I bought seperate Chugoku and Shikoku regional passes, even combined they're cheaper than the 14 day JRP and the Chugoku pass includes access to the Mizuho trains. The price hike would be a much better value if it was structured more like the European passes where you can choose the days it's active within a certain time period. Spreading 7 days of travel across a month or whatever is a way better sell than trying to cram a long-distance itinerary into a week
The regional passes used to be like that, but some clown decided it'd be better to be consecutive days since a year or 2 back. I think this discourages people from staying in the areas that already few tourists visit, it's kinda mind boggling, say u wanna stay 3 days, but now maybe it's just a day trip.
@@yukisnoww Exactly, the regional passes used to be very good value for money as I used to be able to stretch a 5 day JR East Tohoku Pass to 12 - 13 days because you don't have to use it everyday and you can stay longer in regional area which is a win for these less well known places in Japan. You really need to stay longer than 5 days in regional area because public transport is scarce, so you really need to stay there for more than 1 day to actually explore it.
Thank you John! As of you were watching it after the fact, most of the “drop outs” seem to have occurred whenever you switch from selfie mode back to pointing forward with the camera. Every switch had a delay.
Sadly, this will be my first time without a Japan Rail Pass in my 6th vacation to Japan. Got the 21-day pass trice, the 14-day pass once and the 7-day pass once. It was a blessing to go anywhere; from Tokyo to Nagasaki in my first trip (2015) with stops along the way, from Tokyo to Hakodate in 2019 in my 4th trip, and last year after the pandemic ended, I went to many places. Now, that’s all gone. Will only travel to Kyoto in a 4-day trip to let my aunt enjoy the beauty of that millennial capital of Japan. Good luck to all of you who will still get the Japan Rail Pass.
I wish when they were creating new passes, they made a Tokyo-only pass for 5000Y because I'd buy that or a pass that works with all the companies inside Tokyo. In Sydney and in Wellington, you could get passes like that. In Sydney, my family used a pass to go from our Motel in Parramatta out to the city via train/subway and then used Ferries to go to Manly and the Paramatta Wharf; it was a blast.
You can get a Tokyo Metro/Toei subway pass by presenting your passport at one of several Tokyo Metro offices in the capital. The two subway networks cover a large part of the Tokyo area. There are three passes, for 24hrs, 48hrs or 72hrs. The clock starts from the first time you use the pass and it only expires after the hours are up, not at midnight of the last day. The 72hr pass costs 1500 yen.
I'm planning a three week trip for October/November. 7-day Japan Rail Pass, probably for the last time, to go from Tokyo, Okayama and around Shikoku. Ferry to Hiroshima. Then Sanin Okayama pass for Tottori, Matsue, Izumo and Sakiaminato before flying back to Tokyo. Can't beat the Sanin Okayama pass (4580 yen for 4 days).
One question asked around on Discord: Would those who bought their nationwide Rail Passes prior to the price hike be able to use the Nozomi/Mizuho supplements? You'd have to buy them in advance so people figured they'd be able to differentiate the old/new pass prices.
I'm going to Japan in November. I did the math and if I bought the JR pass for 2 weeks with the price hike, the cost would be at least $300 dollars more than just using mobile IC cards (or physical if you still have them). I'm taking the Shinkansen 3 times on my trip and that alone costs $400 by itself. The problem is, a lot of trains on my trip are non JR trains which the JR pass does not cover. The costs even with taking the Shinkansen 3 times is much less than paying for a $800 JR pass, even at the current price, around $600 is still more than using tickets and IC cards for my trip. If your taking the Shinkansen 5 times or more, than the pass is justified, however I recommend not doing day trips to regions across the country since you can never see all that you want in 5-6 hours.
Sometimes the rail strategy is to increase the cost of travel to reduce passengers; this is because a service is running at capacity, also why they might add better of peak deals or flexibility . In the UK numbers of passengers are reaching pre covid levels but more spread out.
