Hi, I have bought Hokuriku Pass and just wondering how can we reserve seats online? The websites direct me to book at a ticket machine but when I arrive in Tokyo, it will be 2 days before I take the Hokuriku Shinkansen and I think it’ll be too late by then to book reserved seats..
Thank you so much for your support and message! It's not a big change for the most of the travelers, but I hope I could explain what's going on. I like trains so I enjoy making updates. :)
Great roundup of all the changes! The trend towards all reserved seats on limited expresses seems to be speeding up. I think JR Hokkaido has done or will do that with all their expresses too. I expect the Hokiriku Arch Pass will get a 30-50% hike since the JR East passes went up by like 50% this year. Right now it's a bargain still.
Thank you! Oh wow, 30-50%. I was wondering as JR West and JR East seem to have different strategy seeing the price hike of regional passes. It seems Klook sells until the end of March for now. And yes, it seems like a trend to finish non-reserved seats. I guess it's much easier for conductors to check seats with tablet if reserved seats and also increase profit. I'm relieved they don't finish Sunrise Seto/Izumo yet. :)
@@tokyokenchan Since it's a pass that covers both East and West areas maybe it will be on the low side of price rises, so let's see. Yeah, I managed to take the Sunrise this year but definitely anyone else reading, take it while you can, it's awesome. Have an awesome 2024, keep making the videos!
@@japanunravelled Oh great! I took Izumo a while ago so I'd like to try Seto hopefully next year. I hope you keep making informative videos too. I wish you and your family the wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year!
Thank you Ryuga san! Probably the biggest change is for Thunderbird between Kyoto and Kanzawa, that you have to make one transfer after March 16. Sapporo Shinkansen will be opening in 2030 or later, but it might get late. I hope it will open soon!
I'll keep them in mind since my friend and I will land in Japan on January 4, hopefully the pasmo passport will still be available (I'm so happy my visa application got approved, it'll be 15 days worth of fun and adventure)
@@tokyokenchan Thank you so much. We will be going there in a couple of weeks since we booked alot of attractions and activities. It's actually been our dreams to visit Japan since college, what started out as a dream 5 years ago will soon be a reality and I cannot thank you enough for all the help you have given me with your channel. I am truly grateful.
How hard is it to make a visa application for japan? You talk like if you can really be rejected, how does it work? I'm sorry i'm french (one of the best passport of the world) and i kinda wanna realise how lucky i am. No trying to be dissrespectfull in any way but i guess i need to open my eye a little be when i can. PS: Enjoy your dream in Japan! i return in japan in february for the second time (it was my dream too, i went this year in march 2023 ) so i kinda know how you feel.
@@Eldiran1 It's not that hard especially since my country is eligible for the e-visa application but back then we had to rely on travel agencies to do it and it could sometimes get rejected because of a misspelling or other clerical errors, it does happen sometimes and when it does, you can't apply for another 6 months or from what the embassy website says.
Thank you for your useful uptakes. Would you mind to provide the link for the schedule of thundebrid train ? I can't find it at JR west website. Thank you
Hello, thank you for watching. I also couldn't find it in English. It might be better to find the train for your specific date and itinerary. world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/?sub_lang=nosub
Hello Kenchan! Very useful video, thank you. An open question for both you and your followers: do you have encountered problems while registering a credit card for Smart Ex? I was updating my credit card and I am unable to do so. I created my account more or less 10 months ago and it was perfectly fine, now I'm using the same VISA card (it was expired some months ago, that's why I need to do the update) Thank you very much to whoever will respond!😊
This year is very warm for winter, but usually high 10-15 degree and lowest -1 ~ -5 degree celcius or so. It's better to dress warm, but the weather in Tokyo is durable. :)
Hello Kengo! We will be going to Japan mid-May. Landing in Haneda, quite late at 23:00 in the evening on a weekday. Until what time are the trains to Tokyo operational? And could it be a problem checking into a hotel at night? 教えてくれてありがとうございます。今までの動画は、全部面白かったです！
Thank you for watching! Most of the trains finish before midnight, so you might be able to catch the last train, but depends on where you get your hotel that night, it might be difficult to get there before trains stop. Not sure how long it takes for immigration, but either take the night bus or get a hotel near the airport might give you peace of mind during your flight.
