1f Yes that makes sense now.
@@cakeswithfaces
Thank you for reply.
I think it's inevitable even if foreign tourists don't know about it.
We have a different culture.
I would be happy if you could show to foreign tourist how to use the Green Car footrest in a video.
10:54 LOL I took the shinkansen a couple weeks ago and also missed Mt Fuji despite constantly checking for it! Perhaps the clouds or my ADHD lol. I took the green car as well and enjoyed it, its priced very reasonably too compared to a regular seat. The only regret I have is ordering a pork cutlet sandwich on the train, it was SUPER dry and bland 😅Next time I'll just bring food with me onboard haha
Oh no, seems like Fuji can be sneaky sometimes! Sorry you missed them too! I don't eat meat but my friends always love the katsu sandos from the convenience store.
Ice cream is recommended for sale on board. It's cold and it takes about 5 to 10 minutes to become hard enough to eat.
@@ykk-1 I'll have to try that next time!
@@cakeswithfaces
Unfortunately, wagon sales on the Tokaido Shinkansen will be discontinued in October of this year. 😭😭😭😭😭
If you are a Green Car passenger, you can order by the app. However, the types of products that can be purchased will probably decrease significantly. 😢
@@あいうえお-o6s1f Ah that's the first time I heard of that, thank you! So then we'll have to buy snacks from the station before boarding.
I couldn't open the N700S schedule. Is there a route map?
This link should work: railway.jr-central.co.jp/pwd/_pdf/N700S.pdf It's updated each day (Japan time).
The N700S runs the same route as the regular Tokaido shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto.
Nozomi is not covered by the JR Pass tho, correct? If I'm trying to get from Tokyo Station to Kyoto Station, is there a green car option for someone who has a pass? I was watching a 6 year old video from someone and they were saying the train, I think Hikari did not have a green car. I bought a Green car pass before the hike, and now I'm like , .......?
If you bought your JR Pass before the price went up, it doesn't include the Nozomi. If you bought it after the price went up, you can pay an extra supplement (per trip) to go on the Nozomi if you want to.
The Hikari does have a Green Car (that's the one I'm in, in this video!). If you have a Green Car pass, you can go in the green car whenever you want to. Many limited express trains have them too, not just the shinkansen. However, the Green Car is reservation-only, so you have to reserve a seat each time (free of charge).
Please be aware that the Nozomi cannot be used with a JR Pass, no matter if you have the standard JR Pass or the Green JR Pass. You have to take the slower Hikari or the even slower Kodama. The video suggests that you can ride the new Nozomi if you have a JR Pass. You can't even ride the old one with it.
Absolutely right! I didn't mean to suggest that at all. There are so many things to mention about the JR Pass, so this video's just focussing on comparing the green car vs standard car, and where to put your luggage.
The new JR pass starting in October at much higher prices allows you to ride the Nozomi, but you have to pay a surcharge which depends on the route. Doesn't seem that worthwhile to me since the surcharge is not minimal, and the difference in travel time over Hikari isn't huge, e.g. less than 1/2 hour between Tokyo and Kyoto.
Yes, that's correct. Only reason for choosing the faster trains with additional fee would be to get some seats during high season. This is why I ordered green passes for September/October. September will probably be find but I expect the Shinkansen to be crouded in October. Choosing more expensive options could result in better chances in seat reservations during peak times. I plan to go across Japan within 7 weeks, sometimes just staying for one day in one place but with the higher price of the JR pass, even I would have no reason to use it. Luckily I still can use it for the old price and even with a green pass, it is well worth it.@@twostate7822
I think it's worth it, especially at the moment with the exchange rate of the Yen so weak. I wish I'd waited to buy my yen, could have saved a lot/bought more....ah well.
You never know how the exchange rate's going to go in the future. I just bought some yen, even though I don't have a trip planned - it's the best rate in 8 years right now.
Hey Amy, just a heads up. When you unfold the foot rest it's shoes off , not unfolded is shoes on ;-) Great vid as always .
I had no idea about that before! Someone else mentioned that in the comments; I hadn't heard that before and there's nothing telling you that in the train. 🙈 But now I know for next time, thank you!
@@cakeswithfacesthere was a sign right next to the foot rest showing you to remove your shoes. You must have missed it
@@froglady4360 Ah noo!!! Yes, I definitely would have taken off my shoes if I'd noticed that. Must have been too excited to be on the green car... 🙊😖
Hi Amy great video. One quick question if you have a standard JR pass and want to try the green car as a treat is it possible to get an upgrade to your ticket just for one trip? Thank you
I don't know of any way to upgrade for just one trip, I think you'd just have to buy an individual ticket for that trip.
