For those looking to go on the Golden Route, fly into KIX (Kansai) and travel to Osaka/Kyoto/Nara locally, then take a one way shinkansen train ride to Tokyo. Saves a lot of money.
@@Stellaris556 A few years ago, my wife and I went to HK first, and then to Seoul, from there to Fukuoka where I activated our 14-days JR Pass, and finally departed from HND to LA. Worked out great.
I think my boyfriend and I got lucky with our Japan trip. We're flying in at the end of September, so I'll be ordering the JR pass (2 weeks) right before the price hike @@. I wish the best savings for everyone planning a trip to Japan!
Thanks for the update!! It's really unfortunate that JR is promoting the use of their fastest trains as a way to smooth things over when it's clear the benefit comes with an added caveat. It's also a huge bummer that it seems all transportation will become more expensive very soon. Weighing it all, it still really depends on how long you're in the country and how much you want to travel by train. For a two week trip that's just Tokyo and Kyoto, I would say it's not worth it. If you're like me and want to spend 3-4wks in the country, traveling the landscape and getting to places quickly, a justification can still be made for the pass. I mentioned earlier that I would still get the pass even though it adds more time to save up; and I'll hold to that for now. I still see it as transportation expenses have been paid upfront and I've invested in my peace of mind. JR is probably banking on people like me 😂😭
Yea good analysis of the situation I agree 100 % . If the prices of shinkansen goes up as well, it could make the JR Pass much more justifiable. But we will see how it all plays out as we get closer to October. I feel like there is much more to this than just the JR Pass goign up in price. I think shinkansen prices will soon follow.
I also feel the same way about the pass - I've never been to JP before but I've bought a 3wk flight trip next year, wanting to go all around from Hokkaido -> Okinawa, even thinking about short 1-2 day trips to Busan and Taipei. Do u have any tips? Any recommended places? I'll be solo traveling out of a backpack. I'm thinking of using night busses and sleeper trains as semi-economical "hotel" options whilst moving from place to place. Also night net cafes and capsule hotels for very cheap "hotel" static options in the central/urban part of Japan. Will definitely splurge on quality ryokans up north.
New price hikes No more physical subway cards in Japan Inflation.... The sky is falling down The sky is falling down Greetings from korea 🇰🇷 😊❤ Gonna be there this weekend 😊
Man, it's exhausting trying to figure out what my best option is 🤦♂️ so many passes. My plan is to start from Tokyo, go to Nagoya, explore Gifu area few days, then to Osaka and Kyoto. JR railpass probably isn't the smartest option for me 🤔
If you’re going the likes of Takayama and Shirakawa-go, I suggest checking out the Takayama-Hokuriku Area Toruist Pass. For 19000 yen, 5 consecutive days of travel from Nagoya, through to Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa, Kyoto and finally onto Osaka. You save a little bit on fares and you have the convenience of a single ticket for everything, except for when you have to reserve seats.
I am a Japanese with schizophrenia living in Japan and I pay full fare for a long-distance ride on the JR Shinkansen bullet train. JR fare discounts are conditionally available for the physically handicapped and intellectual disabilities, but not for the mentally handicapped. In the shadow of foreign tourists being able to purchase the discounted JAPAN RAIL PASS, please do not forget that there are so many mentally handicapped Japanese who only have the option of riding the Shinkansen at the full fare. New price for JR PASS is still CHEAP. Have a nice trip!
Thank you for sharing your perspective. I agree that even though the prices are going up, it could still be worth the money, especially if the normal shinkansen tickets go up as well. I wish you the best and stay healthy!
Considering the JR Pass has been basically the same price since the 80s, and inflation has seen the cost of things effectively double in countries like the US and UK, it doesn't really feel so bad. You do have to remember that the pass gives you unlimited travel within the 7, 14, or 21 day window. If people are just using it for Tokyo/Osaka return then yeah, it won't be worth it anymore, but does it really need to be?
The calculator is an awesome tool, thanks for sharing. Made it clear, that even if I am going to visit in the early spring a rail pass will be a good idea. But I am planning to hop cities approximately every other night while covering a route from Kagoshima to Aomori, starting in Osaka and landing in Hiroshima or Kyoto. Since I've been to Japan before I just want to test out as many new places as possible to get a feel for where to stay the next time
that's quite the adventure and alot of traveling! I hope your plan works out ! I would say the JR pass will definitely be worth it if you plan on travelling around Japan that much.
What about overnight trains? Those could be useful if youre going a far distance (Osaka to tokyo) and you get to fully lay back and sleep. Hotel and transportation in one, and you dont lose time during the day from traveling
But the added options to ride Nozomi and Mizuho are subjected to a further payment.... I frankly see NO "added benefit", but JUST a price increase which will restrict a lot more the affordability of the JR Pass... I honestly don't know whether this change will bring more money to the companies or not, given the sharp decrease of passes sold in future.... this is really a LOT MORE that a simple price re-touch....😅
Right I agree which is what I was alluding to that the added benefit was hardly an added perk. I think if the sales of the JR pass plummet enough, they might scale back the prices. We will see!
Honestly, perhaps they ought to (have) make/made two new JR Pass tiers: those upper tiers would be standard and Green Car plus Nozomi/Mizuho. Those upper tiers would cost more than even the October prices, while the price of the non-Nozomi tiers ought to have raised by less than the October prices (maybe something like 40,000 yen for 7-day standard car).
I think having a tiered system could be a good idea. However, I think there are a lot of other factors at play here like higher operating costs, trying to get less people to travel the golden route, and more.
Will the price increases for regional passes also affect local Japanese citizens and those that remain within Japan? I would understand the need to increase tourism revenue somehow someway beyond the increased hotel taxes/fees, but wouldn't this deter local and regional travels as well, especially when the salary aren't really going to increase in a significant way?
I'm surprised the survey says only up to 12 % will still buy the rail pass😮that's lower than I would of ever thought but after a year or so I believe people coming to Japan for the first time will buy it easily as it will just be the new norm , it was bound to happen I mean how long has it been a bargain, another interesting point is the Hokkaido pass will only get a 5% increase that is telling me they want you to explore that area , but it will still cost money to fly there if course, thanks for keeping up up to date Alex
That is actually a really good point I never thought about Followthesun. New tourists might buy the pass because they didn't know how much cheaper it used to be. We will see though!
