All those vital information that you share. We all useful for us. We very pleased every thing we do. The whole 2 weeks are unforgettable and exquisite experience of lifetime. Again, thank's soooooooo much for sharing. Florida USA 🎉🎉
I loved this video Ken. I have another trip coming up in January with some first timers and we are going to do the golden route for them. We have 17 days and unfortunately, the new prices just do not work out for us in the end. This will be my first time having to purchase individual shinkansen tickets for every ride we take from Tokyo>Kyoto>Osaka>Tokyo. Just this route alone is going to be about ~29,000yen. Crazy to me how much they increased the JR Pass as it eliminated a lot of possible day trips which I used to do before with the pass. The travel that you would have to do within 7 days to get your money's worth is actually insane. It is just too much train travel in too short of a time period. Most if not all people will be so physically and mentally burned out having to ride the train so often just to break even on the pass!
Thank you for your comment! I'm glad you liked the video. I agree you can burned out unless you love being on the trains. Online reservations are great alternatives, but a little difficult to manage the reservations and being at the station on time for some travelers. I hope you have a great trip next January!!
Thank you so much for the thorough walkthrough of the different scenarios! I’m planning trip to Japan for my family of 6. I was lost reading the websites. Your videos are a life saver! Thank you so much!
Hello again Ken-san. I’ve just come back from two weeks in Japan…I used my JR Rail pass and all of my Shinkansen tickets added up to almost 110,000 yen…so I definitely got my moneys worth. The next (and third) time I go back to Japan I might spend more time in Tokyo and do more domestic flights.
Thank you Ryuga san! I'm glad to hear that. When I used it in Shibuya, it captured surrounding sound too much (which is why it sounds unnatural in the opening of the recently 5 days itinerary video) I'm still figuring out about the microphone, but I'm glad you told me it's working fine for filming at home. :)
Excellent information. I've asked around at other social media sites about the 14 day JR Pass, and the answers there were less than satisfactory. Lots of weak advice. Finding your Vlog information on the different passes and how best to use them made clear sense. Considering that I plan on flying into Tokyo, staying in Kyoto for a couple of days with JR trips to nearby locations, and then off to Hakata with possible quick stops along the way, and a visit to Nagasaki and Sasebo before heading to Tokyo for a day or two and then flying home, the 14 day pass makes perfect sense. From what you suggest, having a JR Pass would allow more flexibility with side trips using the JR system. Honto ni arigatougozaimasu!
Wonderful video Kengo san - I listened to it while jogging - is it strange that I find these videos very mentally calming? Love the sticker graphics and the cool lighting 👍👍
Chris san, What an honor again you listened to this during your jogging! Maybe it's calming as I'm talking about not that important local topics very seriously as if it's a world crisis for 30 min... haha. Thank you always for watching and leaving a message. I need to learn about camera and lighting from you.
@@tokyokenchan 😂 haha always happy to help, I can provide my email if you want to ask me anything. But actually, I think you have a very relaxing way of speaking, and all that info is really fantastic for travellers - they need help because it’s very tricky to keep up with the changes.
Another great video Kengo-San. This chimes with my research, essentially if you're going to a number of different places in Japan then the JR Pass still has value. If you are essentially doing the Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka route then it's just not worthwhile. For me the flexibility to get on and off breaking journeys for no extra cost is one of the key benefits, as well as the ability to simply use the Shinkansen as a means of local transport. For example, because I had the pass I went to spend the evening in Osaka from Okayama - I wouldn't have otherwise paid for that trip but because it was "free" I went to Osaka for dinner.
Hello Jamie san. Thank you for your comment. That is interesting you went to Osaka for dinner! Yes, I think if you can get the pass for a little more price, it's worth getting the pass. Still 80,000 Yen for 14 days is lots of money, so I understand more travelers try to stay in Tokyo or Kansai and around with single tickets or regional passes.
Aaa~ 😅 I guess everything depends on each individual's itinerary, but to me the JR Pass is just not worth it anymore unless you truly plan to travel across the country from hakodate to kagoshima making numerous stops in between.. Buying a multi-city airpline ticket (arrive tokyo + depart from KIX for example) traveling one-way by shinkansen or express trains from tokyo to kyoto (with a short stay in Nagano/Kanazawa/Shizuoka in between) would be a lot cheaper... Itsumodoori very informative Ken-san 👍 No shinkansen rides planned for my short kongo no tabi, maybe next time ^^ For the time being the only fast-train Im gonna be riding is the one that just opened in my city hahaha. Great video as always!
Thank you for watching! Yes, it might be especially less valualbe for short term / frequent visitors. Domestic flights are also very easy to take. As you said, for some travelers that probably visit here only once in their life or 2, it might be worth traveling across Japan for 3 weeks using the pass. I hope you enjoy your coming tirp!! :)
@@tokyokenchanI agree. Not everyone can visit often and for first time visitors planning to stay for at least 10 days, it's definitely still worth the price for its coverage & flexibility 💯% Tochiku kimashita yo... obasan tsukareta 😂
Ken, excellent update! I live in Okinawa, so I'm not able to buy a pass. From what I can see, the pass prices are still very good. Much more cost efficient than purchasing a shinkensan ticket independantly
Thank you for watching. :) Yes, I think efficient is a good word to describe the pass especially when you travel across Japan. Every pass they sell for Japanese residents doesn't allow to be on Shinkansen.
You explain JR Pass better than the official site! I am planning a 21 day trip with my foldable bike (which fits in a bag), so I know your channel is going to be super useful for my trip. Many thanks.
Great video as always and even though i have done a bit or research on the passes and watched your other excellent videos I still learnt something new. And i am so glad that we got our passes last month!
Thank you for the video. your channel is great. One of the advantages I continue to see with JRPass is its flexibility: Within the trains included in the pass, I can choose the timetable and even change the destination on the same day. If you want to change your travel schedule, do a day trip, that would be simpler. do you agree?
Yes, definitely. You can change decision after seeing the weather and also in case the train stops, you can just hop on another train. You can get off Shinkansen anywhere in the middle and hop on again (sounds like a dream for Japanese guy. haha) . It will be a life time experience. :) Thank you for your message.