To get on the Shinkansen, you need two tickets: a regular ticket and a limited express ticket. If you want to ride a green car like this time, you can use your JR pass as a ticket and purchase a green limited express ticket for an additional fee to ride the green car of the Shinkansen. . However, you cannot ride the Nozomi train, which is the fastest train between Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, with the JR Pass.
What are the letters of the seats 💺 for a better view of Mount Fuji 🗻?
On the way from Tokyo to Kyoto/Osaka, sit on the right hand side of the train. On the way back, sit on the left and keep your fingers crossed! 🤞
Oh by the way do you know the location I can book for onsen including food in room service please show for me
Thank you very much
I booked mine on the ryokan's own website (so they wouldn't have to pay extra fees to a booking website!). I'd highly recommend Morizuya in Kinosaki: www.morizuya.com/en/
You can also book many of them here: www.japaneseguesthouses.com/
All of the ryokan in Kinosaki can also be booked through this website: visitkinosaki.com/
Thank you
Hello friend,
May I asking please
If I go from the end of September to first week of October. Do you know when I can purchase the card ? Thank you
Do you mean a JR Pass? You can buy it 1-3 months in advance, depending where you buy it from.
First time my family go to Japan
Please help me recommend where I can purchase
グリーンの座席のフットレストは、床と同じカーペットは靴、シートと同じカーペットは素足です！
他の方の迷惑になりますので、絶対に間違えない様に！！！
For the footrests of the green seats, wear shoes on the same carpet as the floor, and bare feet on the same carpet as the seat!
Do not make a mistake, as it will cause trouble for other people! ! !
I'm very sorry, at the time I didn't realise that at the time. 🙏 Now that I know, I won't do it again. 🙏
Interesting that you didn't mention smartEX at all. I used the website in May and it was very straightforward.
There even was a green car discount for reserving in advance, and they claim reserved seats are slightly cheaper than buying at the station.
I could also register my IC card, so all I had to do at the station was tap in and pick up my seat reservation confirmation at the gate!
That sounds great, glad it worked so smoothly, and that's very handy being able to put the tickets on your IC card. So far I've always used a JR Pass, but there's a chance after the price increase it might work out better buying individual tickets on some occasions, so I'm sure I'll try it too at some point!
@@cakeswithfaces I've never actually used the JR pass. The staffed ticket gate hassle early on plus no Tokyo Metro made it unattractive for the little bit of money saved, especially on longer, one-way trips on a split itinerary.
I got a Hello Kitty themed IC card on my first visit in 2015 at Kansai Airport with the "ICOCA & HARUKA" bundle, and have been using that every year since then.
@@zeeZerl Whether the JR Pass is worth it does depend on your plans - especially after the price increase in October. It's much better now you can use the JR Pass in the automatic ticket gates - definitely an improvement!
@@zeeZerl You usually have to take at least a round trip shinkansen trip to make the 7 day pass worthwhile, and even more shinkansen trip for longer passes.
The current JR pass is like a regular ticket in that you insert the pass into the ticket slot in the front of the gate, and pick it up as you exit the gate. You still need to pick up seat tickets for each segment.
Do you have a video on where to buy food before boarding Shinkansen? So they don't sell food on board? Thanks
Recently they got rid of the food trolleys on the Tokkaido shinkansen (between Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka). Usually I'll buy food from a convenience store on my way to the station (they're EVERYWHERE in Japan and have an excellent selection). There are also lots of shops inside the station. Sometimes they're good, and sometimes in the shinkansen section they focus more on "omiyage" = boxed souvenir sweets that people buy as gifts when they travel. But the shinkansen section of the station is where you'll find the fancy ekiben boxed lunches.
You might also like this video about how to take the bullet train: ua-cam.com/video/89_tv2LpitM/v-deo.html
@cakeswithfaces Thanks. I guess Japan places these stores conveniently. We can't read, so knowing they are around the Shinkansen gates / area is a good sign. Is it after the gate? Or both before gate and inside platform? lol
@@mogtrader8 Stations are huge, so there'll be shops before the ticket gates and after. The shops selling ekiben (train bento boxes) are usually after the shinkansen ticket gates. Usually there's not too much on the platform itself, but sometimes there's a small kiosk up there.
@cakeswithfaces Thank you very much. It will be our first time and this helps us, mentally. We're afraid of being overwhelmed, but will remind ourselves to keep an eye out when inside. It feels like Japan is well planned and organized meaningfully. 😃
@@mogtrader8 I remember how many questions I had when I first went to Japan! (That's partly why I make my videos, and my book). It is very organised and works well most of the time, and people are friendly if you get stuck!