Like always keeping us up to date with everything japan, we flew in to osaka and that is the best option to start the trip no more Jr pass then osaka it the best option to fly in to and save some cash
we where planing for this fall but my mom and mother in law want to go so we are planing for fall 2024, we fly in to south korea and then take the farry to fukuoka from busan then finish in tokyo, i let you know if we come back sooner @@harblife
If I’ve already bought my JRpass before the price hike and got my voucher. Do you think I’ll have to pay the difference when I swap my voucher for the pass in October?
JR Passes in their new prices are probably 90% not worth it for most itineraries. I mean sure you can go to Fukuoka to Sendai and make the money back. But will that be a wise move for a mere 7 days? Best stick now with regional passes where the price increase is not as stark vs the Japan wide pass.
Hokuriku Arch Pass is the best alternative so far for the Golden Route but given the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension towards Osaka next year, the hikes are inevitable but hopefully not steep as the nationwide pass😢
One thing I forgot to ask, and this is also for anyone in the comments, was there an official reason given for the price hike and the amount? Did they say they thought it would encourage people to make use of the pass BECAUSE of the cost?
They said the price hikes reflect the new ability to use the Nozomi and Mizuho trains, in addition to service improvements which have been implemented up until now (expansion of Shinkansen, pass sales and seat reservations on dedicated website, usage of automatic ticket gates). Note that to use the Nozomi and Mizuho, you need to buy a [ONLY WITH JAPAN RAIL PASS] NOZOMI MIZUHO Ticket.
They gave very vague reasons, but I think the price hike is because of higher operating costs, inflation, and higher energy prices. We will see what else comes with this as we get closer to October.
I’m leaving Tokyo today after a month and a half in Japan. Bought 2 JR Passes while I was here. Trust me when I say that using Hikari and Sakura to Fukuoka is much better. And it made sense to use it for me especially if you add commuting into the mix. But I’m definitely not buying the JR Pass next time. Probably going to take low cost carriers and rent cars next time I’m here.
My wife and I also just finished a long summer trip but we covered Sapporo/Nakafurano, Ureshino Onsen, Matsumoto and Beppu Onsen (and everything in between).
If you have a moment to answer my question, I have a trip to arrive in mid October for two weeks. So if I purchased the tickets in September then I can redeem them for the old price before the price hike? Or am I screwed?
Hey there so im going to Japan in March and we plan to mainly stay around Tokyo and Osaka but a few spots way outside those to, would it be a good idea to rent a car or just take a train the short trips inside tokyo and Osaka?
train will be best. Parking is insanely expensive and hard to find in big cities and driving can easily take as much time as just taking the train because of traffic.
@@harblife Yes, tolls are expensive (although I think many countries have tolls, some more expensive than Japan). But rental cars (incl. tolls) become more viable when shared between multiple people.
First time travelling to Japan in Mid October with my brother. Great to hear that we will see the prices rise after decade right when we finally decided to travel there!
I travelled to Japan for the first time in 2006 for a 'once in a life-time trip' with my late mother before she passed. Going again in September for the 16th time! - be careful you might get hooked on the place. My advice - bite the bullet, pay the money, you will enjoy every waking second...
Went to Japan 2016 and 2017, the JR pass issued was big and in the plastic cover. Came back (now) to Japan, the JR pass issued is like a subway ticket! So easy to lose AND deteriorate after a week of use.
I was aware to take care of the new ticket and didn't have any issues over the week with ticket gate machine, but after the 7days it was starting to look tired. Probably wont purchase JR pass after price increase. Better train/trip planning required for my 7th trip to Japan. Cheers.
When I was last in Japan I used the Willer Night Buses to get around primarily- they were efficient and comfortable, and much more affordable than the Shinkansen
Even after the price hike for me and my wife the JR pass is worth it...riding JR only lines in Tokyo and taking 3 Shinkansen trips will more then pay it off for us. For those just doing the normal Kyoto route or one Shinkansen trip it might not be worth it anymore, unless you take a lot of JR lines in Tokyo. What a slap in the face for general tourism, the original JR pass was an amazing value.
I guess the economy in Japan must be doing exceptionally well if they feel they can afford to screw over tourists like that. Perhaps my 4 year old Suica card would still work, but everything considered, it's just not very tempting to go back - and that's before you take the rise of xenophobia into account. I'm just not feeling like I would be very welcome anymore.
Quite the opposite actually. Their economy is very weak right now which is why the yen has lost so much value over the past 2 years. Part of the price hike is because they think they can get away with it since the yen is so weak right now. But you're right, if Jr Pass sales do plummet, they might consider lowering the price again .
Hey, I have a question. I want to visit Japan and I want to stay at a Ryokan and visit an Onsen. But I have tattoos and I know most of them don't allow to go in there with tattoos. Do you know any Onsen that do allow that or do you know how I can find out without knowing any japanese yet? Also I wanted to ask if you know where to start with japanese when visiting Japan and what kind of words and sentences I should definitely learn to get by. Thanks for the really informative videos, they are really helpful. Greetings from Germany
When I knew that during corona period JR opened the Rail Pass to foreigner who live in Japan, I was so disappointed at myself for not knowing about it while available! Cheers! Great video!
Will it also affect the kansai thru pass and osaka amazing pass? I know they are different company from jr lines but would you know if they will also increase?
As always, amazing and insightful video, thanks Harb! I understand inflation and the need to generate more revenue, especially during a weak currency situation and a booming tourism rise; but this price hike is bonkers under the best of circumstances. Assuming you purchase a 2-week pass at the new price (around $670 at an exchange rate of 120:1), and assuming the prices for a regular round trip on shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto would cost around $250, you'd have to make this trip 3 times over for the pass to pay for itself, which in of itself translates to around 15 hours worth of precious time spent ONLY RIDING TRAINS! Unless you're planning to see as much of Japan as possible during a limited time window AND you don't mind spending almost half your time in the country just riding around instead of actually sight-seeing, then yeah, JR pass is a definitive no-go for me. Cheers!