Honestly, I feel like unless you plan to stopover along the way in say Sendai, Aomori, and or Hakodate, to just fly over to Sapporo, as that's basically one full day gone to just being on the train (I'd probably do the stopovers). My main issue with the new 7 day pass as you've pointed out is if you're always on the train, then you're not really seeing those other places, unless you prefer day trips every day out of your base city - that's probably the only scenario where the 7 day pass actually is worth getting. Keeping in mind that regional passes are a lot cheaper as well. For example with the Golden Route, unless you must depart from Tokyo, would advise to just get a single Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto/Osaka, get a Kansai WIDE pass (12000 yen for 5 days) or even the Kansai + Hiroshima pass (17000 yen for 5 days) and then fly out of Kansai instead. Comes to between 25000 to 30000 yen, and other than the Tokyo to Kyoto/Osaka Shinkansen, you still get that flexibility to go on and off for the duration of the regional pass - though activate it when you're actually going outside the cities to say Himeji, Okayama, Hiroshima etc., since Kyoto/Osaka cities themselves are largely private run railways. 14, and especially 21 day JR Pass though where your itinerary would likely visit numerous cities across many locations is where the value is still there.
This video is valuable because you present examples that explains a method that can be used to analyze the cost and benefits of a a planned route. If independent traveler follows the method you demonstrate, a maximized use of a pass is veryb possible. We just came back from Kyoto/Kansai used the the Kansai Wide Area Pass to visit Amanohashidate, see and ride the Tama Train on the Kishi Line in Wakayama ,(we even visited the station master, Tama the cat), and used the Haruka to return to the Kansai Airport. The total cost would have been almost double of what we paid for the pass. We learned a lot from your past video on regional passes. thank you! BTW we already booked our flight and hotels for May of next year and are already rewatching your videos of the Tokyo area and Hakone! 😊
Kevin san, Dale san! First, thank you so much for your support for the video! I'm very glad to hear you finished your trip and back home safe. I enjoyed your photos of lots of foods and Kevin san's pose in Amanohashidate! 😄 Also, thank you for letting me know that Kansai Wide Pass was useful for your itinerary. I'd like to look into more regional passes and think of itineraries for future videos and travelers. It's exciting to hear you are coming back here next May and it will be Tokyo! I'd like to post more videos by the time you visit. Thank you again!
@@tokyokenchan that’s great to hear! We are looking forward for viewing them and learning from them! Because of your video on Hakone we have already booked a hotel there and are using that video as a guide for a two day one night trip. Thank you!
Going to Japan in a week and we were lucky enough to get the JR Pass before the price went up. With our itinerary we are saving $928 with this pass. If we got the updated more expensive JR Rail Pass we would have saved around $448. Still worth it but we definitely have a packed itinerary going to and outside of the Golden Route, with one day of just travel (Kinosaki-onsen to Takayama).
This is really a great video regarding the JR Pass but honestly given how the price of the pass is at the moment, I'll just stick to a round trip Shinkansen ticket going from Tokyo to Kyoto and just use the express trains for day trips to Nara, Osaka and Yokohama. Thank you for the wonderful video.
Great breakdown, as always. Definitely agree with you that the 14 and 21 day passes are easier to pay off. Not sure I'd want to spend the nearly 8 hours on the train for Sapporo > Tokyo, though I know people who want to do that! 😅😅
We will be traveling to Japan in Feb. and will be purchasing JR Pass for 5 people fine. But upon researching & asking some friends living in Japan, I am baffled with the JR pass paper tickets you need to claim personally. Not only prone to getting lost but getting it wet. And managing several tickets in your wallet or bag would be a stress when going leg to leg and it comes with 2 paper tickets per reservation. With Japan’s technology & online savvy culture I cannot believe at this day & time that they haven’t came up yet with online reservation & plastic cards for the JR Pass.
My wife and I are traveling now using the 14-days pass that we bought from the official JR site which surprisingly cost less than online agents. We’re going from Ueno > Sapporo > Beppu > Kurobe > Tokyo so yes, it’s well worth it. My actual comment has to do with the official JR Pass website: 2 issues - 1. It does not tell you the train platform. 2. It does not allow you to change/cancel a reservation once that ticket has been issued/printed out.
Sapporo to Beppu! That sounds like a trip worth getting the JR pass. :) That's interesting how official site is now cheaper than the agencies. Thank you for sharing.
@@tokyokenchan I usually buy it via Japan Experience, a very reliable site but good thing I got it through the official site this time because booking in advance on my phone was a lifesaver since seats on the Shinkansen last week were scarce. (Heavy snow in Sapporo on 1/1 was spectacular btw.)
You did a great job. But in the last part with exemple, i think some local pass are better than pass. For exemple the arch pass cover the golden route (and more) for 7 days and cost only 25000 , who half the Price of the JR pass for the same numbers if days! I think the fact that the JR pass cost a lot since october force tourist to think more about where to go and how to go, which is a good thing.
Thank you for your comment! Yes, I agree. You can travel with less pressure with regional passes probably. The Arch pass will raise price by next March as Hokuriku Shinkansen extends, but the price hasn't published yet. If that is not a big raise, it will be completely a great pass for the golden route travelers. As you mentioned, it's great if it became an opportunity travelers research more where to go. :) I'll probably make another regional pass video after the Arch pass price is announced, since my regional pass video is May is in old price. 👍
What about the regional passes (e.g Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass)? Can you book the reservations online, one month in advance, if purchased from the official website?
Hello Kengo san, thank you for this very informative video for travellers on Jr pass. I may not be able to avail it but i have 1 question. Why did you change the thumbnail, removing your photo? 🙃
I’ll be going to Japan in August. I did a bit of research and I believe the JR rail pass will be beneficial. I will go from Tokyo to Kyoto, round trip, on one day and from Tokyo to Hiroshima, round trip on another day. I believe that with those two round trips, I save money. Would I be able to use that pass on local Tokyo trains? If so, my savings will be even greater. Cool video!