It's also possible that they want people to use it to travel beyond Tokyo and Kyoto, where the overcrowding is the worst. If it's expensive, people might try to get their money's worth and go to less touristy spots 🤷🏻♀️
8:14 why is the oversized luggage space so crowded now? JR Central did a sample survey in 2017 finding that per train, there were on average 3-4 pieces of oversized baggage (total dimensions over 160 cm) per train. I think there’s like 40-50 seats for oversized baggage on most Shinkansen trains, so there should be way more than enough seats for oversized luggage? Not sure what happened…
It’s 2023, culture changed. People have more stuff, esp from US. More first time travelers coming here too - used to be Europe but war, protests, strikes, uncertainty it bringing more here. Japan is safer, cheaper (for now), convenient.
There are not 50 seats for it. There are a few. Behind the last row and a rack that wasn’t there a few years ago. That’s it. Oversized bags can’t go above. People put it in front of them too, can’t stretch your legs and blocks people in the row. Then it blocks the aisle, clogging it esp when people disembark the train.
JR pass staff are the nicest. Btw, I’m here in Japan and bought days pass. Just so you know I agree with you that tourist won’t take the train nor the subway because it is very very intimidating . I keep telling my two boys that it’s the adventure of making a mistake and learning from it. Lol 😅 we got on the train and get off the next station because we made a mistake. Thank God 😅, we got off the next station.
I still feel pretty good that I only experienced a single price hike of the JR Pass in the 21 years since purchasing my first ever 7-day pass for ¥28,300. (just ¥1350 cheaper than it’s current price) I agree with your earlier comments, when these price increases were first announced, that it had been under priced for so long. It’s a shame all the other regional passes will increase too, but it just means a little more time spent on trip planning.
I wonder once the new prices for the JR Passes kick in (late October?), if single trip Shinkansen ticket prices would also increase by a similar percentage.
Had two green passes to cover a 5 week vacation over there back in 2019. It was barely cheaper than without the passes, but they sure were convenient. Guess I won't be doing that again.
Hi John, can you please elaborate on the “free hotel discount” which you mentioned in the live stream? Where can I find more information about this as I’ll be visiting those cities that you mentioned in late October. Thank you. Karen
Hi John, thanks for the update. Our plan was to buy the JRP directly in JRT website, on September, as we will be in Japan around 16-20th of October. Our 2 months trip starts August 29th, and Japan is our last country visiting. Well, based on the one month duration, as per JRT website explains, and the concept of buying it before September 30th, to avoid the price hike, I went ahead and 'just in case' I asked JRT to clarify the one month validity. I gave them my dates and this is what they have replied: (unfortunately): " Thank you for contacting Japan Rail Pass Reservation Support Center. Unfortunately, you can purchase the Japan Rail Pass up to one month in advance. If you purchase the Japan Rail Pass for October from the official website, you will be applied the new price. However, we have no further information about the price increase." So, it is worse than thought. Will not matter if I buy it directly before Sept. 30th....they still will apply the new costs. Will go ahead and buy it from a third party. Our main reason for buying it directly was to make our reservations asap and be ready as soon as arriving to Japan...... Wanted to share this with you and everybody.
Heading over end of October.. gonna buy one right before it goes up just for kicks. Anecdote; It cost me AUD$661 for a 21 day pass in April 2014. So they haven't gone up in a decade, until this.
Thanks John for all the great info. I’ll be back again next year and will have to look into those increases. I wanted to try the new Tobu Spacia X train this last trip but ran out of time. Wonder if they will increase those prices as it just started recently.
YIKES. If regional passes are also going up then I’ll most likely just fly domestically. Good thing I’m getting a JR Rail Pass one last time to head to Sapporo and Fukuoka. The next time I’m in Japan I’ll probably stay in Tokyo.
This will hurt the tourism in Japan and especially if the Yen gets stronger. Todays rates are now 7 days +$143/ 14 days +$231/ 21 days +$278. It's not worth it anymore because you have to use them consecutively which is lame. In 2022 I got the 21 day pass and had to take a random trip just to get my moneys worth. The trip consisted of 6 cities and I needed that 7th city to make it worth the price
This is why it makes sense to raise it and give sales and discounts, from a marketing pov. I don’t think you neeed the pass - DO THE MATH before you buy one. Then it’s an easy decision. Vast vast majority of tourists don’t need this pass. They go to Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka-Himeji and go home.
@@onlyinjapanGO The Problem is, its not only math, its hard sometimes in rural Areas to buy single tickets with navigation, jp signs etc. Simplicity is very good on JR RP. Maybe it could be interesting if you could make a video in which cases the JR Pass still would make sense. I think its very rare now. You couldnt travel that much in this short time. Dont think it would be a good experience.