Yea it's true that in order to make the pass worth it, you would have to spend alot more time on trains, which could overall degrade your Japan experience. We will see if they do anything if the JR Pass sales do plummet and you'll be sure to hear it from me as soon as we know!
Hi Harblife, I’m Monica and I’m going to Japan with my friend Adri in Oct, I’ll land in Haneda airport, I’m a little bit confuse about trains and sun ways, I want to ask if I can but the JR pass now on line and use it in October with the old price ? You don’t mention that in your videos. I’m planning, 3 nights Tokyo, 2 Kyoto and 1 Osaka and flight back to the states. Our hotel is in Chiyoda, you thing the JR pass is the best for us? For our week in Japan ? Can we use it also for si ways ? I’m close to station. Thank you in advance for your answer!
Yes you can get the JR pass now at the old price and redeem it when you arrive in October no problem. If you go to Kyoto and Osaka, the JR pass will be worth it.
With domestic flights, JAL offer discounted 'Japan Explorer Pass' fares to overseas tourists, which can be a good deal. I flew HND-Osaka (ITM) return last year for AUD$140, not a bad deal when checked bags are also included. When booking flights with this discount, you will need to include the PNR for your inbound flight, so you will have to book these flights after your inbound flight to Japan.
I did see this special pass for tourists, but wasn't too sure about the info which is why I didn't mention it on the video. I'll look more into it and definitely post more about it if the JR pass doesn't seem like it will imrpove at all in October!
My wife and I are going in December and will be paying $500USD for a 14-days pass which we will use to go up and down Japan so it’s still worth the $$ and cheaper than 2-weeks car rental + gas in the US.
Wouldn't cheaper JR prices and advertising low tourist hotspots encourage more people to spread out across the country instead of propagating in the three main tourist areas? Cuz it sounds to me that JR is only wanting to raise prices for their shareholders.
What would certainly help is if the pass changed to non-consecutive days, then you only use it on days where you’re gonna ride a lot of JR trains or travel long distance by JR train / Shinkansen. I really hope there is a way for us foreigners to give our feedback to the JR companies, because I fear they won’t recover the costs they think they’re gonna recover by raising the price by this much. They will likely lose customers to the airlines or the bus operators. Another thing, I hope this doesn’t stop people coming to Japan and hope this pushes them to explore other regions.
That would actually be game changing, and arguable make the pass easily worth it again. Being forced to use the pass in a limited time window can really constrain plans. But if you are given a month window to use your 7 days, that would make it so much more worth it.
@@rickirene9424 There’s a fine balance between managing tourists numbers and healthy finances and unfortunately, JR went too far here. If I were them, I’d raise the price of the nationwide pass by 30-40%, keep the regional passes at the same prices and heavily market the use of those regional passes and the lesser-travelled areas in general. By jacking up the prices of nationwide pass and even some of the regional passes so high, JR will end up losing customers to bus and airline operators. It’s totally understandable why they had to do what they did, but the execution was poor in my opinion. The only thing going for them now is the convenience of using the trains in Japan.
damn 😮 tokyo wide pass even changed the fare i plan to go to tokyo with 3 friends in early november. i still thinking of just go around tokyo with 72hrs ticket or buy tokyo wide pass to go to ibaraki or nikko or kazawa. harb, do you think it's still worth it to go 3 days to those places? do you have suggestions? we are will be on 4 days only tp explore and i never visit japan anyway those 3 friends are old ladies, they need me to create itinerary and im so confused 😢😢
I think as long as you use the shinkansen a couple times, the tokyo wide pass will well be worth it, as one round trip from any of those areas will cost about the price of the tokyo wide pass. You can also use the Tokyo wide pass for train systems in tokyo, so there's that to consider as well.
Yes, it was all bad news. Price hike but still no nozomi or mizuho access is terribad. But what worse is, for a railfans like me, its the only option to enjoy unlimited train rides😢
I paid the JR pass for the November trip yesterday. I got the green car ticket again. I did a 3 week trip in March. And going 2 time, 4 weeks now. And I think it’s pay off well. - I probably get the at the new price also, for the next trip. I’m going all over, so it is worth it. I’m flying from Sapporo to Okinawa on day 22 wen the pass expires, and flying back to Tokyo 27. So fingers crossed for 5 days with sun and 25 degrees :p (and not a fall typhoon) Staying the last days in Yokohama. Is just like max 300yen to the main station. But! If you just are one part, just have that part covered. Rute: Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka-Ehime-Hiroshima- Tokyo - Sendai - Yamagata- Sendai- Sapporo- Furano - Otaru - Sapporo -Okinawa- Tokyo. And 4 flights in total:) 🎉🤌
So i'm going to Japan in October ( 23rd) I was going to get a JR pass but now, I don't think it's worth it. So my itinerary is Osaka 3 days ( 1 day in Wakayama), Kyoto 3 days, Nagoya 3 days and Tokyo 8 days ( 1 day in Yokohama), I will definately get a IC card, but might just buy 1 day passes in each city, some places I want to visit are out about an hour out of the cities. It may be a hassle but I'm kinda on a budget and want to save where I can.
I can tell you this how I travel when I’m there it will definitely not be worth it for me. It has been in the past but not now!!!! Great Video as always!! And you know Roll Tide!!!!
I agree. Unless you go on a trip across the country, it might be hard to justify the JR pass anymore. But one thing you can justify is saying GO DAWGS!
Cheers Harb, in your next video can you find the cheapest domestic carriers and hire car companies 😅 Im doing my research now but nothing beats local knowledge.
Hi Harb, thank you for the video. i did not know about the willer bus pass and forgot about the seishun 18. will consider these options the next time i am going to tokyo.
You would be cutting it close, but I think you could get it in time. Would have to buy it like 24sep or 25sep which are like the last days to buy the pass at the cheaper price. Hope this helps!
Knowing ofthis hike, for my trip this Novmber we've switched plans to use the Hokuriku Arch Pass, which doesn't seem touched by the increase in price? Though I think it was already a little pricy to begin? Or maybe it's a newer product? With Kyoto being swarmed with tourists I think it'll turn out more economical to justdo a day trip from Kanazawa as a home base instead of staying there.