Hello Kenchan, I will travel to Japan in next few days & I need your advice regarding the JP Pass ticket for 7 days option. I will arrive in Japan on MAR 18/2024 and will stay in Tokyo till March 25 morning. On March 25, I will travel to Osaka and will stay in Osaka till March 30. Should I get the JR Pass 7 days for period MAR 25-30 in Osaka? I will go to Kyoto & Nara from Osaka. With my trip schedule in Osaka, should I get the JR Pass 7 days option OR I should buy the individually ticket for each trip when I need to use the JR Line. Much appreciated your time & support as your response advice will be great value for our trip! Many thanks in advance!🙏
Hello, thank you for watching. To find out if the pass worth or not, you can check the price of train by putting itinerary here. Route Finder and Fare Calculator: japantravel.navitime.com/en/area/jp/route/ I'm asking everyone to do this by theirown. You can write down the cost of each train and if the sum is higher than the price of the pass, you can go for the pass.
Currently in Japan on my 25th trip to Japan. I've probably purchased JR Pass's on 23 of the 25 and considered the worthwhile. As a frequent purchaser, I take advantage of two components. 1. Convenience 2. Getting off the beaten track and stimulating the economy of rarely travelled cities than are in need of tourism. I found that almost everyone that was making it to the far reaches of the country were either locals who lived close or foreigners on rail passes. --- Sadly, with the current price increases, I don't think I'll be able to stimulate the economy of small towns anymore. I'll either by in major cities where I land, or close to the city that my wife's family live (in Fukuoka). This price increase needs to be put into perspective. A 70% increase in price just looking at Japanese inflation figures, you would need to go all the way back to 1977. A 100 Yen in 1977 equals 170 today (ignoring the inflationary spike and drop inbetween). So, this is either a money grab or trying to fix a problem.... or both. So, what problem is it trying to fix or how is this being calculated as a need for a change? I have a few theories. 1. The obvious - over tourism. While I spend most of my time avoiding tourist hotspots, there is no doubt that over tourism has complely destroyed cities such as Kyoto that cannot support then number of tourists its getting. Tokyo is large enough that it can absorb. It's a similar feeling in somewhere like Venice (cannot absorb) versus Rome (can absorb). 2. JR Bean counters charging actual average use. Prior to Covid, JR did not have an easy way to correlate pass usage with actual usage. Pass users could book reservations with an office, and then on a whim miss the train and book another one. Since Covid reservations are accurately counted against each passport, and JR also blocks ability to double book (which it couldn't do easily in the past) and also is able to account for each station entry (because rather than flashing the pass, ticket gate machines are used instead). This has given JR an insight into how much tourist has used and therefore can increase the price of the pass up to the average of all users. But charging tourists what they used defeats the purpose. It's meant to be a convenient way to encourage tourism over large distances. **** this price incease makes the Japanese pass the most expensive globally by a large margin **** 3. Was done to discourage the far too busy section of Tokyo through to Hiroshima 4. This is to take advantage of Yen weakness noting that many other countries (most notably the US), have strong currencies. Sure, some countries might be able to afford the price increase while the Yen is weak. But it must be remembered than the Yen is a safe haven currency during recessions. When the world experiences the next global recession, the Yen will appreciate and Japan will once again become expensive. I've seen US tourists here when the US dollar gave 55 Yen, and currently 150 Yen.... this will be the case again and tourists will start to wain again. --- Two negative consequences I would expect 1. Tourists will use other methods of transport such as discounted air instead - Result: less revenue for JR, but more available seats for locals 2. Tourists that use JR will choose to do single return trips between Tokyo and Kyoto - Result: Nozomi's will be used by tourists instead, shifting problem to a group of trains that was never impacted in past 3. Small towns get less foreign tourism - Result: Over tourism will be pushed move towards a smaller number of cities. The problem will become worse for places like Kyoto, but areas that are investing in new infrastructure for tourism (e.g. extension of Shinkansen beyond Kanazawa and new stations, extension of Shinkansen from Nagasaki) will see a drop in foreign tourism I suspect JR will revert their decision within a few years noting it backfired.
Yes, while Japanese people have a base home in Japan and usually make 1 night, 2 nights trip from home, foreign visitors go all over in 2 weeks or so, so the cost of the transportation can be very big. I aslo thought of several theories on the reason and possible consequence of this price hike, but lots of questions remain. One or several reasons JR came to this big price hike, might not led to the result they expect (more income? less crowded? people stop using for the golden route and use for more across Japan which ease the burdenon JR Central?). I'm not sure how much attention they pay to the local economy, how much they listen to the government. Probably 6 JR companies are not agreeing on everything, bigger companies like Central and East might have the big impact on this decision. Probalby I should have made one discussion video about this. :) Thank you for sharing your insight.
Hi, I can’t believe I read all you wrote even though this is challenging to my English. Though I don’t 100% understand I appreciate so much info you put. I just bought three 7-day JR pass for me and my two sons. We will mainly stay in Kyoto, but want to take the fast bullet train to Tokyo and back to Osaka. Is the JR pass unlimited use within 7!days? We stay there for 9 days. We arrive Osaka on 12/23 at 6pm, stay in hotel in Kyoto. Go to Tokyo on 12/29, go back to Osaka on 12/31. Leave on 1/1 . I want to make sure we use the pass on the trip from Kyoto to Tokyo and back to Osaka. Since I only have 7-day pass. Seems there must be two days we can’t use otherwise. We want to make sure we use it from Kyoto and Tokyo and back to Osaka. Can you please give some suggestions?? Thank you very much!
Hi Ken ちゃん we are going to be in Japan in Nov. been to Japan before but never used JR Pass. We got the green car pass, when we make reservations there in Japan, is that only for the day of travel, or can we make reservations to all itineraries? Thank you again for your videos. You are the best!
Thank you for watching and your kind message. Yes, you can make reservation for all itineraries at once. It might helpt to write them down on the paper and give it to them. :)
Thank you so sooooo much for this video. I've been thinking for days about should I buy the pass or not. I am going to Tokyo in March and going to stay about 8 or 10 days max. I am going to visit Kyoto, Mt.Fuji (Shin Fuji Station), Himeji Castle, Maybe Nara as well. So I think the 7 days pass suit my plan well, don't you think? 😊 I am so relief to find your video, very detailed and informative. Arigato gozaimasu🙏 Greeting from Iceland.
your content really helpfull. i will having vacation on feb . for ski. are there any tips for ski? im still confuse to choose between hakuba or niseko 😢
I think it depends on which resorts have your favorite course and hotels. Both Hakuba and Niseko has different areas in the town and your hotel choice does matter for convenience. Hakuba is closer from Tokyo or Osaka by bus or train. Niseko map including 4 resorts: www.niseko.ne.jp/en/map/
I bought the 14 days JR pass during my previous Japan trip, and it worked out quite well for me. Tokyo was my base, then I activated my JR pass and went to Fukuoka and Osaka as my other bases and finally back to Tokyo again, all within the 14 days. While I was at Fukuoka and Osaka, I would use the shinkansen to do a several day trips (eg. Fukuoka to Kumamoto or Hiroshima, and back). I prefer this day trip style because it keeps the hotel bookings and luggage moving low, and (roughly) one hour rides on the shinkansen feels like a pleasant break to me. I didn't exactly calculate how much I saved, but I think even with the new price increase I probably would still save a little bit.