@@onlyinjapanGO Exactly! I see a lot of people buying a JR Pass duration they don't need, or focus too much on a JR pass. They buy the JR pass and then look at how can I get the most out of it, instead of looking at what they want to do and then what sort of pass they require. And most people don't realise it seems that in Tokyo or Osaka the best way to get around are the metro's and that tickets for most trips are quite cheap when using JR.
@@Smoofiee The Yamanote line in Tokyo is very convenient for a lot of popular destinations in the city centre if you already have a JR Pass, also the Chuo line if you're going east or west. Saying that, when my JP pass expires and I'm in Tokyo for the last few days before leaving Japan I usually get a 24-hr, 48-hr or 72-hr Metro/Toei pass to use the subway. It's as cheap as three or four paid journeys per day and, conveniently, it's coverage is really 24/48/72 hours rather than specific days -- if I buy a 48-hr Metro/Toei pass at, say, 2 p.m. on Tuesday I can still use it until 1.59 p.m. on Thursday, it doesn't expire on Wednesday night.
I think that this is by design though, right? Even if 40% fewer people buy the passes, JR still makes more money with a 70% increase. Trains will be less crowded, and the company still makes more money.
In order to make the pass worth it now, people should travel beyond Tokyo and Kyoto (the most crowded places). This is also likely a motivation of the government and transportation authorities.
@@Oceanleighside but I think if this is their motive, then it could backfire with far fewer people buying passes at all, and those who will choose to ride via individual tickets will be less motivated to wander far outside the Osaka-Kyoto-Tokyo triangle.
I think the impact of the price hike is really only going to effect those people that traveled to Japan in recent years . For me I'm okay with the price hike because I've never used JR . However you have also mentioned many times to consider flying to Osaka or other locations for much cheaper than using JR ,which gives you more time on the ground . A Great Idea.
How would that save money for the traveller? No trip to Japan would be complete without a visit to Tokyo, so landing at Kansai would not save you money looking at the big picture. Also keep in mind that Tokyo has a lot more flights coming in and going out than any other city in Japan..
The nationwide pass hikes without much added value are crazy! Just a matter of time before they increase local prices too😱 JR WEST got lots of changes too🙂
Can I purchase a Suica Card (still available) on arrival at Tokyo Narita Airport? I am only travelling within Tokyo upon arrival, to the accommodation office and place. I am not too sure if I can start travelling straight for 7days once I arrive. So I intend to buy a JR open ticket first, but not to use it immediately. (pls kindly advise)
The JR East Tokoku and JR East Nagano Niigata Passes will still pay off for me. However, that price increase will have to be covered from somewhere. So, do I, either increase the cost of my trip or do I spend less elsewhere (such as on food/souvenirs within the local tourism areas)? That is something myself and many more people will now have to ask ourselves. And this will have a negative impact on areas such as the Tohoku and Chubu regions which could do with the income from tourism. But, I fear that a lot more tourists will been even more inclined to now only stick to Tokyo, and with maybe a few day trips to Nikko, Hakone or Kamakura....
The JR East Tohoku is not really worth it now, even worst when the price increases, as you could only use it 5 days consecutively and you can't really explore anything within 5 days for such a vast area from Tokyo to Aomori and back to Tokyo.
John, I saw your update about Jr Rail pass fare increase coming October. how would be the increase if just travelling round Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto Hiroshima regions. and which app do you use when on your videos you manage to flash info with video thanks. regards mikel
Thanks for those comments, John. I'm comfortable enough buying tickets. Travelling solo, I can just buy tickets if the money doesn't work. If I come with family, other options, like bus, plane and even rental car may end up making more financial sense. But, convivence wise, trains may still make more sense.
You should have the Welcome Suica at the airport available. There are always other options :) or just tickets 🎫 which I still use quite often. I find that IC Cards, I spend MORE than I should like vending. Machines. It’s too easy! 😂
In regards to the Android phones, it kind of is Japan's fault because they decided to use Sony's patented technology to encrypt the ic cards. Most other places do not use the Sony patent. It only works on iPhones because Apple made the business decision to pay the licensing fee for that technology for all phones instead of most Android phones which only pay the license fee for those manufacture for the Japanese market. However, most other markets do not use Sony's patent for things like eMoney transit passes. They still use NFC, just not this encryption that Sony developed
Me and my wife will be arriving at around 8pm Japan time at Narita airport.. Will we be able to ride NEX or Keisei going to Tokyo? Is it advisable to buy a JR Pass since we are going to Kyoto, Osaka, Kawaguchiko then back to Tokyo?