Harb, do you think you could show us some things on how to get a check if you have multiple people in your party and everyone is paying separately? Or if so on how to tell the waitress/server? I havent found much content around that type of thing. Thank you again for the amazing content!~
I am traveling to Japan at the end of December. I think I will still purchase the 7 day pass as I should get my moneys worth with that. I am planning on traveling to the Osaka, Kyoto, Sapporo, Hiroshima, and many more places.
If you book it at an agent, you get a voucher instead of the pass which you can exchange for the pass within 3 months when you're in Japan. I.e. you can buy it for the current price at the end of september and exchange it at the end of december, just make sure the dates match the "within 3 months".
The JR pass after price hike is WELL worth buying with my plans, thankfully I can grab it before the hike though as I'm going in Fall so it makes it so much cheaper to travel that way. I'm glad you and a few other tuber's have been keeping up with this whole thing cause I kept hearing people say it's just the regional going up in Oct and the nation wide pass was delayed to March '24 and it was getting confusing. Now I just need to figure out the Pasmo/Suica thing since my trip is longer than the Welcome Suica card time frame and I don't have apple for digital wallet Suica xD
For those looking to go on the Golden Route, fly into KIX (Kansai) and travel to Osaka/Kyoto/Nara locally, then take a one way shinkansen train ride to Tokyo. Saves a lot of money.
Reverse works as well! As in land in narita/haneda and then go Osaka /Kyoto before flying off from kansai.
The cost of flying into KIX and then flying out of HND or NRT could be way too expensive for some folks.
Can confirm. I'm planning to fly on reverse. From Osaka to Tokyo
@@Stellaris556 enjoy your trip!
@@Stellaris556 A few years ago, my wife and I went to HK first, and then to Seoul, from there to Fukuoka where I activated our 14-days JR Pass, and finally departed from HND to LA. Worked out great.
I think my boyfriend and I got lucky with our Japan trip. We're flying in at the end of September, so I'll be ordering the JR pass (2 weeks) right before the price hike @@. I wish the best savings for everyone planning a trip to Japan!
Great news sounds like you all got lucky! Hope you have a good time in Japan!
I got really lucky since I'm going to Japan in September so I don't have to worry about the price hike until next time I visit. Thanks for the update!
Great news ! Have fun!
I'm really looking at doing the domestic flights to go where I want, thank you for posting that information.
Thanks for the update!! It's really unfortunate that JR is promoting the use of their fastest trains as a way to smooth things over when it's clear the benefit comes with an added caveat. It's also a huge bummer that it seems all transportation will become more expensive very soon.
Weighing it all, it still really depends on how long you're in the country and how much you want to travel by train. For a two week trip that's just Tokyo and Kyoto, I would say it's not worth it. If you're like me and want to spend 3-4wks in the country, traveling the landscape and getting to places quickly, a justification can still be made for the pass.
I mentioned earlier that I would still get the pass even though it adds more time to save up; and I'll hold to that for now. I still see it as transportation expenses have been paid upfront and I've invested in my peace of mind. JR is probably banking on people like me 😂😭
Yea good analysis of the situation I agree 100 % . If the prices of shinkansen goes up as well, it could make the JR Pass much more justifiable. But we will see how it all plays out as we get closer to October. I feel like there is much more to this than just the JR Pass goign up in price. I think shinkansen prices will soon follow.
I also feel the same way about the pass - I've never been to JP before but I've bought a 3wk flight trip next year, wanting to go all around from Hokkaido -> Okinawa, even thinking about short 1-2 day trips to Busan and Taipei.
Do u have any tips? Any recommended places? I'll be solo traveling out of a backpack. I'm thinking of using night busses and sleeper trains as semi-economical "hotel" options whilst moving from place to place. Also night net cafes and capsule hotels for very cheap "hotel" static options in the central/urban part of Japan. Will definitely splurge on quality ryokans up north.
New price hikes
No more physical subway cards in Japan
Inflation....
The sky is falling down
The sky is falling down
Greetings from korea 🇰🇷 😊❤
Gonna be there this weekend 😊
It's the end of the world! Have fun man!
Man, it's exhausting trying to figure out what my best option is 🤦♂️ so many passes. My plan is to start from Tokyo, go to Nagoya, explore Gifu area few days, then to Osaka and Kyoto.
JR railpass probably isn't the smartest option for me 🤔
Depends on when you go and how much the shinkansen prices will be. If you go in October, I bet it will still be worth it!
If you’re going the likes of Takayama and Shirakawa-go, I suggest checking out the Takayama-Hokuriku Area Toruist Pass. For 19000 yen, 5 consecutive days of travel from Nagoya, through to Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa, Kyoto and finally onto Osaka. You save a little bit on fares and you have the convenience of a single ticket for everything, except for when you have to reserve seats.
I am a Japanese with schizophrenia living in Japan and I pay full fare for a long-distance ride on the JR Shinkansen bullet train. JR fare discounts are conditionally available for the physically handicapped and intellectual disabilities, but not for the mentally handicapped. In the shadow of foreign tourists being able to purchase the discounted JAPAN RAIL PASS, please do not forget that there are so many mentally handicapped Japanese who only have the option of riding the Shinkansen at the full fare. New price for JR PASS is still CHEAP.
Have a nice trip!
Thank you for sharing your perspective. I agree that even though the prices are going up, it could still be worth the money, especially if the normal shinkansen tickets go up as well. I wish you the best and stay healthy!
@@harblife thanks
Thanks for the info! I'll be going to Japan on October so I'll make use of the 90 days window of JR pass.
Great! I hope you can work it to your advantage as much as possible!
Considering the JR Pass has been basically the same price since the 80s, and inflation has seen the cost of things effectively double in countries like the US and UK, it doesn't really feel so bad. You do have to remember that the pass gives you unlimited travel within the 7, 14, or 21 day window. If people are just using it for Tokyo/Osaka return then yeah, it won't be worth it anymore, but does it really need to be?
Agree with you 100%! Japan could have done a better job dropping the news is all.