So in essence, we have to speed up if we want to explore the countryside. Because they are private company, they have to make money, they can't keep station where noone go because it cost too much. I didn't think Japan where closing railway.It's sad but i hope i can visited where i wanted to go before it's too late.
Yes. I think that’s better. Since year 2000, 1,193km of local lines have disappeared. The longest one terminated recently was 116km of Hidaka line in 2021. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidaka_Main_Line
So sad to see many local train station are going to closed because of the population in local has decreased , I wonder how these small number Japanese left in these villages will travel from now if no train , this will made them leave , soon no one left and becomes ghosts villages .
Hello, I booked a last minute trip to Tokyo and the train information is confusing. I leave the US in a week. From what I understand it’s too late to purchase a JR pass. What is the easiest way to get from Narita Airport to Kyoto? Thank you!
Hi. The easiest way is to take Narita Express or TYO-NRT bus (budget) to Tokyo station, and take Tokaido Shinkansen. You can still purchase JR pass online from the official website, but depends on the itinerary it’s cheaper just to purchase tickets. Hope you have a great time in Japan. :)
Thanks for this useful update Kengo-san! I'm pleased to see the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension finally go into operation. NHK had an interesting video on the opening of the extension here: th-cam.com/video/8YlwfWFYlrU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=ryglNDhehz2ookBv Sad to hear about the station closures, but not super surprising. One of my favourite things on my Shikoku visit was taking some of the local lines out into the country, however it seemed that they were very quiet apart from when the children were going to and from school. With regard to the trend of Limited Express services requiring pre-booked tickets I can see the value in this for both local travellers and tourists. You can guarantee a seat and know the trains won't be overcrowded and it's relatively easy to book a ticket using the machines at the station in just a moment or two. Thanks again for keeping us up to date.
Hi Kenchan Can i purchase JR tickets at station if I'm going from tokyo to kyoto tjen kyoto to osaka? Its gonna be one way only. Am arriving in Haneda and leaving in osaka Thanks am relying on your answer because im torn between getting a pass or buying it at the station since am not returning to tokyo
Hi, Yes. You can purchase the ticket at Tokyo station or ticket counters. You can purchase on EX site too, which I explained in another video. Actually my next video is about Shinkansen ticket.
Hi Ken, is it true that the Japanese government is changing the yen cash notes and all old notes cannot be used after that? I heard rumors that they are changing around July 2024. Just wanted to know if this is true. Thanks Ken!
Hi. New Yen bills are coming out next year, but you can still use current cash notes. Gradually it will change to new notes. You can still use the old one and the current one.
The price of Hokuriku Arch pass will change to 30,000 yen from March 16, 2024 (current price 24,500 Yen. )
Hi, I have bought Hokuriku Pass and just wondering how can we reserve seats online? The websites direct me to book at a ticket machine but when I arrive in Tokyo, it will be 2 days before I take the Hokuriku Shinkansen and I think it’ll be too late by then to book reserved seats..
Hi. Where did you purchase the pass?@@trippasnippa5690
Hi, I bought it from Klook
You cannot make reservation online if you purchase from Klook. You can make reservation after you arrive in Japan. @@trippasnippa5690
I see, if I buy the Hokuriku Pass from JR West, will I be able to reserve seats online?
Important update for independent travelers! Thank you for your timely updates that could affect travel plans.
Thank you so much for your support and message! It's not a big change for the most of the travelers, but I hope I could explain what's going on. I like trains so I enjoy making updates. :)
Love your videos, we arrived in Tokyo on Saturday and thanks to your videos we’ve had a hassle free trip so far.