For green car just the back seats have space for luggages?
Yes - it's the same as in the standard car.
you're supposed to remove your shoes when open up the foot rest tho :)
I didn't realise at the time! 🙈 Several people have told me in the comments - now I know for next time, I'll definitely take my shoes off.
Do you still have to wear a mask in Japan and on the train, public transport? I still like your colored hair and nice eyes.😊
At the time, masks were required on public transport and people were still wearing them in pretty much all public places. They've since relaxed the rules now so now not everyone wears them.
@@cakeswithfaces I am going back to Japan at the beginning of November. I hope I do not have to wear a mask then.
@@Roland1. Currently there's no requirement to wear masks any more (although in most places it wasn't mandatory, but everyone wore them anyway). I'd obviously have preferred not to wear one but it seems polite to follow the local culture and wear one if everyone else is, to be considerate. It is relaxing now though, so it's already not the same as earlier this year, from what I hear.
@@cakeswithfaces Thanks
In the last 20 years or so, people in Japan wear a mask everywhere because loads of them suffer from hay fever and do not want to annoy others by coughing and sneezing in the close proximity of rush hours, etc.
With both passes can you use them to go all the way down south .?
Yes, both the standard and green car passes include the whole of Japan. There are regional versions that only cover a specified area, but it's very clear which they are, so I don't think you'd get them mixed up!
Just found your channel and I love it!! I’m traveling to Japan with my mom in Feb 2024. I’m wondering if it’s possible to buy our JR pass now a bit, early before the price hike in October? Also-have you heard of Gran Class on the Shinkansen?
So glad you're enjoying my videos! I'd love to try Gran Class - it looks so luxurious! :-) If you want to get the JR Pass at the current price, Klook have an exclusive deal where they're offering passes 6 months in advance (most places are 1 - 3 months).
I'm going to Japan in November and was thinking of getting the Green car JR Pass as a one off, would you know if i miss my booked train can I simply rebook a later train or would have to buy another ticket?
You might need to go to the counter and tell them to cancel the reservation you didn't take. I changed my mind about when I wanted to travel, and the ticket machine wouldn't let me book another train on that route on the same day. I had to go to the counter and get them to cancel the original booking before I could make another one, so I'd imagine something similar might happen. It's often fine to make a reservation when you arrive at the station to take the train, so if you're not sure which time you'll be travelling that might be the easiest thing to do (unless it's a busy time and there's a chance the trains would be fully booked).
@@cakeswithfaces Thanks so much for replying, I'd looked on line but couldn't find a definite answer one way or the other. PS loved your book its been a great help with planning my trip!
@@paulknight3854 Ah that's great to hear, thank you!!
Hi sis, may I ask how to reserve for the 160cm luggage? Coz I book from Klook reserved seat but no selection for the luggage. Should I go to JR counter at my departure station before my departure date to reserve for it? Thanks
You need to book the seats at the end of the carriage. You can make the seat reservation either at the counter of a JR station, or at a seat reservation ticket machine - there's a demonstration here: ua-cam.com/video/5PTBmrtZ8Nw/v-deo.html
If you bought your JR Pass from japanrailpass.net, you can reserve seats online before you go; if you bought it from anywhere else, you have to wait till you're in Japan.
people just dont get attacked on trains but on buses but also in the streets here in england.
Sorry another question. What do you find is the best site for checking seat availability on services?
I'd think that would be SmartEX, if you go through the booking process but be careful to not actually book seats!
how much tho. cost 14k to get to Kyoto from Tokyo
I had the green car JR Pass so all green car tickets were included. You can check shinkansen prices on the Japan Travel app by Navitime (or on Google!). :-)
I was enjoying sofa travelling with cakes for faces now she as abandoned us al,ugh.
On airlines especially on long flight it’s worth going higher class but on Shinkansen? I’ve been on both but ekiben tasted the same😊
Hehe, ekiben are delicious wherever you're sitting! 🍱✨
Hopefully m fuji never erupts with all those people up there in hotels etc.
It would be great to see the arrangements for wheelchair users on trains, too.