The calculator is an awesome tool, thanks for sharing. Made it clear, that even if I am going to visit in the early spring a rail pass will be a good idea. But I am planning to hop cities approximately every other night while covering a route from Kagoshima to Aomori, starting in Osaka and landing in Hiroshima or Kyoto. Since I've been to Japan before I just want to test out as many new places as possible to get a feel for where to stay the next time
that's quite the adventure and alot of traveling! I hope your plan works out ! I would say the JR pass will definitely be worth it if you plan on travelling around Japan that much.
What about overnight trains? Those could be useful if youre going a far distance (Osaka to tokyo) and you get to fully lay back and sleep. Hotel and transportation in one, and you dont lose time during the day from traveling
Can definitely be an option!
But the added options to ride Nozomi and Mizuho are subjected to a further payment.... I frankly see NO "added benefit", but JUST a price increase which will restrict a lot more the affordability of the JR Pass...
I honestly don't know whether this change will bring more money to the companies or not, given the sharp decrease of passes sold in future.... this is really a LOT MORE that a simple price re-touch....😅
Right I agree which is what I was alluding to that the added benefit was hardly an added perk. I think if the sales of the JR pass plummet enough, they might scale back the prices. We will see!
Honestly, perhaps they ought to (have) make/made two new JR Pass tiers: those upper tiers would be standard and Green Car plus Nozomi/Mizuho. Those upper tiers would cost more than even the October prices, while the price of the non-Nozomi tiers ought to have raised by less than the October prices (maybe something like 40,000 yen for 7-day standard car).
I think having a tiered system could be a good idea. However, I think there are a lot of other factors at play here like higher operating costs, trying to get less people to travel the golden route, and more.
Being cautiously optimistic with companies is pretty dumb lol. They will always try to fuck you over.
We will see what happens in October!
Will the price increases for regional passes also affect local Japanese citizens and those that remain within Japan? I would understand the need to increase tourism revenue somehow someway beyond the increased hotel taxes/fees, but wouldn't this deter local and regional travels as well, especially when the salary aren't really going to increase in a significant way?
JR passes are for tourists only
I know what you mean. I am curious how this big JR Pass change will affect the dynamic of traveling around Japan in general. Only time will tell!
So the future of high speed train travel is planes or buses. What an amazing time we live in
Haha the irony.
Dang man, this is so helpful. Thank you.
Glad I could help you!
I'm surprised the survey says only up to 12 % will still buy the rail pass😮that's lower than I would of ever thought but after a year or so I believe people coming to Japan for the first time will buy it easily as it will just be the new norm , it was bound to happen I mean how long has it been a bargain, another interesting point is the Hokkaido pass will only get a 5% increase that is telling me they want you to explore that area , but it will still cost money to fly there if course, thanks for keeping up up to date Alex
That is actually a really good point I never thought about Followthesun. New tourists might buy the pass because they didn't know how much cheaper it used to be. We will see though!
That mouth ulcer must have hurt a lot. So brave of you still putting out content.
Yea I saw that thing in the video review and I was hoping no one would notice it haha. Always happy to help out no matter what's going on!
Like always keeping us up to date with everything japan, we flew in to osaka and that is the best option to start the trip no more Jr pass then osaka it the best option to fly in to and save some cash
True ! Osaka isn't a bad place to start! I hope you come back soon so we can meet in person!
we where planing for this fall but my mom and mother in law want to go so we are planing for fall 2024, we fly in to south korea and then take the farry to fukuoka from busan then finish in tokyo, i let you know if we come back sooner @@harblife
If I’ve already bought my JRpass before the price hike and got my voucher. Do you think I’ll have to pay the difference when I swap my voucher for the pass in October?
Nope. You're good if you already ordered it. You can still order them for the old price even now.
Max it out when you get there like I do.
You're good to do!
JR Passes in their new prices are probably 90% not worth it for most itineraries. I mean sure you can go to Fukuoka to Sendai and make the money back. But will that be a wise move for a mere 7 days? Best stick now with regional passes where the price increase is not as stark vs the Japan wide pass.
Right. You need to travel much further or frequently now to make the JR Pass worth it.
Interestingly, is it eligible to buy the JR Pass in September before the price hike, but to start using it in mid-October?
Totally fine!
Hokuriku Arch Pass is the best alternative so far for the Golden Route but given the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension towards Osaka next year, the hikes are inevitable but hopefully not steep as the nationwide pass😢
We can only hope!
One thing I forgot to ask, and this is also for anyone in the comments, was there an official reason given for the price hike and the amount? Did they say they thought it would encourage people to make use of the pass BECAUSE of the cost?
They said the price hikes reflect the new ability to use the Nozomi and Mizuho trains, in addition to service improvements which have been implemented up until now (expansion of Shinkansen, pass sales and seat reservations on dedicated website, usage of automatic ticket gates). Note that to use the Nozomi and Mizuho, you need to buy a [ONLY WITH JAPAN RAIL PASS] NOZOMI MIZUHO Ticket.
They gave very vague reasons, but I think the price hike is because of higher operating costs, inflation, and higher energy prices. We will see what else comes with this as we get closer to October.
How are they going to police the add-ons for the Nozomi? More on-board ticket inspections?
I'd imagine they'll have the conductors checking that everyone is in a seat that has been booked.
How far in advance can you buy a JR Rail pass? If the price hike goes into effect Oct 1 , can I buy one now for use in December?
90 days to redeem it from the day you purchase it.
I’m leaving Tokyo today after a month and a half in Japan. Bought 2 JR Passes while I was here. Trust me when I say that using Hikari and Sakura to Fukuoka is much better. And it made sense to use it for me especially if you add commuting into the mix. But I’m definitely not buying the JR Pass next time. Probably going to take low cost carriers and rent cars next time I’m here.
My wife and I also just finished a long summer trip but we covered Sapporo/Nakafurano, Ureshino Onsen, Matsumoto and Beppu Onsen (and everything in between).
If they don't change anything about the JR pass other than the price, then I agree that using planes or cars will be much more viable.
so willer night buses would be a pretty cheap way to get around. tip as a fellow creator. dont add "subscribe" 50 times in the video xD
it was only 3 times but i nkow what you mean!