Thank you so much. I hope you stay warm and enjoy your travel in Tokyo.:)
Thank you for the updates. Keep up a good work
Great roundup of all the changes! The trend towards all reserved seats on limited expresses seems to be speeding up. I think JR Hokkaido has done or will do that with all their expresses too. I expect the Hokiriku Arch Pass will get a 30-50% hike since the JR East passes went up by like 50% this year. Right now it's a bargain still.
Thank you! Oh wow, 30-50%. I was wondering as JR West and JR East seem to have different strategy seeing the price hike of regional passes. It seems Klook sells until the end of March for now. And yes, it seems like a trend to finish non-reserved seats. I guess it's much easier for conductors to check seats with tablet if reserved seats and also increase profit. I'm relieved they don't finish Sunrise Seto/Izumo yet. :)
@@tokyokenchan Since it's a pass that covers both East and West areas maybe it will be on the low side of price rises, so let's see. Yeah, I managed to take the Sunrise this year but definitely anyone else reading, take it while you can, it's awesome. Have an awesome 2024, keep making the videos!
@@japanunravelled Oh great! I took Izumo a while ago so I'd like to try Seto hopefully next year. I hope you keep making informative videos too. I wish you and your family the wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year!
When do you think it will go up in price, looking to get the pass for start of April.
Extremely useful precise information. Thank you very much!
Thanks so much for the update on the train situation.
Thank you for your video
Kengo-San, thank you for keeping us all updated! It’s a big help!!🙋🏻♂️
Thank you so much!
Thank you! Very helpful news about the Suica card
Thank you! I hope you can get Suica in Tokyo.
Merry Christmas my friend Kengo san!! 🎄🎄🎄
Merry Christmas Bryan san!🎄I wish you and your family the best Chrismas days and a Happy New Year! 🎊
Great video man!
Thank you!
Thanks Kenchan. That is a lot of changes to think about!
Do you know when the Sapporo shinkansen station will be available?
Thank you Ryuga san! Probably the biggest change is for Thunderbird between Kyoto and Kanzawa, that you have to make one transfer after March 16. Sapporo Shinkansen will be opening in 2030 or later, but it might get late. I hope it will open soon!
I'll keep them in mind since my friend and I will land in Japan on January 4, hopefully the pasmo passport will still be available (I'm so happy my visa application got approved, it'll be 15 days worth of fun and adventure)
I think Pasmo Passport will be still available. Congratulations on your Visa! Somehow I thought you visited Japan already. :)
@@tokyokenchan Thank you so much. We will be going there in a couple of weeks since we booked alot of attractions and activities. It's actually been our dreams to visit Japan since college, what started out as a dream 5 years ago will soon be a reality and I cannot thank you enough for all the help you have given me with your channel. I am truly grateful.
How hard is it to make a visa application for japan?
You talk like if you can really be rejected, how does it work?
I'm sorry i'm french (one of the best passport of the world) and i kinda wanna realise how lucky i am. No trying to be dissrespectfull in any way but i guess i need to open my eye a little be when i can.
PS: Enjoy your dream in Japan! i return in japan in february for the second time (it was my dream too, i went this year in march 2023 ) so i kinda know how you feel.
@@Eldiran1 It's not that hard especially since my country is eligible for the e-visa application but back then we had to rely on travel agencies to do it and it could sometimes get rejected because of a misspelling or other clerical errors, it does happen sometimes and when it does, you can't apply for another 6 months or from what the embassy website says.
Thanks for this video. I would love to see more of the countryside next time I'm in Japan. Do you have any tips for hiring a car to travel around?
