JR East Pass Guide: Explore Eastern Japan

Mark Wilshin

Published: Aug 3, 2026

Updated: Sep 2, 2026

JR East Pass Guide: Explore Eastern Japan

Like most bullet trains in Japan, the Tohoku Shinkansen pulls out of Tokyo Station quietly and efficiently – preceded by a formal salute from the driver. Within minutes, you’ll soon see Tokyo’s glass towers give way to rice paddies and cedar forests, and eventually to the snow-capped peaks of the Tohoku region – rugged, remote, and almost entirely untouched. This is the rail corridor the JR East pass was designed for.

With the nationwide JR Pass having risen by nearly 70% in 2023, regional passes like the JR East Pass have become the smart alternative for travellers who know where they're headed. And with services all the way through Tohoku to southern Hokkaido via the Hokkaido Shinkansen, JR East covers a vast network stretching north and east from Tokyo. In this guide, we compare JR East pass prices and coverage maps for every pass available, and walk you through step by step how to buy a JR East pass.

JR East Pass Coverage and Map

The JR East network fans out from Tokyo across eastern and northern Honshu, connecting the city to a vast sweep of Japan that runs from the Japanese Alps in the west to the Pacific coast in the east, and all the way north through Tohoku to southern Hokkaido.

The Tohoku Shinkansen forms the backbone of the northern corridor, with Hayabusa services running the full arc from Tokyo through Sendai, Morioka, and Aomori, continuing through the Seikan Tunnel via the Hokkaido Shinkansen to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto, while branch lines extend the reach further, with the Yamagata and Akita Shinkansen lines splitting off into their respective mountain valleys. The JR Nikko Line meanwhile puts the gilded shrine precincts of Nikko, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, within just 90 minutes of Tokyo.

The network also reaches southwest along a distinct arc. The Hokuriku Arch Pass follows the Hokuriku Shinkansen through Nagano and into JR West territory, connecting through to Osaka and Kyoto. En route, Karuizawa offers a cool retreat from Tokyo's summer heat, while Nagano is the place to stop for the Jigokudani Monkey Park, where Japanese snow monkeys warm themselves in hot spring pools through the winter months. A separate branch further west, the Chuo Line Limited Express Azusa winds through the Japanese Alps to Matsumoto, home to one of Japan's finest feudal castles, exceptional soba noodles, and the wasabi farms of the surrounding highlands.

Whether heading north into Tohoku or west into the Alps, the right JR East pass for you will likely depend on your destination and number of days available. Take a look at the map below to explore the full network.

JR East Pass Variations: Tohoku vs. Hokkaido vs. Hokuriku

For UK travellers exploring Japan’s Tohoku region, perhaps the most exciting passes are those heading north from Tokyo towards Hokkaido, offering dramatic landscapes and some of the most extraordinary scenery in the country.

Discovering the North: JR East – South Hokkaido vs. Tohoku-South Hokkaido Rail Pass

The two passes in question, the South Hokkaido and the Tohoku-South Hokkaido Rail Pass, both unlock the same dramatic journey across the JR East Tohoku and JR Hokkaido networks, carrying you all the way north to Sapporo. Choosing between them comes down to one simple question – where are you starting your journey? If the answer is Tokyo, the Tohoku-South Hokkaido Pass covers the full route; while if you're already further north in Tohoku, from Shirokawa northwards, the South Hokkaido Pass picks up from there.

Best suited to travellers whose itinerary does not include Tokyo, those flying into Sendai, picking up from Aomori, or transferring via Shinkansen from another pass, the JR Tohoku-South Hokkaido Rail Pass (6 days, ¥32,000) covers the full JR East Tohoku network, connecting through to JR Hokkaido lines serving Hakodate, Sapporo and Otaru, but does not include the wider Tokyo and South Kanto network.

The JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass (6 days, ¥40,000), on the other hand, includes full Tokyo coverage, along with Tokyo Monorail access for Haneda Airport and Tobu Railway connections to Nikko, as well as the same coverage across the JR East Tohoku network and JR Hokkaido lines.

Both passes open up some of northern Japan's most extraordinary experiences. Step off at Ginzan Onsen, a lantern-lit hot spring hamlet of traditional timber inns that could have been lifted straight from Spirited Away. Or head to Mount Zao in winter, where ancient trees encased in ice form ghostly Snow Monsters across the mountainside, creating one of the most surreal winter landscapes anywhere in Japan.

The Golden Corridor: JR East Hokuriku Arch Pass

The Hokuriku Arch Pass (7 days, ¥35,000) heads in a different direction entirely. Rather than following the Tohoku corridor north, it sweeps west from Tokyo through Nagano and the Japanese Alps, continuing with the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Toyama, Kanazawa, and Fukui following the coast along the Sea of Japan, before connecting into the JR West network at Osaka and Kyoto.

Few passes reward the open-jaw itinerary as easily. Fly into Tokyo via Narita or Haneda, spend time in the capital, cut through the Alps to Kanazawa's preserved samurai districts and gold-leaf tea houses, then continue to Osaka and fly home without retracing a single step. The route works just as well in reverse. The Noto Railway between Nanao and Wakura Onsen is also included, making this the perfect pass for reaching one of Japan's most celebrated hot spring resorts.