The Hokuriku Arc Pass is not among those who are going to have the price change in this October (atleast for now).
Actually a pretty big deal. That pass gets you to alot of good spots in Japan!
If you have a moment to answer my question, I have a trip to arrive in mid October for two weeks. So if I purchased the tickets in September then I can redeem them for the old price before the price hike? Or am I screwed?
Can buy them at the old price!
@@harblife I greatly appreciate you taking the time to answer my question. Thank you 😊
Despite the price hike, it's still much cheaper than not using the pass considering how many trip can be ridden.
Depending on where you plan on traveling to!
Damn!!! That was a huge jump!
A huge jump it is indeed.
Hey there so im going to Japan in March and we plan to mainly stay around Tokyo and Osaka but a few spots way outside those to, would it be a good idea to rent a car or just take a train the short trips inside tokyo and Osaka?
train will be best. Parking is insanely expensive and hard to find in big cities and driving can easily take as much time as just taking the train because of traffic.
The price is hiking when you buy in October, right? So when I buy these now for October it would work out right?
Yes if you buy within the 90 day window shouldn't be a problem!
Yeah not worth it bro. Thank you so much mate
For sure man thanks for sharing your thoughts as always!
If you’re travel itinerary is going from Tokyo- Hakone- Kyoto then back to Tokyo in October, is it worth it to buy jr pass?
If you buy the pass before the price increase, most likely yes. If not, I doubt it .
Also I think I would like to try Willer Bus or Kippu pass now , that could so be a whole video on its own 😅 so cheap 🇯🇵
Yea I am thinking about it for sure! We could do a bus ride together! haha!
Damnn didn't think they'll hike it up that much 😢
Yea it's unfortunate :(. They might scale it back when the sales plummet, but we will see.
Unless youre going to fukuoka all the way to hokkaido the jr pass wasnt worth it even before the hike... Are they increasing the single ticket prices?
That is the real question. We will have to see if they increase shinkansen prices as well.
I would probably go for the Nozoimi with the added fee just to say I did it once. After that, ehhhh
Yea but then having to pay for the expensive JR Pass . Hope you can get your money's worth!
I'm so glad my trip is in August, so I don't have to deal with this BS.
Lucky! Have fun!
The fact that they are hiking the price and just hoping everyone just goes with it, it's such a Japanese way to think lol
Yea we will see if sales plummet or not when the price hike happens!
And of course car rental...
Sure, but the highway tolls are expensive and something that really only exists in Japan.
@@harblife Yes, tolls are expensive (although I think many countries have tolls, some more expensive than Japan). But rental cars (incl. tolls) become more viable when shared between multiple people.
I’m going before October button
Lucky! Have fun!
First time travelling to Japan in Mid October with my brother. Great to hear that we will see the prices rise after decade right when we finally decided to travel there!
I travelled to Japan for the first time in 2006 for a 'once in a life-time trip' with my late mother before she passed.
Going again in September for the 16th time! - be careful you might get hooked on the place.
My advice - bite the bullet, pay the money, you will enjoy every waking second...
If you buy your JR pass now from a travel agency or something of that sort, you should be able to lock in the current JR pass price rate so it's ok.
@@EdwardCletusKasidy thanks buddy, I'll see what can I do.
@@diamonddave2622 I will definitely :)
You can still get the pass at the cheaper price if you buy the ticket now! you can redeem it up to 90 days after purchasing it!
🇯🇵🇯🇵🇯🇵
JR Pass is dead to me
:(
Went to Japan 2016 and 2017, the JR pass issued was big and in the plastic cover. Came back (now) to Japan, the JR pass issued is like a subway ticket! So easy to lose AND deteriorate after a week of use.
I have heard alot of people's tickets tearing in the machine after day 1. Then they have to show the station staff which defeats the whole purpose!
I was aware to take care of the new ticket and didn't have any issues over the week with ticket gate machine, but after the 7days it was starting to look tired. Probably wont purchase JR pass after price increase. Better train/trip planning required for my 7th trip to Japan. Cheers.
When I was last in Japan I used the Willer Night Buses to get around primarily- they were efficient and comfortable, and much more affordable than the Shinkansen
Yea i'll be trying them out myself in the near future.
Even after the price hike for me and my wife the JR pass is worth it...riding JR only lines in Tokyo and taking 3 Shinkansen trips will more then pay it off for us. For those just doing the normal Kyoto route or one Shinkansen trip it might not be worth it anymore, unless you take a lot of JR lines in Tokyo. What a slap in the face for general tourism, the original JR pass was an amazing value.
I hope you enjoy japan with your JR Pass!
I guess the economy in Japan must be doing exceptionally well if they feel they can afford to screw over tourists like that. Perhaps my 4 year old Suica card would still work, but everything considered, it's just not very tempting to go back - and that's before you take the rise of xenophobia into account. I'm just not feeling like I would be very welcome anymore.
Quite the opposite actually. Their economy is very weak right now which is why the yen has lost so much value over the past 2 years. Part of the price hike is because they think they can get away with it since the yen is so weak right now. But you're right, if Jr Pass sales do plummet, they might consider lowering the price again .
Oh my gosh, good thing I’m going to Japan before this whole fiasco.
We will have to see how it all plays out!
Hey, I have a question.
I want to visit Japan and I want to stay at a Ryokan and visit an Onsen. But I have tattoos and I know most of them don't allow to go in there with tattoos. Do you know any Onsen that do allow that or do you know how I can find out without knowing any japanese yet?
Also I wanted to ask if you know where to start with japanese when visiting Japan and what kind of words and sentences I should definitely learn to get by.
Thanks for the really informative videos, they are really helpful.
Greetings from Germany
You will need to buy a room with a private onsen if you have tattoos. It might be too risky to try and use the public bath.
When I knew that during corona period JR opened the Rail Pass to foreigner who live in Japan, I was so disappointed at myself for not knowing about it while available! Cheers! Great video!
Thanks so much for the kind words! Best of luck on your channel good sir!
Will it also affect the kansai thru pass and osaka amazing pass? I know they are different company from jr lines but would you know if they will also increase?
