Alternative JR Passes that Tourists and Foreign Residents Can Use in Japan

If you travel to Japan, one of the most common things that almost every tourist has is JR Pass, which offers unlimited train rides across Japan for up to 3 weeks. However, in the wake of a drastic price rise in October 2023, many people are looking for other ways to travel without breaking the bank. The truth is JR company has many other passes that focus more on each region. Some are even friendly to foreign residents and Japanese citizens who live here as well. Here are some alternative regional JR passes that you can use to enjoy your time in Japan in a cost-effective way!

How Can I Buy a JR Pass?

This depends on the passes but you can buy most of them online and redeem the actual passes at the designated JR travel service center or JR ticket office. Please note that the staff will check your passport to see your eligibility. Some of the passes can also be bought in Japan, however, if the pass is for foreign tourists, they will be more expensive to buy in Japan than from abroad.

Tired of having to buy a ticket whenever traveling around Japan? We have a special tip for you! Coto’s trusted partner, Japan Rail Pass, sells JR Rail Passes that allow you to travel UNLIMITEDLY around Tokyo for a specific duration! They also provide pocket wifi rental and SIM card services! Check them out here!

Do JR Passes Include Metro?

Getting around Japan using public transportation is easy, but keep in mind that JR and Metro are completely different companies, so you can’t use any JR passes on any metro or non-JR lines. For example, you can’t use JR passes to travel from Ikebukuro to Shibuya on Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line but you can use them with JR Yamanote Line to make the same journey. However, some passes allow you to travel on specific local trains or even buses such as you can use Fujikyuko Line, a private railway in Yamanashi with JR Tokyo Wide Pass. It’s important to check which pass covers which areas and which trains can be used.

You can learn how to navigate different train platforms and lines in Japan here.

JR Tokyo Wide Pass

Price: 10,180 yen
Day: 3 consecutive days
Available for: All holders of non-Japanese passports

If you stay in Tokyo and want to travel around a bit, this is definitely the pass for you. Not to be mistaken with the usual prepaid IC cards like Pasmo or Suica, Tokyo Wide Pass covers almost everything around Tokyo and Kanto region. This means you are free to hop to different neighborhoods like Shibuya or Shinjuku without having the need to charge your card! You can use this pass even from Narita and Haneda Airports! You can take a day trip from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko to see Mount Fuji or to soak in an onsen in Kusatsu Onsen in Gunma.

Formerly known as JR East Kanto Area Pass, this pass is useful all year round as there are so many seasonal activities. You can enjoy them while using this pass such as seeing beautiful nemophila at Hitachi Seaside Park in spring, chilling by the sea in Izu Peninsula in summer, enjoying autumn leaves in Nikko in autumn, or skiing at GALA Yuzawa in winter.

Available areas: Tokyo, Yokohama, Atami, Kawaguchiko, Nikko, GALA Yuzawa, Karuizawa, Kusatsu Onsen, Hitachi Seaside Park, etc.

JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass

Days: 5 consecutive days
Price: 18,000 yen
Available for: All holders of non-Japanese passports

This pass covers almost the same area as Tokyo Wide Pass, plus Nagano and Niigata prefectures as the name suggests. The east side of Japan is known for beautiful nature, onsen towns, historical sites and delicious food. With this pass, you can visit the beautiful Matsumoto Castle, hike in Kamikochi, enjoy rice terraces in Tokamachi, see monkeys bathing in an onsen in Nagano, or drink famous sake in Niigata.

Available areas: almost the same as Tokyo Wide Pass, plus Matsumoto, Kamikochi, Nagano, Niigata, etc.

JR East Tohoku Area Pass

Days: 5 consecutive days
Price: 20,000 yen
Available for: All holders of non-Japanese passports

The other JR East pass focuses on the Tohoku region which is known for beautiful nature. Tohoku is a bit further north and less famous among foreigners. However, there are plenty of places you should visit. Even though the area is beautiful all year round, winter is even prettier as the snow heavily falls in this area making the landscape all white and fluffy. With this pass, you can see the famous Zao monsters, the strange natural phenomenon in Zao Onsen. You can get lost in Studio Ghibli’s atmosphere at Ginzan Onsen, learn more history in Aizu-Wakamatsu and soak in an outdoor onsen at Nyuto Onsen in Akita. If you are a food lover, you should also drop by Sendai and try its famous beef tongue as well. 