The Tokaido shinkansen connects with Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen, so you have to change trains at least once if visiting from Tokyo, but it's easy. It depends on where in Saga you visit too.
So i was just wondering, i've purchased my green jr national pass for the entire country before the price change . This is for unlimited rides as long its under JRPass? So what if i plan to travel for 21 days from Nagoya to Kyoto, Osaka, and Fukuoka first. Then from Nagoya going to Sendai, Takayama, and all of Tokyo areas like yokohama, shibuya, and akihabra. Will the JR pass cover this all? and is there an limit of how many rides i can go on? do you also need to return the jr pass after the trip?
Hello. You don't have to return the JR pass. If you bought 21 days JR Pass, it covers all those routes in Japan for 21 days even if you purchased before price change. There is no limitation in number of times you take trains and reserve limited expresses/Shinkansen, as long as it's JR trains.
Hi Kenchan nice video with your logical explaination. I am just confused which website to use to book one way ticket as per your example tokyo - kyoto 14370, kyoto - osaka 1450 and osaka - tokyo 14920. please share me the website as i have this route only to book for me and my family . appreciate your prompt response
Hi you can book it at “EX” site by JR central. I’m talking about how to book here. "Smart Ex" Get the Cheapest Shinkansen Fares Without the JR Pass. ua-cam.com/video/zjiIWXZNr5Q/v-deo.html
Hi Ken! Great video!! I have a question about the value of the JR Pass. It seems I've read that the JR Pass is also good to use for busses, subways and ferrys. We will be staying in Tokyo for 4 days then heading to Kyoto. Would we be able to use the JR Pass to help us get around Tokyo while sight seeing? (Which might increase its value.) Or is it cheaper to just pay for each subway/train/bus ride some other way? I hope my question makes sense! Thanks :)
Hi. You can use the pass for the JR trains in Tokyo, so you can get to many places with the pass. But it's not usable for subways and buses in Tokyo, so you might need to purchase extra tickets to some places. Usually, train cost in Tokyo cannot cover the cost of JR Pass. But if you can cover the cost of the pass with other parts in your itinerary, it's convenient to have in Tokyo too. :)
Thank you so much for the reply! I'll definitely look into our itinerary more to see if it will be worth it. Good to know it won't work on busses or subway. Thanks again!
Hi Kenchan, I will be visiting Tokyo tomorrow. My itinerary includes Tokyo-Takayama-Nagoya-Kyoto-Nara-Tokyo. I find that a 14 day JR pass isn’t work well for my itineraries and it’s very expensive. What’s your advice? 💙💙
Hi. That's great you are visiting Tokyo tomorrow. Actually, I can't think of any ways to save train cost from now. Some regional passes might work around Osaka, but it really depends on the length and how much you travel. I hope you have a great trip !
My friend & I are planning a trip to Japan in 2025 for 3 months to see as much of the country as possible from mid January to mid April from Cape Soya in Hokkaido to Haterumajima in Okinawa. It sounds like the JR Pass would be worth it for us on the main islands especially as we plan on using the trains & public transport a lot since we cannot drive so would we need three 21 day JR Passes for each of us to cover our trip for almost 3 months?
Oh wow! Hateruma to Soya! It depends on how often you travel to other cities by trains. If you take more time in one region, you might not need 3. Enjoy planning and have a great trip!
@@tokyokenchan each region is made up of different Cities, Towns & places of interest for day trips plus none of us drive so surely the JR Pass would still come in handy so we’re not spending most of our money on Regional/Local Train & Bus Tickets all the time?
Hi Kencha, If I am going to buy JR pass regular for me and family, can we use that from Tokyo going to Osaka by bullet train? Then from Osaka going to Hiroshima for day trip by bullet train, and also Osaka to Kyoto for day trip on bullet train? Then going back to Tokyo from Osaka after few days.
Hi. It's hard to say pass is a better deal, but it gives you great freedome of travel from being on time etc, so getting a pass is a great idea especially if you are with your family.
This limited days to me do not make sense, tourist can be more than 21 days... and let's say the fact no one is going to be using shinkansen all the times. They could increase the amount of days... 10, 20, 30 days.
All those vital information that you share. We all useful for us. We very pleased every thing we do. The whole 2 weeks are unforgettable and exquisite experience of lifetime. Again, thank's soooooooo much for sharing. Florida USA 🎉🎉
I loved this video Ken. I have another trip coming up in January with some first timers and we are going to do the golden route for them. We have 17 days and unfortunately, the new prices just do not work out for us in the end. This will be my first time having to purchase individual shinkansen tickets for every ride we take from Tokyo>Kyoto>Osaka>Tokyo. Just this route alone is going to be about ~29,000yen. Crazy to me how much they increased the JR Pass as it eliminated a lot of possible day trips which I used to do before with the pass. The travel that you would have to do within 7 days to get your money's worth is actually insane. It is just too much train travel in too short of a time period. Most if not all people will be so physically and mentally burned out having to ride the train so often just to break even on the pass!
Thank you for your comment! I'm glad you liked the video. I agree you can burned out unless you love being on the trains. Online reservations are great alternatives, but a little difficult to manage the reservations and being at the station on time for some travelers. I hope you have a great trip next January!!
Thank you so much for the thorough walkthrough of the different scenarios! I’m planning trip to Japan for my family of 6. I was lost reading the websites. Your videos are a life saver! Thank you so much!
Hello again Ken-san. I’ve just come back from two weeks in Japan…I used my JR Rail pass and all of my Shinkansen tickets added up to almost 110,000 yen…so I definitely got my moneys worth. The next (and third) time I go back to Japan I might spend more time in Tokyo and do more domestic flights.