JR East Passes Cost and Validity

Like most Japan rail passes, all JR East regional passes run on consecutive days, so it's worth starting your pass on the day your main travel window begins, ensuring your key destinations and travel days fall within the validity window. Children aged 6 to 11 travel at half the adult fare, while children under 6 travel free of charge, except where a dedicated seat reservation is required.

Type of Pass	Validity Period	Adult Price	Child Price(6-11)	Top Destinations
JR TOKYO Wide Pass	3 Days	JPY 16,000*	JPY 8,000	Mt. Fuji Nikko Karuizawa
JR EAST PASS	5 Days	JPY 35,000	JPY 17,500	Sendai Aomori Nagano
JR Tohoku-South Hokkaido Rail Pass	6 Days	JPY 32,000	JPY 16,000	Sendai Hakodate Sapporo
JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass	6 Days	JPY 40,000	JPY 20,000	Tokyo Aomori Hakodate
Hokuriku Arch Pass	7 Days	JPY 35,000	JPY 17,500	Tokyo Kanazawa Kyoto
JR EAST PASS (Long Stay)	10 Days	JPY 50,000	JPY 25,000	Tohoku Tokyo

*Prices for the JR Pass and Shinkansen bullet train tickets are set in Japanese Yen (JPY), so the cost in different currencies can fluctuate depending on the exchange rate.

Choosing Your Duration: 3-Day vs. 10-Day Passes

Mid-Duration Getaways (3 to 6 Days)

For most UK travellers exploring the JR East network, three- to six-day passes are the most popular, and there are three passes built precisely for that range.

The JR TOKYO Wide Pass (3 days, ¥16,000) is built for Tokyo-based travellers who want to explore further into the Kanto region. Three days is enough to ride the Fuji Excursion Limited Express to Kawaguchiko for iconic views of Mount Fuji, walk the cedar avenues and gilded shrines of Nikko, or settle into the cool mountain air of Karuizawa – with Kamakura's ancient temples and the port city of Yokohama also within easy reach.

The JR EAST PASS (5 days, ¥35,000) is where the network really opens up. Ride the Tohoku Shinkansen north from Tokyo to Sendai, where charcoal-grilled beef tongue is the local speciality, then continue north to Aomori, the gateway to Hokkaido. Or branch west to the rice paddies and sake breweries of Niigata, north to the UNESCO World Heritage temple complex of Hiraizumi in Iwate, or explore the samurai history and sake distilleries of Fukushima. For the full Hokkaido extension, the 6-day passes in the next section pick up from here.

Long-Stay Deep Dives (7 to 10 Days)

With so much of northern Japan still to explore, the seven- and ten-day JR East passes really give you the time to go deeper.

With the neon lights and sensory overload of Tokyo, the feudal castle town of Matsumoto, a night or two in Kanazawa's preserved samurai districts, and a slow journey south along the Sea of Japan coast toward Osaka, the Hokuriku Arch Pass (7 days, ¥35,000) ranks among the most rewarding rail journeys in the country, and one of the few that lets you fly in and out of different airports without retracing your steps.

The JR EAST PASS Long Stay (10 days, ¥50,000) is for those who really want to explore the whole Tohoku area while still leaving days for the remote onsen towns of Akita and Yamagata, some of the least-visited and most rewarding corners of Japan.

How to Buy, Exchange and Use Your JR East Pass via Trip.com

Available exclusively to foreign visitors entering Japan on a Temporary Visitor status, JR East passes can be purchased on Trip.com before you travel. Your exchange order is valid for up to three months from purchase and can be exchanged for a physical pass on arrival at Tokyo Station, Narita Airport or Haneda Airport. Seat reservations open from one month before your travel date, and on popular Shinkansen routes, booking early gives you the best choice of services and seats.

Step 1: Select and Book Your Pass

Whether it's a 3-day sprint around Tokyo or a 10-day adventure deep into Tohoku, choose the JR East pass that best suits your itinerary, select your travel start date and number of travellers, then click "Book Now." Children aged 6 to 11 travel at half the cost of the adult fare.

Step 2: Enter Your Details

To complete your booking, fill in each passenger's name, age, nationality, contact number, and e-mail address. Add a promo code if you have one, then click "Continue."

Step 3: Complete Your Payment

You can pay for your JR East rail pass on Trip.com by credit/debit card, Apple Pay, PayPal, or Google Pay. Trip Coins and Gift Cards can also be applied at checkout. Once payment is confirmed, your booking is then secured.

Step 4: Receive Your Voucher

Your pass will arrive either as an e-ticket PDF sent to your email, or as a physical voucher by post. Please note that the e-ticket is an exchange voucher only and cannot be scanned at station gates – it must be swapped for a physical pass on arrival in Japan.

Step 5: Exchange Your Pass in Japan

Head to any JR East ticket office at Tokyo Station, Narita Airport, or Haneda Airport. Present your e-ticket or voucher alongside your passport to receive your physical pass, ready to use from the moment it is activated.

Step 6: All Aboard

With your JR East rail pass in hand, northern Japan is all yours to explore. Whether you're riding the Shinkansen through the snowfields of Tohoku, stepping off at a lantern-lit onsen town deep in the mountains, or tracing the Hokuriku Shinkansen west toward Kanazawa and Osaka, now you have everything you need to enjoy every kilometre your JR East rail pass offers.