I didn't see anything about those passes getting altered. Maybe a slight pay bump but I didn't see any updates
As always, amazing and insightful video, thanks Harb!
I understand inflation and the need to generate more revenue, especially during a weak currency situation and a booming tourism rise; but this price hike is bonkers under the best of circumstances.
Assuming you purchase a 2-week pass at the new price (around $670 at an exchange rate of 120:1), and assuming the prices for a regular round trip on shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto would cost around $250, you'd have to make this trip 3 times over for the pass to pay for itself, which in of itself translates to around 15 hours worth of precious time spent ONLY RIDING TRAINS!
Unless you're planning to see as much of Japan as possible during a limited time window AND you don't mind spending almost half your time in the country just riding around instead of actually sight-seeing, then yeah, JR pass is a definitive no-go for me.
Cheers!
Yea it's true that in order to make the pass worth it, you would have to spend alot more time on trains, which could overall degrade your Japan experience. We will see if they do anything if the JR Pass sales do plummet and you'll be sure to hear it from me as soon as we know!
what if i buy the pass now and wait to activate it after the price increase, lets say May 2024. Is it still valid?
Nope that is outside the 90 day window
I’m going to miss the sieshun 18 kippu tickets by 2 days 😭
Dang sorry to hear that!
Hi Harblife, I’m Monica and I’m going to Japan with my friend Adri in Oct, I’ll land in Haneda airport, I’m a little bit confuse about trains and sun ways, I want to ask if I can but the JR pass now on line and use it in October with the old price ?
You don’t mention that in your videos.
I’m planning, 3 nights Tokyo, 2 Kyoto and 1 Osaka and flight back to the states.
Our hotel is in Chiyoda, you thing the JR pass is the best for us? For our week in Japan ?
Can we use it also for si ways ?
I’m close to station.
Thank you in advance for your answer!
Yes you can get the JR pass now at the old price and redeem it when you arrive in October no problem.
If you go to Kyoto and Osaka, the JR pass will be worth it.
Thank you, I bought it and I already have it. I live in Las Vegas
Thank you very much !
With domestic flights, JAL offer discounted 'Japan Explorer Pass' fares to overseas tourists, which can be a good deal. I flew HND-Osaka (ITM) return last year for AUD$140, not a bad deal when checked bags are also included. When booking flights with this discount, you will need to include the PNR for your inbound flight, so you will have to book these flights after your inbound flight to Japan.
I did see this special pass for tourists, but wasn't too sure about the info which is why I didn't mention it on the video. I'll look more into it and definitely post more about it if the JR pass doesn't seem like it will imrpove at all in October!
So if i buy a pass at the cheaper rate before the hike, will i be able to access the nozumi line (even if the extra fee)?
Nope won't be able to use the Mizuho line.
Please help we are going to Tokyo 6 days and only one day to Osaka and coming back how do I get to Osaka quickly and efficiently
My wife and I are going in December and will be paying $500USD for a 14-days pass which we will use to go up and down Japan so it’s still worth the $$ and cheaper than 2-weeks car rental + gas in the US.
Wouldn't cheaper JR prices and advertising low tourist hotspots encourage more people to spread out across the country instead of propagating in the three main tourist areas?
Cuz it sounds to me that JR is only wanting to raise prices for their shareholders.
What would certainly help is if the pass changed to non-consecutive days, then you only use it on days where you’re gonna ride a lot of JR trains or travel long distance by JR train / Shinkansen. I really hope there is a way for us foreigners to give our feedback to the JR companies, because I fear they won’t recover the costs they think they’re gonna recover by raising the price by this much. They will likely lose customers to the airlines or the bus operators. Another thing, I hope this doesn’t stop people coming to Japan and hope this pushes them to explore other regions.
That would actually be game changing, and arguable make the pass easily worth it again. Being forced to use the pass in a limited time window can really constrain plans. But if you are given a month window to use your 7 days, that would make it so much more worth it.
I heard that the reason for the increase was due to too many tourists packing in on the trains. This price hike was designed to reduce the numbers!
@@rickirene9424 There’s a fine balance between managing tourists numbers and healthy finances and unfortunately, JR went too far here. If I were them, I’d raise the price of the nationwide pass by 30-40%, keep the regional passes at the same prices and heavily market the use of those regional passes and the lesser-travelled areas in general. By jacking up the prices of nationwide pass and even some of the regional passes so high, JR will end up losing customers to bus and airline operators. It’s totally understandable why they had to do what they did, but the execution was poor in my opinion. The only thing going for them now is the convenience of using the trains in Japan.
damn 😮
tokyo wide pass even changed the fare
i plan to go to tokyo with 3 friends in early november. i still thinking of just go around tokyo with 72hrs ticket
or buy tokyo wide pass to go to ibaraki or nikko or kazawa.
harb, do you think it's still worth it to go 3 days to those places?
do you have suggestions? we are will be on 4 days only tp explore and i never visit japan anyway
those 3 friends are old ladies, they need me to create itinerary and im so confused 😢😢
I think as long as you use the shinkansen a couple times, the tokyo wide pass will well be worth it, as one round trip from any of those areas will cost about the price of the tokyo wide pass. You can also use the Tokyo wide pass for train systems in tokyo, so there's that to consider as well.
Yes, it was all bad news. Price hike but still no nozomi or mizuho access is terribad.
But what worse is, for a railfans like me, its the only option to enjoy unlimited train rides😢
Yea the fact they will make you pay extra for those almost seems like an insult.
I paid the JR pass for the November trip yesterday. I got the green car ticket again. I did a 3 week trip in March. And going 2 time, 4 weeks now. And I think it’s pay off well. - I probably get the at the new price also, for the next trip. I’m going all over, so it is worth it. I’m flying from Sapporo to Okinawa on day 22 wen the pass expires, and flying back to Tokyo 27. So fingers crossed for 5 days with sun and 25 degrees :p (and not a fall typhoon) Staying the last days in Yokohama. Is just like max 300yen to the main station.
But! If you just are one part, just have that part covered.