Thanks for the helpful video Kenchan. Your new mic is excellent btw, really easy to hear you :)
Thank you Ryuga san! I'm glad to hear that. When I used it in Shibuya, it captured surrounding sound too much (which is why it sounds unnatural in the opening of the recently 5 days itinerary video) I'm still figuring out about the microphone, but I'm glad you told me it's working fine for filming at home. :)
Wow. A very thorough video. We will be in Japan for 7 days but will rely on Pasmo vice working around the JR pass savings.
Thank you for your comment. I think depends on the itinerary, it's better to travel around without the pass. Have a great trip in Japan. :)
Will arrive in Tokyo in two weeks. Being following you for year. Thank you for all your work and information!!!
That's great you are visiting here soon! Thank you for following for so long. I wish you the best trip in Japan! :)
Thanks again Kengo-San!! Always learning new things from you!
Thank you for watching Davy san! :)
Excellent information. I've asked around at other social media sites about the 14 day JR Pass, and the answers there were less than satisfactory. Lots of weak advice. Finding your Vlog information on the different passes and how best to use them made clear sense. Considering that I plan on flying into Tokyo, staying in Kyoto for a couple of days with JR trips to nearby locations, and then off to Hakata with possible quick stops along the way, and a visit to Nagasaki and Sasebo before heading to Tokyo for a day or two and then flying home, the 14 day pass makes perfect sense. From what you suggest, having a JR Pass would allow more flexibility with side trips using the JR system. Honto ni arigatougozaimasu!
Wonderful video Kengo san - I listened to it while jogging - is it strange that I find these videos very mentally calming? Love the sticker graphics and the cool lighting 👍👍
Chris san, What an honor again you listened to this during your jogging! Maybe it's calming as I'm talking about not that important local topics very seriously as if it's a world crisis for 30 min... haha. Thank you always for watching and leaving a message. I need to learn about camera and lighting from you.
@@tokyokenchan 😂 haha always happy to help, I can provide my email if you want to ask me anything. But actually, I think you have a very relaxing way of speaking, and all that info is really fantastic for travellers - they need help because it’s very tricky to keep up with the changes.
Thank you Chris san! Yes I'd like to ask you and hear form you anything you notice, even though I might not be in that level yet.😄 @@FromTheDeep2481
Best video re JRPass! Thankyou for posting
Informative like always, kenchan. Take the Hikari, use that money instead on local omiyage/antenna shops.
I agree. Thank you for watching. :)
Another great video Kengo-San. This chimes with my research, essentially if you're going to a number of different places in Japan then the JR Pass still has value.
If you are essentially doing the Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka route then it's just not worthwhile.
For me the flexibility to get on and off breaking journeys for no extra cost is one of the key benefits, as well as the ability to simply use the Shinkansen as a means of local transport.
For example, because I had the pass I went to spend the evening in Osaka from Okayama - I wouldn't have otherwise paid for that trip but because it was "free" I went to Osaka for dinner.
Hello Jamie san. Thank you for your comment. That is interesting you went to Osaka for dinner! Yes, I think if you can get the pass for a little more price, it's worth getting the pass. Still 80,000 Yen for 14 days is lots of money, so I understand more travelers try to stay in Tokyo or Kansai and around with single tickets or regional passes.
Aaa~ 😅 I guess everything depends on each individual's itinerary, but to me the JR Pass is just not worth it anymore unless you truly plan to travel across the country from hakodate to kagoshima making numerous stops in between..
Buying a multi-city airpline ticket (arrive tokyo + depart from KIX for example) traveling one-way by shinkansen or express trains from tokyo to kyoto (with a short stay in Nagano/Kanazawa/Shizuoka in between) would be a lot cheaper...
Itsumodoori very informative Ken-san 👍
No shinkansen rides planned for my short kongo no tabi, maybe next time ^^
For the time being the only fast-train Im gonna be riding is the one that just opened in my city hahaha.
Great video as always!
Thank you for watching! Yes, it might be especially less valualbe for short term / frequent visitors. Domestic flights are also very easy to take. As you said, for some travelers that probably visit here only once in their life or 2, it might be worth traveling across Japan for 3 weeks using the pass. I hope you enjoy your coming tirp!! :)
@@tokyokenchanI agree. Not everyone can visit often and for first time visitors planning to stay for at least 10 days, it's definitely still worth the price for its coverage & flexibility 💯%
Tochiku kimashita yo... obasan tsukareta 😂
Ken, excellent update! I live in Okinawa, so I'm not able to buy a pass. From what I can see, the pass prices are still very good. Much more cost efficient than purchasing a shinkensan ticket independantly
Thank you for watching. :) Yes, I think efficient is a good word to describe the pass especially when you travel across Japan. Every pass they sell for Japanese residents doesn't allow to be on Shinkansen.
You explain JR Pass better than the official site! I am planning a 21 day trip with my foldable bike (which fits in a bag), so I know your channel is going to be super useful for my trip. Many thanks.
Thank you for watching. 21 days with bike sounds great. I wish you the best trip in Japan. :)
Great video as always and even though i have done a bit or research on the passes and watched your other excellent videos I still learnt something new. And i am so glad that we got our passes last month!
Thank you Matt san! I'm glad there was something new for you and I appreciate you watched this video. :)
Thank you for the video. your channel is great.
One of the advantages I continue to see with JRPass is its flexibility: Within the trains included in the pass, I can choose the timetable and even change the destination on the same day. If you want to change your travel schedule, do a day trip, that would be simpler. do you agree?
Yes, definitely. You can change decision after seeing the weather and also in case the train stops, you can just hop on another train. You can get off Shinkansen anywhere in the middle and hop on again (sounds like a dream for Japanese guy. haha) . It will be a life time experience. :) Thank you for your message.
Honestly, I feel like unless you plan to stopover along the way in say Sendai, Aomori, and or Hakodate, to just fly over to Sapporo, as that's basically one full day gone to just being on the train (I'd probably do the stopovers).
My main issue with the new 7 day pass as you've pointed out is if you're always on the train, then you're not really seeing those other places, unless you prefer day trips every day out of your base city - that's probably the only scenario where the 7 day pass actually is worth getting. Keeping in mind that regional passes are a lot cheaper as well.