Sorry, I wish I'd filmed that now too! I can't find it now but when I was editing this I saw a plan of the train and there are spaces in certain rows - there's a photo in this article: english.kyodonews.net/news/2019/10/07b385712506-in-photos-interior-of-new-shinkansen-bullet-train-model-n700s.html?phrase=postwords=&words=
I don't know if you've seen Accessible Japan already, but it's a really useful site. They have some info about accessibility on the shinkansen - hope it helps: www.accessible-japan.com/shinkansen-wheelchair-accessibility/
On regular trains there's also a space for prams/wheelchairs - you'll see it in my video about travelling with luggage (not edited/uploaded yet but look out for it!). That video might also be useful as we were avoiding steps and escalators with the suitcases, so it shows what it's like finding the step-free route (there is always one but it's not always the most obvious route!).
フットレストの床目と違う裏面は、靴を脱いでのせてください、室内で靴を脱ぐのが日本のルールです。
気づきませんでした、ごめんなさい！ 教えてくれてありがとう
Back again then angel.just having my dinner,some cheese on 2 butterpuffs ,2 snowballs,2 fig biscuits and 3 tuk biscuits and a cup of typhoo tea.
I came to Japan today and it it ridiculously crowded and super hot because of the humidity. Also very, very expensive. I am no stranger to Japan at all and I was shocked by the negative changes.
Oh no, sorry to hear it's not a great start to your trip. What things have you found expensive? (And which country are you coming from?)
what changes
You tubers must wear out a lot of footwear.
Anyone who goes to Japan does a LOT of walking! 🙃
@@cakeswithfaces i used to love walking when younger walked for miles and i likes the walked to rye over 16 miles away took me 4 hours.
God the camera work is infuriating.
People are still wearing face masks?
This was filmed in February/March, before the guidelines were relaxed.
That’s gtk how much leg room compared to standard car … thanks for the tips
I was impressed with the legroom in the standard car... until I tried the green car and it was even more spacious!
Gran Class is the best!!!!! Too bad is not available on most of the routes. You need to TAKEOFF your shoes to use the foot rest in unfolded position. Notice the fabric? Having your shoes on the fabric is like standing on the seat with your shoes on. HOW RUDE!
I'd love to try Gran Class one day! 🎶 I honestly didn't realise about taking your shoes off for the footrests - if I'd known, I would of course have taken my shoes off. It's very embarrassing now, I wish I'd known at the time.
While i dont expect me and my group to get any Green car reservations, especially since most of us want to be together, i definitely enjoyed the tour of the inside. While Im somewhat familiar from my trip in 2019, having an updated view as well as being able to show my group so some of their questions can be visually answered was very helpful.
It's a few years old, but the process of taking the shinkansen (standard car) is the same as in this older video, apart from you can now insert your JR Pass in the ticket gates: ua-cam.com/video/89_tv2LpitM/v-deo.html
Hi Amy, thank you for the video.
May I ask how tall your Boyfriend is for reference? I am 190cm tall and not sure if the 125.- Eur price difference for the 2week JR pass is worth it. I am planing to travel the area between tokio and fukuoka in September. Will I have enough space in the ordinary class?
Neither of us are very tall, he's about 5 foot 6. The standard car is also very spacious, with more room than any other train I've been on. I've always been very happy with it - but the green car is more plush and has even more space.
There are two holidays in September this year (18th and 23rd), so that first long weekend may be busier on the trains. A major advantage of the green car is that it's less busy and crowded than the standard car. However it's not a major holiday, so not something to be too concerned about.
This older video shows more of the standard car if that helps: ua-cam.com/video/89_tv2LpitM/v-deo.html
Great video - no surprise there - but there was one snippet of information that I found quite significant for anyone planning a trip to Japan: the price increases in the Japan Rail Pass. Apologies if you've covered that elsewhere but I googled a few articles on that - Whoa! To be fair, it was probably the best deal out there for foreigners so we have had it good for a long time. But still.... Anyhow, thanks for bringing that to my attention!
Glad you caught that news now - they announced it a few weeks ago. At first I thought it seemed like a huge price increase but as I found out more about it, there hadn't really been much change in the price for years and years, so instead of increasing it gradually over time, it's been in one go. They say it's still pretty good compared to other rail passes (eg for Europe), but I don't really know anything about them. I think now it's just worth doing a bit of maths to check if you might be better off buying individual tickets instead of automatically getting the JR Pass. For mot people just going to Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka, you'd still be paying a similar amount for individual tickets.
Please take off your shoes after unfolding the footrest.
I didn't realise that at the time, I'm sorry! 🙈🙏 How embarrassing. Next time, obviously I will take my shoes off, now that I know. 🙏
when i have rarely travelled i hated riding backwards i like to face forward.
Thanks for making this video. We are still debating to get green pass or regular. I have question though! If we have a green pass, how does it work with JR busses and other trains apart from Shinkansen in terms of reservation? Thanks!