A $150 grocery shop here in Australia around July 2022 is now about $220. Inflation has been intense. Totally sympathise with the Japanese. Also 110% bet that regular commuter Shinkansen tickets will increase in price. All balances out in the end.
Normal Economics, JP is overrun with Tourists, its logical that they rise the JR Pass Prices. I think they were already raised in 2020 i think ? Sadly i also took closely the golden Route in May. If i watched your Chn before i had let Kyoto out 😅 . Tokyo, Kurobe, Osaka, Kyoto, Miyajima, Hiroshima. JR Pass was 14 days around 380€ in Germany. Now 650€ i think i would buy maybe JR pass 7 days for expensive and travel heavy areas but 14 and 21 days doesnt make any sense anymore. Mostly single Shinkansen Ticket should be cheaper. JR Pass was nice bc its more simple and time efficient to use than regular tickets. But now the price is so high that most people will travel less Shinkansen etc. and stay more on one place for the extra money.. If the loans go up in JP the local ticket Prices definitely will rise. At the moment JP only makes Money of tourists. If loans dont go up they cant raise ticket prices, People will go Bonkers.
Old news. It’s going up 68-77% from Oct 1st. Regional Passes will also go up, Oct 1st. They just released this info - and the supplement fees for Nozomi and Mizuho Shinkansen trains.
@@onlyinjapanGO Damn.. was planning a trip with the wife for February. Thanks for the info. So does that mean that one way ticket trains will also increase in price or is it just the passes?
I am relieved I can still buy it at the old price before I travel all over Japan from mid october. Guess I`ll buy 21 Day JR Standard, JR East Pass, Hokuriko Arch Pass and maybe one other at the end of August, those will hopefully be enough to keep me covered while travelling. Rental Car is too expensive for me as a Solo Traveller and makes too much of a dent in my daily budget, as I am travelling for 111 days.
I agree! I also look at it as an investment in my peace of mind, as almost all travel expenses would be covered upfront. Stress free travel is where it's at! I think Japan Rail is probably banking on people like 😅
Hello , we cant buy it after the 25th september? im lost, i wanted to buy it at last day of september 28th or 29th because i come to japan the 25th december. 😶
Question on buying the pass in advance for Nov trip, what's meant by you can buy the ticket 3 months in advance but only book Shinkansen one month in advance? My trip will be near the end of Nov and I was planning to buy the pass in September.
This is useful to know if you plan to ride the NOZOMI and MIZUHO super express Shinkansen. You cannot book seats 💺 more than a month ahead. You can get the pass, just non-reserved but have to wait until a month before to get seats (reserved seating).
I wont use a rail pass exactly as i just walk wheverver and get lost, as long as i have cash to go back on the train to a destination im slighly more familiar with then i just go that way. Im not experienced in travel, but i expect most of this effects the typical traveler with plans and luggage, and not so much someone like myself just wondering about till i find something, idk
It’s not 2022. It’s 2023. Google the numbers 1/2023 to 6/2023 and understand that Japanese are NOT traveling abroad this year. Yen is too weak, most are staying domestic. Now do you see it? It’s like the perfect storm ⛈️ 😝 so hopefully they find a way to balance it out in 2024.
Thanks. Coming in Oct. Added up legs of our trip and 14 day rail pass is somewhat worth it at present cost. Just about break even. Would not buy at new rate especially if rates are increased per ride.
I still have my suica card from last year November.. Is it still valid for next year February? If I may ask is Tokyo Inn Asakusa Kuramae No.2 a good hotel?
I feel sad having used pass many times last time in Feb for 3 weeks so glad I went then as I have been many trips so I will now fly or bus it .I have been 3 times to Hokkaido down to Nagisaki Fukuoka twice day trips to Morioka many trips Niagatta allover love to go to Kagishima but will fly or bus it .I hope it backfires and they lose money then may change it again .I think need to raise it but to much at once .