For example with the Golden Route, unless you must depart from Tokyo, would advise to just get a single Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto/Osaka, get a Kansai WIDE pass (12000 yen for 5 days) or even the Kansai + Hiroshima pass (17000 yen for 5 days) and then fly out of Kansai instead. Comes to between 25000 to 30000 yen, and other than the Tokyo to Kyoto/Osaka Shinkansen, you still get that flexibility to go on and off for the duration of the regional pass - though activate it when you're actually going outside the cities to say Himeji, Okayama, Hiroshima etc., since Kyoto/Osaka cities themselves are largely private run railways.
14, and especially 21 day JR Pass though where your itinerary would likely visit numerous cities across many locations is where the value is still there.
Thank you very much for the video! It was very well explained and contained so much useful information.
Thank you for watching. I'm glad the video was useful. :)
This video is valuable because you present examples that explains a method that can be used to analyze the cost and benefits of a a planned route. If independent traveler follows the method you demonstrate, a maximized use of a pass is veryb possible. We just came back from Kyoto/Kansai used the the Kansai Wide Area Pass to visit Amanohashidate, see and ride the Tama Train on the Kishi Line in Wakayama ,(we even visited the station master, Tama the cat), and used the Haruka to return to the Kansai Airport. The total cost would have been almost double of what we paid for the pass. We learned a lot from your past video on regional passes. thank you! BTW we already booked our flight and hotels for May of next year and are already rewatching your videos of the Tokyo area and Hakone! 😊
Kevin san, Dale san! First, thank you so much for your support for the video! I'm very glad to hear you finished your trip and back home safe. I enjoyed your photos of lots of foods and Kevin san's pose in Amanohashidate! 😄 Also, thank you for letting me know that Kansai Wide Pass was useful for your itinerary. I'd like to look into more regional passes and think of itineraries for future videos and travelers. It's exciting to hear you are coming back here next May and it will be Tokyo! I'd like to post more videos by the time you visit. Thank you again!
@@tokyokenchan that’s great to hear! We are looking forward for viewing them and learning from them! Because of your video on Hakone we have already booked a hotel there and are using that video as a guide for a two day one night trip. Thank you!
Going to Japan in a week and we were lucky enough to get the JR Pass before the price went up. With our itinerary we are saving $928 with this pass. If we got the updated more expensive JR Rail Pass we would have saved around $448. Still worth it but we definitely have a packed itinerary going to and outside of the Golden Route, with one day of just travel (Kinosaki-onsen to Takayama).
Please do an autumn travel itinerary for Tokyo and nearby cities 🙏
This is awesome! Thank you for the break down!!!
Thank you for watching!
Very nice explanation!
Thank you!
This is really a great video regarding the JR Pass but honestly given how the price of the pass is at the moment, I'll just stick to a round trip Shinkansen ticket going from Tokyo to Kyoto and just use the express trains for day trips to Nara, Osaka and Yokohama.
Thank you for the wonderful video.
Great breakdown, as always. Definitely agree with you that the 14 and 21 day passes are easier to pay off. Not sure I'd want to spend the nearly 8 hours on the train for Sapporo > Tokyo, though I know people who want to do that! 😅😅
Thank you! Yes, there are lots of tunnels too so your memory of travel scenery can be the different shapes of heads in front of you.
@@tokyokenchan Yes - if only the Hokkaido Shinkansen looked like it does in Kuga Travel's thumbnail... underwater!!
Going to Tokyo and Osaka in March for 14 days, would you recommend to get the Green card or those tourist card like Suica or Pasmo a card? Thanks 🙏
We will be traveling to Japan in Feb. and will be purchasing JR Pass for 5 people fine. But upon researching & asking some friends living in Japan, I am baffled with the JR pass paper tickets you need to claim personally. Not only prone to getting lost but getting it wet. And managing several tickets in your wallet or bag would be a stress when going leg to leg and it comes with 2 paper tickets per reservation. With Japan’s technology & online savvy culture I cannot believe at this day & time that they haven’t came up yet with online reservation & plastic cards for the JR Pass.
My wife and I are traveling now using the 14-days pass that we bought from the official JR site which surprisingly cost less than online agents. We’re going from Ueno > Sapporo > Beppu > Kurobe > Tokyo so yes, it’s well worth it. My actual comment has to do with the official JR Pass website: 2 issues - 1. It does not tell you the train platform. 2. It does not allow you to change/cancel a reservation once that ticket has been issued/printed out.
Sapporo to Beppu! That sounds like a trip worth getting the JR pass. :) That's interesting how official site is now cheaper than the agencies. Thank you for sharing.
@@tokyokenchan I usually buy it via Japan Experience, a very reliable site but good thing I got it through the official site this time because booking in advance on my phone was a lifesaver since seats on the Shinkansen last week were scarce. (Heavy snow in Sapporo on 1/1 was spectacular btw.)
You did a great job. But in the last part with exemple, i think some local pass are better than pass.
For exemple the arch pass cover the golden route (and more) for 7 days and cost only 25000 , who half the Price of the JR pass for the same numbers if days!
I think the fact that the JR pass cost a lot since october force tourist to think more about where to go and how to go, which is a good thing.
Thank you for your comment! Yes, I agree. You can travel with less pressure with regional passes probably. The Arch pass will raise price by next March as Hokuriku Shinkansen extends, but the price hasn't published yet. If that is not a big raise, it will be completely a great pass for the golden route travelers. As you mentioned, it's great if it became an opportunity travelers research more where to go. :) I'll probably make another regional pass video after the Arch pass price is announced, since my regional pass video is May is in old price. 👍
What about the regional passes (e.g Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass)? Can you book the reservations online, one month in advance, if purchased from the official website?
Yes, even though the price of regional passes also have increased, it's very competitive to JR passes, especially JR West passes.
Hello Kengo san, thank you for this very informative video for travellers on Jr pass. I may not be able to avail it but i have 1 question. Why did you change the thumbnail, removing your photo? 🙃
haha. I've been putting lots of my face recently so I'm seeing if it gets more click without me. I didn't think someone gonna notice it. 😄
I’ll be going to Japan in August. I did a bit of research and I believe the JR rail pass will be beneficial. I will go from Tokyo to Kyoto, round trip, on one day and from Tokyo to Hiroshima, round trip on another day. I believe that with those two round trips, I save money. Would I be able to use that pass on local Tokyo trains? If so, my savings will be even greater. Cool video!