Wath a coincidence
Me and a friend are going first time to Japan and arrive on March 16
Oh great! The day Hokuriku Shinkansen extends. :)
Thank you for your useful uptakes. Would you mind to provide the link for the schedule of thundebrid train ? I can't find it at JR west website. Thank you
Hello, thank you for watching. I also couldn't find it in English. It might be better to find the train for your specific date and itinerary. world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/?sub_lang=nosub
Hello Kenchan! Very useful video, thank you. An open question for both you and your followers: do you have encountered problems while registering a credit card for Smart Ex? I was updating my credit card and I am unable to do so. I created my account more or less 10 months ago and it was perfectly fine, now I'm using the same VISA card (it was expired some months ago, that's why I need to do the update)
Thank you very much to whoever will respond!😊
Thanks for the information, Ken...By the way, do you have any idea regarding on the weather in Tokyo on the month of January? how cold it is...Thanks
This year is very warm for winter, but usually high 10-15 degree and lowest -1 ~ -5 degree celcius or so. It's better to dress warm, but the weather in Tokyo is durable. :)
@@tokyokenchan Thanks again for the information...
Hello Kengo! We will be going to Japan mid-May. Landing in Haneda, quite late at 23:00 in the evening on a weekday. Until what time are the trains to Tokyo operational? And could it be a problem checking into a hotel at night?
教えてくれてありがとうございます。今までの動画は、全部面白かったです！
Thank you for watching! Most of the trains finish before midnight, so you might be able to catch the last train, but depends on where you get your hotel that night, it might be difficult to get there before trains stop. Not sure how long it takes for immigration, but either take the night bus or get a hotel near the airport might give you peace of mind during your flight.
So in essence, we have to speed up if we want to explore the countryside. Because they are private company, they have to make money, they can't keep station where noone go because it cost too much.
I didn't think Japan where closing railway.It's sad but i hope i can visited where i wanted to go before it's too late.
Yes. I think that’s better. Since year 2000, 1,193km of local lines have disappeared. The longest one terminated recently was 116km of Hidaka line in 2021. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidaka_Main_Line
So sad to see many local train station are going to closed because of the population in local has decreased , I wonder how these small number Japanese left in these villages will travel from now if no train , this will made them leave , soon no one left and becomes ghosts villages .
Exactly that's the problem now. They used to replace the route by bus, but now Japan is facing severe shortage of bus drivers...
Hello, I booked a last minute trip to Tokyo and the train information is confusing. I leave the US in a week. From what I understand it’s too late to purchase a JR pass. What is the easiest way to get from Narita Airport to Kyoto? Thank you!
Hi. The easiest way is to take Narita Express or TYO-NRT bus (budget) to Tokyo station, and take Tokaido Shinkansen. You can still purchase JR pass online from the official website, but depends on the itinerary it’s cheaper just to purchase tickets. Hope you have a great time in Japan. :)
Thanks for this useful update Kengo-san! I'm pleased to see the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension finally go into operation.
NHK had an interesting video on the opening of the extension here:
th-cam.com/video/8YlwfWFYlrU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=ryglNDhehz2ookBv
Sad to hear about the station closures, but not super surprising. One of my favourite things on my Shikoku visit was taking some of the local lines out into the country, however it seemed that they were very quiet apart from when the children were going to and from school.
With regard to the trend of Limited Express services requiring pre-booked tickets I can see the value in this for both local travellers and tourists. You can guarantee a seat and know the trains won't be overcrowded and it's relatively easy to book a ticket using the machines at the station in just a moment or two.
Thanks again for keeping us up to date.
Hi Kenchan
Can i purchase JR tickets at station if I'm going from tokyo to kyoto tjen kyoto to osaka? Its gonna be one way only. Am arriving in Haneda and leaving in osaka
Thanks am relying on your answer because im torn between getting a pass or buying it at the station since am not returning to tokyo
Hi, Yes. You can purchase the ticket at Tokyo station or ticket counters. You can purchase on EX site too, which I explained in another video. Actually my next video is about Shinkansen ticket.
Many thanks, looking forward to watching your next video upload@@tokyokenchan
Hi Ken, is it true that the Japanese government is changing the yen cash notes and all old notes cannot be used after that? I heard rumors that they are changing around July 2024. Just wanted to know if this is true. Thanks Ken!
Hi. New Yen bills are coming out next year, but you can still use current cash notes. Gradually it will change to new notes. You can still use the old one and the current one.