I can understand the logic of actually wanting less people to take the "golden route" as it's making places too crowded. In Europe both Venice and Amsterdam have banned large cruise ships from docking as a way to limit the number of tourists to reduce the insane overcrowding, so over tourism isn't a uniquely Japanese problem, it affects many places that have become too popular for their own good. I think it would have been smart to do a smaller rise for regional passes though, to encourage people to try exploring less busy areas.
You’re right but JR is also not a public company, it’s private. They’re in it to make money to run the business not just tourism. Promoting Japan is in their benefit but so is making money and keeping their work force at full strengths
Honestly I couldn't care less about those passes since I find them super annoying to use: It takes a ton of research and planning just to find possible options and figure out the most valuable ones and then you have to plan, book and execute your whole stay around the passes and if anything goes wrong (say a typhoon hitting) you might even have to pay extra just to compensate for the inflexibility. Those passes are a niche product for backpackers and maybe youtubers, but for regular tourists they're pretty much useless; thinking that they might help underexposed regions is just a pipe dream in my opinion.
why 50% increase for the two JR Tohoku five day passes ? .... I thought they really want people to explore Tohoku.....this is a turn off for many travelers planning to explore this area....I just hope they'll extend the validity to seven days
I don’t know, this upset me the most. When you say “THEY” you mean the Japanese government and Tohoku prefectures. JR is a business - people will go there anyway 🤷🏻♂️ but not tourists so much, they over-estimate the weak yen and strong US dollar.
With this new jr pass price, sure people will cut down their days of stay in Japan, and only traveling to major cities with bus (budget) and plane. I will stay more than one week if I have jr pass in hand.
And go where? I think staying a day here and there isn’t so useful, is it? Spending 3 days some place is much better - or a week - in Kanazawa to get to know the city. Not sure why the pass would keep people longer. You can travel faster with it 😂
los japoneses se quejan de los shinkansen llenos de gente con maletas pero solo con el jrp se pueden tomar los hikari de tokyo a kyoto y cada vez hay menos frecuencias de estos trenes por eso se llenan de turistas.... me parece que un aumento del valor del pase es logico pero este tipo desproporcionado de aumento no lo es.
Its really expensive to travel around whole Japan by train. I mean if I would want to visit south and north from Tokyo would pay almost the cost of airplane return ticket from Eu to Japan. This is super 💩. It should be cheaper, its putting me off to come to Japan
I totally understand. It's still a value, considering JR is the best commuter system in the world. It's money well spent. Service, cleanliness, immaculate stations, and effectiveness are unmatched. I would gladly pay the fare hike if I were traveling to many Japanese cities and rural destinations. If not, the Suica & Passmo option is still a value.
Good decision. It is natural to increase price. I think a tourist tax should be made in Japan. Banning immigration is important. Foreign trash are unnecessary in Japan. All prices for foreigners should be increased immediately. A 30% tax on all foreign goods import should also be made.
I bought seperate Chugoku and Shikoku regional passes, even combined they're cheaper than the 14 day JRP and the Chugoku pass includes access to the Mizuho trains.
The price hike would be a much better value if it was structured more like the European passes where you can choose the days it's active within a certain time period. Spreading 7 days of travel across a month or whatever is a way better sell than trying to cram a long-distance itinerary into a week
The regional passes used to be like that, but some clown decided it'd be better to be consecutive days since a year or 2 back. I think this discourages people from staying in the areas that already few tourists visit, it's kinda mind boggling, say u wanna stay 3 days, but now maybe it's just a day trip.
@@yukisnoww Exactly, the regional passes used to be very good value for money as I used to be able to stretch a 5 day JR East Tohoku Pass to 12 - 13 days because you don't have to use it everyday and you can stay longer in regional area which is a win for these less well known places in Japan. You really need to stay longer than 5 days in regional area because public transport is scarce, so you really need to stay there for more than 1 day to actually explore it.
Hi John. Thanks for the update.
I'm glad that we're going in October, so that we can buy it in advance at current pricing through one of the authorized third party agents.
That's what I am doing too
Same here. Arriving at the end of November. So we can still buy in Sept.
Thank you John! As of you were watching it after the fact, most of the “drop outs” seem to have occurred whenever you switch from selfie mode back to pointing forward with the camera. Every switch had a delay.