Kenchan is handsome 😍
Thank you☺ Nobody has told me about that in my life.
Hello Kenchan, I will travel to Japan in next few days & I need your advice regarding the JP Pass ticket for 7 days option.
I will arrive in Japan on MAR 18/2024 and will stay in Tokyo till March 25 morning.
On March 25, I will travel to Osaka and will stay in Osaka till March 30.
Should I get the JR Pass 7 days for period MAR 25-30 in Osaka? I will go to Kyoto & Nara from Osaka.
With my trip schedule in Osaka, should I get the JR Pass 7 days option OR I should buy the individually ticket for each trip when I need to use the JR Line.
Much appreciated your time & support as your response advice will be great value for our trip!
Many thanks in advance!🙏
Hello, thank you for watching. To find out if the pass worth or not, you can check the price of train by putting itinerary here. Route Finder and Fare Calculator: japantravel.navitime.com/en/area/jp/route/
I'm asking everyone to do this by theirown. You can write down the cost of each train and if the sum is higher than the price of the pass, you can go for the pass.
Currently in Japan on my 25th trip to Japan. I've probably purchased JR Pass's on 23 of the 25 and considered the worthwhile. As a frequent purchaser, I take advantage of two components.
1. Convenience
2. Getting off the beaten track and stimulating the economy of rarely travelled cities than are in need of tourism.
I found that almost everyone that was making it to the far reaches of the country were either locals who lived close or foreigners on rail passes.
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Sadly, with the current price increases, I don't think I'll be able to stimulate the economy of small towns anymore. I'll either by in major cities where I land, or close to the city that my wife's family live (in Fukuoka).
This price increase needs to be put into perspective. A 70% increase in price just looking at Japanese inflation figures, you would need to go all the way back to 1977. A 100 Yen in 1977 equals 170 today (ignoring the inflationary spike and drop inbetween). So, this is either a money grab or trying to fix a problem.... or both.
So, what problem is it trying to fix or how is this being calculated as a need for a change?
I have a few theories.
1. The obvious - over tourism. While I spend most of my time avoiding tourist hotspots, there is no doubt that over tourism has complely destroyed cities such as Kyoto that cannot support then number of tourists its getting. Tokyo is large enough that it can absorb. It's a similar feeling in somewhere like Venice (cannot absorb) versus Rome (can absorb).
2. JR Bean counters charging actual average use.
Prior to Covid, JR did not have an easy way to correlate pass usage with actual usage. Pass users could book reservations with an office, and then on a whim miss the train and book another one. Since Covid reservations are accurately counted against each passport, and JR also blocks ability to double book (which it couldn't do easily in the past) and also is able to account for each station entry (because rather than flashing the pass, ticket gate machines are used instead).
This has given JR an insight into how much tourist has used and therefore can increase the price of the pass up to the average of all users.
But charging tourists what they used defeats the purpose. It's meant to be a convenient way to encourage tourism over large distances.
**** this price incease makes the Japanese pass the most expensive globally by a large margin ****
3. Was done to discourage the far too busy section of Tokyo through to Hiroshima
4. This is to take advantage of Yen weakness noting that many other countries (most notably the US), have strong currencies.
Sure, some countries might be able to afford the price increase while the Yen is weak. But it must be remembered than the Yen is a safe haven currency during recessions. When the world experiences the next global recession, the Yen will appreciate and Japan will once again become expensive.
I've seen US tourists here when the US dollar gave 55 Yen, and currently 150 Yen.... this will be the case again and tourists will start to wain again.
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Two negative consequences I would expect
1. Tourists will use other methods of transport such as discounted air instead - Result: less revenue for JR, but more available seats for locals
2. Tourists that use JR will choose to do single return trips between Tokyo and Kyoto - Result: Nozomi's will be used by tourists instead, shifting problem to a group of trains that was never impacted in past
3. Small towns get less foreign tourism - Result: Over tourism will be pushed move towards a smaller number of cities. The problem will become worse for places like Kyoto, but areas that are investing in new infrastructure for tourism (e.g. extension of Shinkansen beyond Kanazawa and new stations, extension of Shinkansen from Nagasaki) will see a drop in foreign tourism
I suspect JR will revert their decision within a few years noting it backfired.
Yes, while Japanese people have a base home in Japan and usually make 1 night, 2 nights trip from home, foreign visitors go all over in 2 weeks or so, so the cost of the transportation can be very big. I aslo thought of several theories on the reason and possible consequence of this price hike, but lots of questions remain. One or several reasons JR came to this big price hike, might not led to the result they expect (more income? less crowded? people stop using for the golden route and use for more across Japan which ease the burdenon JR Central?). I'm not sure how much attention they pay to the local economy, how much they listen to the government. Probably 6 JR companies are not agreeing on everything, bigger companies like Central and East might have the big impact on this decision. Probalby I should have made one discussion video about this. :) Thank you for sharing your insight.
Hi, I can’t believe I read all you wrote even though this is challenging to my English. Though I don’t 100% understand I appreciate so much info you put. I just bought three 7-day JR pass for me and my two sons. We will mainly stay in Kyoto, but want to take the fast bullet train to Tokyo and back to Osaka. Is the JR pass unlimited use within 7!days? We stay there for 9 days. We arrive Osaka on 12/23 at 6pm, stay in hotel in Kyoto. Go to Tokyo on 12/29, go back to Osaka on 12/31. Leave on 1/1 . I want to make sure we use the pass on the trip from Kyoto to Tokyo and back to Osaka. Since I only have 7-day pass. Seems there must be two days we can’t use otherwise. We want to make sure we use it from Kyoto and Tokyo and back to Osaka. Can you please give some suggestions?? Thank you very much!
Hi Ken ちゃん we are going to be in Japan in Nov. been to Japan before but never used JR Pass. We got the green car pass, when we make reservations there in Japan, is that only for the day of travel, or can we make reservations to all itineraries? Thank you again for your videos. You are the best!
