Who is eligible to use this pass?

The pass is exclusively for non-Japanese citizens visiting Japan. You must present a valid foreign passport when collecting your pass at the exchange point.

Do I need to reserve seats in advance, or can I just board?

For unreserved carriages you can board freely. If you want a reserved seat on an express train, visit a green ticket-vending machine beforehand to collect a free reserved seat ticket using your area pass.

Can I use this pass to travel to Tokyo?

No. The Hokuriku Shinkansen (Joetsu-Myoko to Tokyo), Tokaido Shinkansen (Shin-Osaka to Tokyo) and Sanyo Shinkansen (Okayama to Hakata) are all excluded from this pass.

Are there any lines near Kanazawa or Toyama where the pass has restrictions?

The pass is not valid on the IR Ishikawa Railway or Ainokaze Toyama Railway standard services. As a special exception, it can be used on the Himi, Johana or Nanao lines provided you do not alight at IR Ishikawa Railway or Ainokaze Toyama Railway stations. Limited express trains are permitted on the IR Ishikawa Railway between Kanazawa and Tsubata.

My child is three years old — do I need to pay for them?

Children under five travel free. Each paying adult may bring up to two children under five at no extra charge.

Do I need to print my voucher?

A digital voucher on your phone is sufficient to present at the exchange point, though carrying a printed copy is always a safe backup when travelling in areas with limited connectivity.

JR Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass

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Duration

7 days

Cancellation

Free cancellation 24hrs

Ticket type

Mobile ticket

Confirmation

Instant

What's included

Unlimited rides on JR local trains within the designated Kansai and Hokuriku network for 7 consecutive days

JR express trains within the covered area

Local buses within the designated zones

Not included

Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train (between Joetsu-Myoko and Tokyo)

Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train (between Shin-Osaka and Tokyo)

Sanyo Shinkansen bullet train (between Okayama and Hakata)

The Special Rapid 'A Seat' paid seating service

IR Ishikawa Railway and Ainokaze Toyama Railway (standard services)

Ainokaze Liner rapid service liner fare (charged separately even with the pass)

Meeting point

Osaka, Japan (and other major JR stations in the covered area)

1Present your passport and booking voucher at a JR ticket office or designated exchange point to collect your physical pass. Before boarding trains with reserved seating, use the green ticket-vending machines to collect a physical reserved seat ticket at no extra cost.

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Know before you go

Passport verification is mandatory at ticket collection — your pass will not be issued without it.

The pass covers 7 consecutive calendar days from first use; plan your start date carefully.

Reserved seat tickets for eligible trains must be collected from green ticket-vending machines before boarding — they are free but not automatic.

The Ainokaze Liner rapid service requires a separate liner fare even when using the pass.

The pass cannot be used on the IR Ishikawa Railway or Ainokaze Toyama Railway for standard journeys — check your route before travelling.

This pass is not available to Japanese citizens or foreign residents with a Japanese address.

JR Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass

JR Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass

What's included

Meeting point

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Highlights

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