Sadly, this will be my first time without a Japan Rail Pass in my 6th vacation to Japan. Got the 21-day pass trice, the 14-day pass once and the 7-day pass once. It was a blessing to go anywhere; from Tokyo to Nagasaki in my first trip (2015) with stops along the way, from Tokyo to Hakodate in 2019 in my 4th trip, and last year after the pandemic ended, I went to many places. Now, that’s all gone.
Will only travel to Kyoto in a 4-day trip to let my aunt enjoy the beauty of that millennial capital of Japan.
Good luck to all of you who will still get the Japan Rail Pass.
Am grateful for sharing the info so timely.
I wish when they were creating new passes, they made a Tokyo-only pass for 5000Y because I'd buy that or a pass that works with all the companies inside Tokyo. In Sydney and in Wellington, you could get passes like that. In Sydney, my family used a pass to go from our Motel in Parramatta out to the city via train/subway and then used Ferries to go to Manly and the Paramatta Wharf; it was a blast.
You can get a Tokyo Metro/Toei subway pass by presenting your passport at one of several Tokyo Metro offices in the capital. The two subway networks cover a large part of the Tokyo area. There are three passes, for 24hrs, 48hrs or 72hrs. The clock starts from the first time you use the pass and it only expires after the hours are up, not at midnight of the last day. The 72hr pass costs 1500 yen.
I'm planning a three week trip for October/November. 7-day Japan Rail Pass, probably for the last time, to go from Tokyo, Okayama and around Shikoku. Ferry to Hiroshima. Then Sanin Okayama pass for Tottori, Matsue, Izumo and Sakiaminato before flying back to Tokyo. Can't beat the Sanin Okayama pass (4580 yen for 4 days).
One question asked around on Discord: Would those who bought their nationwide Rail Passes prior to the price hike be able to use the Nozomi/Mizuho supplements? You'd have to buy them in advance so people figured they'd be able to differentiate the old/new pass prices.
Only 1 month in advance so not everyone. I mentioned this once in the stream.
I'm going to Japan in November. I did the math and if I bought the JR pass for 2 weeks with the price hike, the cost would be at least $300 dollars more than just using mobile IC cards (or physical if you still have them). I'm taking the Shinkansen 3 times on my trip and that alone costs $400 by itself. The problem is, a lot of trains on my trip are non JR trains which the JR pass does not cover. The costs even with taking the Shinkansen 3 times is much less than paying for a $800 JR pass, even at the current price, around $600 is still more than using tickets and IC cards for my trip. If your taking the Shinkansen 5 times or more, than the pass is justified, however I recommend not doing day trips to regions across the country since you can never see all that you want in 5-6 hours.
We are staying in Japan for 90 days total each time we never buy the pass because we stay 1 week or more in each city
Thank for the info on buying the JR pass in using the pass in Oct. If you buy the pass in Aug or Sept.
Sometimes the rail strategy is to increase the cost of travel to reduce passengers; this is because a service is running at capacity, also why they might add better of peak deals or flexibility . In the UK numbers of passengers are reaching pre covid levels but more spread out.
It's also possible that they want people to use it to travel beyond Tokyo and Kyoto, where the overcrowding is the worst. If it's expensive, people might try to get their money's worth and go to less touristy spots 🤷🏻♀️
8:14 why is the oversized luggage space so crowded now? JR Central did a sample survey in 2017 finding that per train, there were on average 3-4 pieces of oversized baggage (total dimensions over 160 cm) per train. I think there’s like 40-50 seats for oversized baggage on most Shinkansen trains, so there should be way more than enough seats for oversized luggage? Not sure what happened…
It’s 2023, culture changed. People have more stuff, esp from US. More first time travelers coming here too - used to be Europe but war, protests, strikes, uncertainty it bringing more here. Japan is safer, cheaper (for now), convenient.
There are not 50 seats for it. There are a few. Behind the last row and a rack that wasn’t there a few years ago. That’s it. Oversized bags can’t go above. People put it in front of them too, can’t stretch your legs and blocks people in the row. Then it blocks the aisle, clogging it esp when people disembark the train.