Thank you for watching and your kind message. Yes, you can make reservation for all itineraries at once. It might helpt to write them down on the paper and give it to them. :)
Thank you so sooooo much for this video. I've been thinking for days about should I buy the pass or not. I am going to Tokyo in March and going to stay about 8 or 10 days max. I am going to visit Kyoto, Mt.Fuji (Shin Fuji Station), Himeji Castle, Maybe Nara as well. So I think the 7 days pass suit my plan well, don't you think? 😊 I am so relief to find your video, very detailed and informative. Arigato gozaimasu🙏 Greeting from Iceland.
your content really helpfull. i will having vacation on feb . for ski. are there any tips for ski? im still confuse to choose between hakuba or niseko 😢
I think it depends on which resorts have your favorite course and hotels. Both Hakuba and Niseko has different areas in the town and your hotel choice does matter for convenience. Hakuba is closer from Tokyo or Osaka by bus or train. Niseko map including 4 resorts: www.niseko.ne.jp/en/map/
Very helpful! Thank you!
I bought the 14 days JR pass during my previous Japan trip, and it worked out quite well for me.
Tokyo was my base, then I activated my JR pass and went to Fukuoka and Osaka as my other bases and finally back to Tokyo again, all within the 14 days. While I was at Fukuoka and Osaka, I would use the shinkansen to do a several day trips (eg. Fukuoka to Kumamoto or Hiroshima, and back). I prefer this day trip style because it keeps the hotel bookings and luggage moving low, and (roughly) one hour rides on the shinkansen feels like a pleasant break to me.
I didn't exactly calculate how much I saved, but I think even with the new price increase I probably would still save a little bit.
To travel within Tokyo and going to Kawaguchiko, does it worth a JR pass?
No. Usually it cost way under the price of the pass. I recommend you to get JR Tokyo Wide Pass if you go 2 or 3 day trips in 3 days.
Do i need to buy additional ticket for go to saga only i got JR Tokiado shinkansen line? Thanks
The Tokaido shinkansen connects with Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen, so you have to change trains at least once if visiting from Tokyo, but it's easy. It depends on where in Saga you visit too.
So i was just wondering, i've purchased my green jr national pass for the entire country before the price change . This is for unlimited rides as long its under JRPass?
So what if i plan to travel for 21 days from Nagoya to Kyoto, Osaka, and Fukuoka first. Then from Nagoya going to Sendai, Takayama, and all of Tokyo areas like yokohama, shibuya, and akihabra. Will the JR pass cover this all? and is there an limit of how many rides i can go on?
do you also need to return the jr pass after the trip?
Hello. You don't have to return the JR pass. If you bought 21 days JR Pass, it covers all those routes in Japan for 21 days even if you purchased before price change. There is no limitation in number of times you take trains and reserve limited expresses/Shinkansen, as long as it's JR trains.
Hi Kenchan nice video with your logical explaination. I am just confused which website to use to book one way ticket as per your example tokyo - kyoto 14370, kyoto - osaka 1450 and osaka - tokyo 14920. please share me the website as i have this route only to book for me and my family . appreciate your prompt response
Hi you can book it at “EX” site by JR central. I’m talking about how to book here. "Smart Ex" Get the Cheapest Shinkansen Fares Without the JR Pass.
ua-cam.com/video/zjiIWXZNr5Q/v-deo.html
Hi Ken! Great video!!
I have a question about the value of the JR Pass. It seems I've read that the JR Pass is also good to use for busses, subways and ferrys. We will be staying in Tokyo for 4 days then heading to Kyoto. Would we be able to use the JR Pass to help us get around Tokyo while sight seeing? (Which might increase its value.) Or is it cheaper to just pay for each subway/train/bus ride some other way?
I hope my question makes sense!
Thanks :)
Hi. You can use the pass for the JR trains in Tokyo, so you can get to many places with the pass. But it's not usable for subways and buses in Tokyo, so you might need to purchase extra tickets to some places. Usually, train cost in Tokyo cannot cover the cost of JR Pass. But if you can cover the cost of the pass with other parts in your itinerary, it's convenient to have in Tokyo too. :)
Thank you so much for the reply! I'll definitely look into our itinerary more to see if it will be worth it. Good to know it won't work on busses or subway. Thanks again!
Hi Kenchan, I will be visiting Tokyo tomorrow.
My itinerary includes Tokyo-Takayama-Nagoya-Kyoto-Nara-Tokyo.
I find that a 14 day JR pass isn’t work well for my itineraries and it’s very expensive.
What’s your advice? 💙💙
Hi. That's great you are visiting Tokyo tomorrow. Actually, I can't think of any ways to save train cost from now. Some regional passes might work around Osaka, but it really depends on the length and how much you travel. I hope you have a great trip !
I just bought three JR pass in Los Angeles. Will I
Be able to use it to ride the fastest billet train from Kyoto to Tokyo? Thanks !
Hello, You can ride the bullet train called Hikari from Tokyo to Kyoto. It stops extra stations but speed is as fast as the fastest one.
@@tokyokenchan thank you for the reply.
My friend & I are planning a trip to Japan in 2025 for 3 months to see as much of the country as possible from mid January to mid April from Cape Soya in Hokkaido to Haterumajima in Okinawa. It sounds like the JR Pass would be worth it for us on the main islands especially as we plan on using the trains & public transport a lot since we cannot drive so would we need three 21 day JR Passes for each of us to cover our trip for almost 3 months?
Oh wow! Hateruma to Soya! It depends on how often you travel to other cities by trains. If you take more time in one region, you might not need 3. Enjoy planning and have a great trip!
@@tokyokenchan each region is made up of different Cities, Towns & places of interest for day trips plus none of us drive so surely the JR Pass would still come in handy so we’re not spending most of our money on Regional/Local Train & Bus Tickets all the time?
Hi Kencha,
If I am going to buy JR pass regular for me and family, can we use that from Tokyo going to Osaka by bullet train? Then from Osaka going to Hiroshima for day trip by bullet train, and also Osaka to Kyoto for day trip on bullet train? Then going back to Tokyo from Osaka after few days.
Hi. It's hard to say pass is a better deal, but it gives you great freedome of travel from being on time etc, so getting a pass is a great idea especially if you are with your family.
Can we go to khushu saga with JR pass? No additional cost?
Yes, you can go to Saga with JR Pass. 👍
Thank you
This limited days to me do not make sense, tourist can be more than 21 days... and let's say the fact no one is going to be using shinkansen all the times. They could increase the amount of days... 10, 20, 30 days.