Some non-shinkansen trains have a green car - mostly long distance express trains. With them it works exactly the same as reserving a seat on the shinkansen. With other trains that don't have green cars, you can go on them just as you would with a regular JR Pass. I haven't used JR buses so not sure about them!
How much more expensive is the green car? Is it a standard % rate more?
Turns out around 30% more.
Worth experiencing at least once
If you book your tickets in advance on Smartex (official website from Japan Railways), there are discounts for booking in advance. If you book 30 days in advance, the green car isn't too much more than the regular price for the standard car. The only downside with the discounted tickets is that if you miss your train, they aren't valid for other trains that day like full price tickets.
Just discovered that children are allowed in green car, but an adult ticket must be purchased
Yes, you have to try it, bro, the highest fastest train in Southeast Asia... the speed is 350 K kilometers, the newest fast train in Southeast Asia, the first in Indonesia, Jakarta - Bandung, lots of tourist attractions in the city of Bandung which is beautiful and comfortable and cool and cool and beautiful....
I'd love to try it one day!
BYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEtill next time.
It is quite something to hear comments on Shinkansen in a standard British English, just like the voice of Donna Burke whose voice is very widely known as "the Voice of Shinkansen" for travellers using Tokaido Bullet Trains. I often use the Green Cars on conventional lines and they are also good.
It's funny to me that Donna Burke is actually Australian! :-) The Green Car is so comfortable - truly the best way to travel by train!
Great video, thank you. We're doing research into booking our JR pass and found this, as well as many of your other videos, to be very helpful. Certainly the Green Car looks more premium. Do you feel there is a better car in terms of booking the rear seats with luggage storage?
In terms of luggage, there'll be better availability of seats with luggage space in the green car, because it's always less full than the standard car. However you can't put suitcases by your knees in the green car because the luxurious, larger footrest is in the way!
The foot rest that opens, the inside part, is for feet and not shoes. When you pull down the foot rest and then pull open that flap, that is for feet with socks or stockings, NOT SHOES! If one is on a budget, then the green car is really an extravagance that is not necessary. Especially considering that JR Passes go up 40% in October 2023.
Agh, yes, someone else commented about taking your shoes off too - I didn't know about that at the time, but it makes sense now. I wish I'd known! 🙈🙈🙈
Nationwide JR Pass goes up from the mid 60% to mid 70% depending on the number of days and green or regular car pass.
I ALWAYS take the green car on Shinkansen. dIt was useful during COVID. because of less interaction people.
That's a good point - it must have been good to have a bit more space at that time especially. Now I've tried the Green Car, I'd always want to take it if I have the budget!
GREEN CARS ARE MORE LIKE BUSINESS CLASS.
FOR TURE FIRST CLASS EXPERIENCE, ONE HAS TO BE IN THE GRAND CLASS.
I'd love to try Gran Class one day - it looks amazing!
i feel like some of the green car amenities are already included in other limited express trains. so the premium is still the Shinkansen speeds. as a bigger person, i didnt find the fixed arm rests more comfortable. felt more confining.
Thanks for sharing your feedback on the seats, that's helpful to know.
Some limited express trains are amazing! And the views are often more scenic than on the shinkansen.
Hi! Just wanted to say thank you for making such great videos ! I’m planning a honeymoon trip to Japan December and these have been very helpful. I have a question, should I buy the JR pass now before the price change in October 2023 for my December 2023 trip ? Will I lose any benefits if I buy it now or is it better to wait until October 2023 to buy it ? I don’t understand what all is changing so I figured I’d ask for your guidance !
I'd definitely buy it before the end of September so you can get it at the current price and save money! At the start of October the price is going up. They've said you'll also be able to pay a supplement to ride the Nozomi (the fastest shinkansen, which isn't currently covered by the pass), so you might not be able to do that; it's not confirmed exactly how it'll work yet. However that's not a problem as the trains you can ride are still just as fast, they just stop at one or two extra stations.
Yes you can buy the pass before Oct at the current price, but please be noted that you need to redeem the pass in Japan within 3 months of purchase. For example, if you plan to arrive in Japan on Dec 20 and redeem the pass that day, you shouldn’t buy your JR pass before Sep 20.
@@Anthony-traveller888 Ye s- it depends where you buy it from. Some agents sell it 3 months in advance, and a few are only 1 month in advance. At the moment Klook are offering it 6 months in advance.
素晴らしい映像ありがとう。
新幹線乗ってみたい...田舎者です😅
新幹線に乗るのはいつも楽しいです!