JR pass staff are the nicest. Btw, I’m here in Japan and bought days pass. Just so you know I agree with you that tourist won’t take the train nor the subway because it is very very intimidating . I keep telling my two boys that it’s the adventure of making a mistake and learning from it. Lol 😅 we got on the train and get off the next station because we made a mistake. Thank God 😅, we got off the next station.
I was at the Tokyo Station Keiho Line from Mahaima, made a mistake, haha 😅
I still feel pretty good that I only experienced a single price hike of the JR Pass in the 21 years since purchasing my first ever 7-day pass for ¥28,300. (just ¥1350 cheaper than it’s current price)
I agree with your earlier comments, when these price increases were first announced, that it had been under priced for so long.
It’s a shame all the other regional passes will increase too, but it just means a little more time spent on trip planning.
I wonder once the new prices for the JR Passes kick in (late October?), if single trip Shinkansen ticket prices would also increase by a similar percentage.
You're very right, the JR staff are very great and they do a great job.
Not their fault for the price increases.
They're just the messenger.
Thanks for sharing it. ✌️
Had two green passes to cover a 5 week vacation over there back in 2019. It was barely cheaper than without the passes, but they sure were convenient. Guess I won't be doing that again.
Hi John, can you please elaborate on the “free hotel discount” which you mentioned in the live stream? Where can I find more information about this as I’ll be visiting those cities that you mentioned in late October. Thank you. Karen
Hi John, thanks for the update. Our plan was to buy the JRP directly in JRT website, on September, as we will be in Japan around 16-20th of October. Our 2 months trip starts August 29th, and Japan is our last country visiting. Well, based on the one month duration, as per JRT website explains, and the concept of buying it before September 30th, to avoid the price hike, I went ahead and 'just in case' I asked JRT to clarify the one month validity. I gave them my dates and this is what they have replied: (unfortunately):
" Thank you for contacting Japan Rail Pass Reservation Support Center.
Unfortunately, you can purchase the Japan Rail Pass up to one month in advance.
If you purchase the Japan Rail Pass for October from the official website, you will be applied the new price.
However, we have no further information about the price increase."
So, it is worse than thought. Will not matter if I buy it directly before Sept. 30th....they still will apply the new costs. Will go ahead and buy it from a third party. Our main reason for buying it directly was to make our reservations asap and be ready as soon as arriving to Japan......
Wanted to share this with you and everybody.
Heading over end of October.. gonna buy one right before it goes up just for kicks. Anecdote; It cost me AUD$661 for a 21 day pass in April 2014. So they haven't gone up in a decade, until this.
😂 I love beating the system, even a little.
Coming during xmas week. Crowded check, expensive check. Snow priceless.
I just want to taste the truffle bread you intro even it cost usd 15 haha
Thanks John for all the great info. I’ll be back again next year and will have to look into those increases. I wanted to try the new Tobu Spacia X train this last trip but ran out of time. Wonder if they will increase those prices as it just started recently.
YIKES. If regional passes are also going up then I’ll most likely just fly domestically. Good thing I’m getting a JR Rail Pass one last time to head to Sapporo and Fukuoka. The next time I’m in Japan I’ll probably stay in Tokyo.
This will hurt the tourism in Japan and especially if the Yen gets stronger. Todays rates are now 7 days +$143/ 14 days +$231/ 21 days +$278. It's not worth it anymore because you have to use them consecutively which is lame. In 2022 I got the 21 day pass and had to take a random trip just to get my moneys worth. The trip consisted of 6 cities and I needed that 7th city to make it worth the price
This is why it makes sense to raise it and give sales and discounts, from a marketing pov. I don’t think you neeed the pass - DO THE MATH before you buy one. Then it’s an easy decision. Vast vast majority of tourists don’t need this pass. They go to Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka-Himeji and go home.
@@onlyinjapanGO The Problem is, its not only math, its hard sometimes in rural Areas to buy single tickets with navigation, jp signs etc. Simplicity is very good on JR RP.
Maybe it could be interesting if you could make a video in which cases the JR Pass still would make sense. I think its very rare now. You couldnt travel that much in this short time. Dont think it would be a good experience.
@@onlyinjapanGO Exactly! I see a lot of people buying a JR Pass duration they don't need, or focus too much on a JR pass. They buy the JR pass and then look at how can I get the most out of it, instead of looking at what they want to do and then what sort of pass they require. And most people don't realise it seems that in Tokyo or Osaka the best way to get around are the metro's and that tickets for most trips are quite cheap when using JR.
