Complete 2025 JR East Pass Usage Guide

1. JR PASS: An Introduction to the Japan Rail Pass

●What is the JR PASS? The Japan Rail Pass is a rail pass issued by the JR Group, available only to foreigners traveling to Japan. It allows unlimited travel on JR lines within a specified period and area.

●JR PASSes include: nationwide, Kanto, Kansai, and other regional passes.

●JR PASS Advantages: Savings and convenience.

●JR PASS Price Increase: Don't Buy Blindly

Attention! JR Pass prices will increase by up to 50% after October 2023! The era of the JR Pass's high value is over; don't buy it blindly anymore!

The JR Group consists of six companies, each operating in a different region, and they offer dozens of passes. If your itinerary involves more than two major cities, choosing the right pass will save you money and worry. However, choosing the wrong pass could restrict your itinerary or cost you more.

2. How to Purchase and Use the JR Pass

In short, the JR Pass is only available to foreign tourists traveling to Japan for a short period of time. It is also sold to people holding foreign passports in Japan.

-- Purchase: Purchase the pass through the JR official website, contact points in Japan, or overseas agencies.

-- Use: For non-reserved seats on ordinary trains, Shinkansen, and limited express trains, use the JR Pass at the gates. For reserved seats on Shinkansen and limited express trains, make a seat reservation and obtain a reserved seat ticket, which you use in conjunction with the JR Pass.

3. About the JR EAST PASS

The JR EAST PASS - Tohoku area, also known as the JR Tohoku Pass, allows unlimited travel on trains within the designated Kanto to Tohoku area for five consecutive days. It's valid for travelers traveling to the Fukushima, Yamagata, Miyagi, Iwate, Akita, and Aomori areas of Tohoku, as well as certain areas in Kanto. It's available to both foreign visitors and residents of Japan. It includes reserved seats in ordinary cars on Shinkansen and limited express trains. Sold by JR East, the fare is 30,000 yen.

4. JR EAST Pass Pricing and Validity Period​

• ​Adult (Age 12+):​​ ¥30,000
• ​Child (Age 6–11):​​ ¥15,000
• ​Validity:​​ 5 consecutive days from the selected start date (counted in calendar days).

5. Scope of JR EAST Pass

​

The JR EAST Pass is valid only for:

• Train routes operated by ​JR East Japan​
• ​JR Bus routes​ (including local and highway buses under JR East)
• Select routes of ​partner railway companies​ (e.g., Tokyo Monorail, Sendai Airport Line)

JR East Japan Routes​

• JR East Japan Lines (including BRT*), covering Shinkansen and conventional lines.

• JR Bus services within the applicable area (excluding express buses and some charter buses).

​Partner Company Routes​

• Tokyo Monorail Line (entire route).

• Izukyu Line (entire route).

• Aomori Railway Line (entire route).

• IGR Iwate Galaxy Railway Line (entire route).

• Sendai Airport Railway Line (entire route).

• Reserved seats in ordinary cars on the limited express trains "Nikko," "Kinugawa," and "SPACIA Kinugawa" that connect JR East and Tobu Railway lines.

•Also valid on ordinary trains (including rapid trains) between Shimoimaichi and Tobu Nikko and Kinugawa Onsen on Tobu Railways. (Note: The JR EAST PASS (Tohoku Area) is valid only on limited express trains connecting JR lines to Tobu Railways. Limited express trains starting and ending at Tobu Railway stations are not valid.)

Applicable JR bus routes (JR Tohoku and JR Kanto buses are available)

6. Three Ways to Purchase the JR EAST Pass

6.1 JR East Online Booking

Ticket Purchase: Click the JR East official website link to access the JR East booking page. Select English in the upper right corner. The page is very clear and following the instructions to complete your JR Pass purchase is easy. You can purchase the pass, reserve reserved seats, and buy tickets. Pick up your ticket with the QR code in the confirmation email.

Note:

-- You must register an account and link a credit card. Registration information includes email, passport information, phone number, and Visa or MasterCard number. UnionPay credit cards are not currently supported.

-- After purchasing the pass, select the pickup location and choose "undecided."

Ticket Collection:

-- Purchase the JR Pass online through the official website. Upon arrival in Japan, pick up your ticket with your original passport or the QR code in the confirmation email following your online purchase.

-- Two ways to collect your ticket: at a reserved seat ticket machine equipped with a passport scanner or at a JR East Travel Service Center at a station.

-- Note: The official website indicates that you can exchange passes at the green ticket counters (managed ticket booths) at Narita Airport and the Airport Visitor Center at Haneda Airport. However, no other green ticket counters (managed ticket booths) within Tokyo stations offer pass exchange services. To exchange passes, you must go to a JR East Travel Service Center within the station. Not all stations have JR East Travel Service Centers; click the link on the official website to view the different services offered by each station.

6.2 Purchasing JR EAST passes through overseas travel agencies

-- Using an overseas travel agency may offer a lower price than the official price after using a coupon.

-- After arriving in Japan, you can only exchange your ticket at an East Travel Center or a few green ticket counters (managed ticket booths). You must present your original passport and the exchange certificate (single ticket). You cannot collect tickets from ticket machines with passport logos.

-- Overseas travel agencies do not sell the Tokyo Wide Pass, N’EX Tokyo Round-Trip Ticket, Tokyo One-Day Pass, Sendai Area Pass, etc.