Available areas: almost the same as Tokyo Wide Pass, plus Fukushima, Aizu-Wakamatsu, Sendai, Yamadera, Yamagata, Zao Onsen, Ginzan Onsen, Morioka, Akita, Aomori, etc.

JR West Kansai Area Pass

Days: 1-4 consecutive days
Price: 2,400-6,800 yen
Available for: foreign tourists only

Kansai is one of the most visited regions in Japan as it consists of many famous cities such as Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, and many more. So if you plan to spend a day in Universal Studio Japan in Osaka, stroll in an old town in Kyoto, feed the deer in Nara, or eat delicious beef in Kobe, this is the pass for you!

Available areas: Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, Kobe, Himeji, Wakayama, etc.

Bonus: The other pass available in this area is JR West Kansai Wide Area Excursion Pass (3 consecutive days, 10,000 yen, available for foreign tourists only). This pass operates in the same area as Kansai Area Pass but you can take JR trains until Okayama and Tottori.

Hokkaido Free Pass

Days: 7 days
Price: 27,430 yen
Available for: everyone including Japanese citizens

Hokkaido is gigantic and offers a lot of natural attractions that everyone wants to visit. It is said that it’s not easy to travel within the island without a car but this pass helps you to do so. Hokkaido Free Pass allows you to use unlimited JR trains and some JR buses in Hokkaido. However, you can’t ride on Hokkaido Shinkansen nor use the pass during Golden Week, Obon, and New Year holidays.

Available areas: Sapporo, Otaru, Hakodate, Wakkanai, etc.

Bonus: If you are a foreign tourist who is looking for a cheaper pass, JR Hokkaido also offers Hokkaido Rail Pass (5 & 7 days, 19,000 & 25,000 yen). Moreover, there are also area-specific parts called Sapporo-Noboribetsu Area Pass (4 days, 8,000 yen) and Sapporo-Furano Area Pass (4 days, 9,000 yen). Foreign residents and Japanese citizens, however, can’t use these passes.

JR All Kyushu

Days: 3-7 days
Price: 17,000-20,000 yen
Available for: Foreign tourists only

Kyushu is one of the top tourist destinations in Japan as it is famous for delicious food, interesting history, and beautiful nature. You can eat in the famous Hakata Ramen and mentaiko in Japanese street stalls called Yatai in Fukuoka, soak in beautiful hot springs in Beppu or visit Kumamoto Castle which was recently reopened after it was destroyed by the big earthquake in 2016. You can also climb Mount Aso, visit the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, or observe Sakurajima, one of the most active volcanoes in Kagoshima.

Available areas: Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Beppu, Oita, Yufuin, Miyazaki, Kagoshima, etc.

Bonus: If you don’t have much time, you can also purchase only JR Northern Kyushu Pass (3 & 5 days, 10,000 & 14,000 yen) or JR Southern Kyushu Pass (3 days, 8,000 yen) and focus on the particular region you are interested in.

All Shikoku Rail Pass

Days: 3-7 days
Price: 12,000-20,000 yen
Available for: foreign tourists only

Shikoku might be the smallest island among the 4 main islands of Japan but there are plenty of places you can enjoy. Not only can you use this pass on JR, but you can also use it on some of the local trains and trams as well as some ferries and buses to Shodoshima which is known for olive cultivation. You can also visit Dogo Onsen, one of the oldest hot springs in the country which is said to be the inspiration for Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away. The other interesting places include the famous Shimonada station which often appears in movies and TV dramas, as well as Imabari, the small town which is the starting/ending point of Shimanami Kaido, a 70-km beautiful cycling route between Shikoku and mainland Japan.

Available areas: Matsuyama, Imabari, Shimonada, Kochi, Takamatsu, Tokushima, etc.

Conclusion

If you want to travel within Japan, there are many great local passes that you can enjoy at reasonable prices. There are also bigger passes that allow you (mostly only for foreign tourists but not residents) to travel across regions such as East-South Hokkaido Pass (6 days, 27,000 yen) which you can travel from Tokyo up until Sapporo. So if you are planning to travel, we recommend you search for passes that might cover the area and save up some money for your trip!

Start Learning Japanese to Prepare for Your Travel to Japan!

Make the most of your visit to Japan by immersing yourself in the language and culture with Coto Academy’s short-term Japanese classes in Tokyo. With flexible part-time schedules, you can learn Japanese while still having plenty of time to explore and enjoy all that Japan has to offer.

We have locations in Shibuya, Yokohama, Azabujuban, and Iidabashi! If you’re interested, contact us and we’ll get in touch!