Rute: Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka-Ehime-Hiroshima- Tokyo - Sendai - Yamagata- Sendai- Sapporo- Furano - Otaru - Sapporo -Okinawa- Tokyo. And 4 flights in total:) 🎉🤌
My wife and I were there in April and July and had a 14-days pass both times and will be going next April. The average of all 3 is still "worth" it.
@@nateshf9303 definitely 👍
The background music is distracting for someone trying to listen to the dialogue.
Sorry! I'll try to turn it down a bit in the future!
Thanks for the update 👍🏻
Thank you for always supporting me!
Moneygrabbing JR Pass.
Seems that way!
Thanks, you’re the best!
Thank you for such kind words! :)
Always appreciate these as I intend to purchase the pass either way just for the convenience.
Great!
So i'm going to Japan in October ( 23rd) I was going to get a JR pass but now, I don't think it's worth it. So my itinerary is Osaka 3 days ( 1 day in Wakayama), Kyoto 3 days, Nagoya 3 days and Tokyo 8 days ( 1 day in Yokohama), I will definately get a IC card, but might just buy 1 day passes in each city, some places I want to visit are out about an hour out of the cities. It may be a hassle but I'm kinda on a budget and want to save where I can.
Can still get the JR Pass for the old price if you order it by September!
Omg! I went to Japan before the pandemic and I am going next February, I was so confused but I am understanding more thanks to your videos! 😁
Glad I could help you out! Please keep following for more updates as you prepare for your trip! :)
I can tell you this how I travel when I’m there it will definitely not be worth it for me. It has been in the past but not now!!!! Great Video as always!! And you know Roll Tide!!!!
I agree. Unless you go on a trip across the country, it might be hard to justify the JR pass anymore. But one thing you can justify is saying GO DAWGS!
Cheers Harb, in your next video can you find the cheapest domestic carriers and hire car companies 😅
Im doing my research now but nothing beats local knowledge.
Interesting. Might be a good video. I'll keep that in mind as we get closer to October!
Hi Harb,
thank you for the video. i did not know about the willer bus pass and forgot about the seishun 18. will consider these options the next time i am going to tokyo.
Great! I am glad I could help you find some new options to navigate Japan!
Thank you for the bus tickets part!!
Did you ever heard of luxury night bus , they have private seats , what you think about that?
No problem! I have never tried it, but I think it could be worth it! I might try it in the future and let you know how it goes!
Going in october 1st till 31th,its either paying alot for a ride trough Japan and Tokyo or walking trough Tokyo without using the subway
Walking is the best way to see Tokyo.
I flew peach to and from hokkaido.
Peach is a pretty good airline to hop around Japan quickly!
If my trip is in October, will the pass still be good if I purchase the JRPass before October?
You can redeem the pass up to 90days from purchase. So, if you buy the pass now, you can redeem it by October!
"Worthiness" is subjective. What I get with the JR pass is more than just a train ride from point A to Z.
As long as you find it useful and worth the money, it isn't worthless!
i have trip to japan from 23dec to 6 jan, do i have to get increased price JR pass or is there any way to save money??
You would be cutting it close, but I think you could get it in time. Would have to buy it like 24sep or 25sep which are like the last days to buy the pass at the cheaper price. Hope this helps!
Peach air is looking better all the time .. and I hate flying
Yea unforunately it looks like that will be the best way to travel around Japan soon :(
Knowing ofthis hike, for my trip this Novmber we've switched plans to use the Hokuriku Arch Pass, which doesn't seem touched by the increase in price? Though I think it was already a little pricy to begin? Or maybe it's a newer product? With Kyoto being swarmed with tourists I think it'll turn out more economical to justdo a day trip from Kanazawa as a home base instead of staying there.
ya kyoto tokyo and osaka are just crammed with tourists . Kanazawa would be a nice place to visit for sure!
@@harblife we'll stop in Nagano and go visit Matsumoto Castle while on the way! And then Bessho Onsen on the way back to Tokyo!
So glad my trip is in November-December!
Lucky for you!
Harb, do you think you could show us some things on how to get a check if you have multiple people in your party and everyone is paying separately? Or if so on how to tell the waitress/server? I havent found much content around that type of thing. Thank you again for the amazing content!~
Tell the server "Okaikei wa betsubetsu de onegaishimasu" or "okaikei wa betsubetsu ni shiharaitai desu."
Interesting. Might be a good idea for a future video! Thanks and I'll let you know if I actually follow up on thi soon!
@@harblife Thank you!
I was told to get a JRPass for my trip. I'm arriving September 16 and departing September 30, so what would be the best option for only 2 weeks?
probably a 7 or 14 day pass depending on how much you plan on using the shinkansen
@@harblife I guess I mean more specifically, should I get a Shinkasen pass or a pass for just the local commuter trains instead?
JR Pass is ruined.
Hopefully not! We will see if anything else changes with the pass as we get closer to October!
I am traveling to Japan at the end of December. I think I will still purchase the 7 day pass as I should get my moneys worth with that. I am planning on traveling to the Osaka, Kyoto, Sapporo, Hiroshima, and many more places.
If you book it at an agent, you get a voucher instead of the pass which you can exchange for the pass within 3 months when you're in Japan. I.e. you can buy it for the current price at the end of september and exchange it at the end of december, just make sure the dates match the "within 3 months".
As someone else already said, you can get a 90 window to redeem the pass if you get it through a vendor. Hope that helps!
Thanks for your help.
I will book it on the 26 of September.
The JR pass after price hike is WELL worth buying with my plans, thankfully I can grab it before the hike though as I'm going in Fall so it makes it so much cheaper to travel that way. I'm glad you and a few other tuber's have been keeping up with this whole thing cause I kept hearing people say it's just the regional going up in Oct and the nation wide pass was delayed to March '24 and it was getting confusing. Now I just need to figure out the Pasmo/Suica thing since my trip is longer than the Welcome Suica card time frame and I don't have apple for digital wallet Suica xD
Buy an IC card from any region other than JR East. They are still available and will work anywhere.
I am releasing a video in a couple days to help tackle the newest drama with the Suica and Pasmo cards!
There was heaps of Peach Air when we flew into KIX this week. Not great to be promoting such a poor environment option as flying with the increase
Some people might not have the money to afford the greener options of travel unfortunately.