JR East Service Centers (JR EAST TRAVEL SERVICE CENTER) - Click on the official website for specific locations (see the image above). They are located at major stations such as Tokyo Haneda Airport, Narita Airport, Tokyo Station, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Hamamatsucho, and Shibuya.

- Smaller stations don't have JR East Service Centers; they only have green ticket counters (staffed ticket booths). Some even smaller stations only have ticket machines. Therefore, you can't redeem the pass.

6.3 Purchasing the JR EAST Pass at Domestic Ticket Offices

Purchase the JR EAST Pass at designated seat ticket machines equipped with passport scanners and at JR East Travel Service Centers located at stations.

JR East has sales outlets throughout its territory, including Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, Sendai Airport, and JR Sendai Station.

7.Which Shinkansen trains are eligible for the JR EAST PASS?

E5 Series・Hayabusa

Route Section:​​ Sendai → Morioka → Hachinohe → Shin-Aomori

​Train Features:​​

• Streamlined design with a maximum speed of ​320 km/h​
• Glides smoothly through the Tohoku region like a "blue-green speedster"

E6 Series・Komachi​

​Route Section:​​ Sendai → Tazawako → Akita

​Train Features:​​

• Maximum speed of ​320 km/h​
• Stable and safe even on curves, like a "pink whirlwind"
• 
  

8. How to Use the JR EAST PASS

The JR EAST PASS is a bearer magnetic card ticket valid for unlimited rides on Shinkansen, JR Limited Express, Rapid, and Ordinary trains within its validity period. It is valid for reserved and non-reserved seats on all Shinkansen trains.

- To board a reserved seat, you must first present your pass to a JR East Green Ticket Office or ticket machine. Reserved seats in Ordinary Cars are free, but tickets for Green Cars and above require a fee.

- When entering or exiting a train station, insert both your pass and your reserved seat ticket into the automatic ticket gate. The ticket will be ejected from the other end; keep it. (Please note that a lost pass cannot be replaced, and you cannot purchase the same pass again within the same validity period.)

- At stations where automatic ticket gates are unavailable, use the manual gate.

- When boarding a bus, present your pass to the driver.

Below: JR EAST PASS

9. How to Obtain a Reserved Seat Ticket

The JR EAST PASS allows for both unreserved and reserved seats on Shinkansen and limited express lines. Traveling in Tohoku, for example, from Tokyo to Aomori, the Hayabusa, the fastest train on the Tohoku Shinkansen, offers reserved seats throughout the train. Pass holders do not need to pay a fee, but they must reserve a seat; otherwise, they will not be able to board.

There are three ways to obtain a reserved seat ticket: pre-book on the official website and pick up the ticket at a station machine by presenting a QR code; reserve the ticket at a station ticket machine; or reserve the ticket at a station ticket counter. (Note: On Japanese holidays, reserved seating may not be available on-site; standing room only is available.)

10. How to Check if a Train Has "All-Carriage Reserved Seats"

-- JR East's official website states that all cars on the Hayabusa, Komachi, Hayate, Tsubasa, Nikko, Kinugawa, and Spacia Kinugawa trains are reserved seats. You cannot board the train without a reserved seat ticket.

※Reserved seats are available in ordinary cars on the Narita Express, Hitachi, Joban, Akagi, Azusa, Kaiji, Fuji Express, Odoriko, and Shonan trains. If you do not have a reserved seat, please choose an empty seat within the car. (Other trains offer all-car reserved seats; please ask staff for details.)

-- Check the official website for information on vehicle types.

JR East's official website ~ Trains and Routes: Train types, vehicle equipment, and carriage information.

For example: The Tohoku Shinkansen "Hayabusa" offers all-car reserved seats. The Tohoku Shinkansen "Yamabiko" offers both non-reserved and reserved seats.

11. Usage Notes

· A non-Japanese passport is required at the time of purchase.

· Child age limits vary depending on the date of purchase. Proof of age, such as a passport, is required at the time of purchase.

· Children under 6 years old who do not reserve a seat do not need to purchase a JR East Pass.

· Additional fees apply for Green (First Class) and GranClass cars.

· The JR East Pass is not eligible for student or youth discounts.

· Each passenger may purchase only one JR East Pass during their trip to Japan (new JR East Passes cannot be purchased before the expiration date).

12. Recommended JR East Pass 5-Day Itinerary

After purchasing the JR East Pass 5-Day Pass, the next step is, of course, planning your itinerary! Here's a sample 5-day trip to Tohoku that will take you on a journey through sights and delicious food. On the first day, head straight to Aomori's Oirase Gorge, staying at the dreamy Hoshino Hotel for a forest retreat. Then, feast on seafood in Hachinohe and head to Morioka for the chewy Morioka cold noodles. On the third day, head to Akita, where you'll encounter adorable Akita dogs. In the evening, soak in the hot springs at Ginzan Onsen and experience the romance of the Taisho era. On the fourth day, ascend Mount Zao to admire the magnificent shrubs, a scene reminiscent of a snowy fairytale. Finally, visit Shiroishi Fox Village for an up-close encounter with adorable foxes. This itinerary combines stunning scenery and delicious food, while also allowing you to maximize your travel pass and save significantly on transportation costs, making this a dreamy and rewarding trip to Tohoku!