@@residentCJone time before COVID i did Narita - Tazawako (Akita Pref) - Osaka - Tokyo in 7 days. This itinerary would make the JRP pay off.
@@Smoofiee The Yamanote line in Tokyo is very convenient for a lot of popular destinations in the city centre if you already have a JR Pass, also the Chuo line if you're going east or west. Saying that, when my JP pass expires and I'm in Tokyo for the last few days before leaving Japan I usually get a 24-hr, 48-hr or 72-hr Metro/Toei pass to use the subway. It's as cheap as three or four paid journeys per day and, conveniently, it's coverage is really 24/48/72 hours rather than specific days -- if I buy a 48-hr Metro/Toei pass at, say, 2 p.m. on Tuesday I can still use it until 1.59 p.m. on Thursday, it doesn't expire on Wednesday night.
People are not going to stop buying the JR pass but much LESS people will buy them. Thats the point. Airlines are loving this.
I think that this is by design though, right? Even if 40% fewer people buy the passes, JR still makes more money with a 70% increase. Trains will be less crowded, and the company still makes more money.
@@dereksbooksOr people will just buy individual tickets, leaving the effect miniscule.
In order to make the pass worth it now, people should travel beyond Tokyo and Kyoto (the most crowded places). This is also likely a motivation of the government and transportation authorities.
@@Oceanleighside but I think if this is their motive, then it could backfire with far fewer people buying passes at all, and those who will choose to ride via individual tickets will be less motivated to wander far outside the Osaka-Kyoto-Tokyo triangle.
I think the impact of the price hike is really only going to effect those people that traveled to Japan in recent years . For me I'm okay with the price hike because I've never used JR . However you have also mentioned many times to consider flying to Osaka or other locations for much cheaper than using JR ,which gives you more time on the ground . A Great Idea.
How would that save money for the traveller? No trip to Japan would be complete without a visit to Tokyo, so landing at Kansai would not save you money looking at the big picture. Also keep in mind that Tokyo has a lot more flights coming in and going out than any other city in Japan..
The nationwide pass hikes without much added value are crazy! Just a matter of time before they increase local prices too😱 JR WEST got lots of changes too🙂
Can I purchase a Suica Card (still available) on arrival at Tokyo Narita Airport? I am only travelling within Tokyo upon arrival, to the accommodation office and place. I am not too sure if I can start travelling straight for 7days once I arrive. So I intend to buy a JR open ticket first, but not to use it immediately. (pls kindly advise)
You can check to see if the have it, if not - the WELCOME SUICA should be available which is good for 28 days.
The JR East Tokoku and JR East Nagano Niigata Passes will still pay off for me. However, that price increase will have to be covered from somewhere. So, do I, either increase the cost of my trip or do I spend less elsewhere (such as on food/souvenirs within the local tourism areas)? That is something myself and many more people will now have to ask ourselves. And this will have a negative impact on areas such as the Tohoku and Chubu regions which could do with the income from tourism.
But, I fear that a lot more tourists will been even more inclined to now only stick to Tokyo, and with maybe a few day trips to Nikko, Hakone or Kamakura....
The JR East Tohoku is not really worth it now, even worst when the price increases, as you could only use it 5 days consecutively and you can't really explore anything within 5 days for such a vast area from Tokyo to Aomori and back to Tokyo.
If I go to Japan in early Nov, will I be able to buy the JR Rail Pass at current prices before Oct 1 and activate the pass in Nov?
Used to get 2x+ value off the passes, now its barely a couple % even if i try, not worth the hassle to constrain my itenerary cause of that...
I wish JR releases a 28 day JR Pass. Or even a 35 day Pass.
John, I saw your update about Jr Rail pass fare increase coming October. how would be the increase if just travelling round Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto Hiroshima regions.
and which app do you use when on your videos you manage to flash info with video thanks.
regards mikel
Thanks for those comments, John. I'm comfortable enough buying tickets. Travelling solo, I can just buy tickets if the money doesn't work. If I come with family, other options, like bus, plane and even rental car may end up making more financial sense. But, convivence wise, trains may still make more sense.
You should have the Welcome Suica at the airport available. There are always other options :) or just tickets 🎫 which I still use quite often. I find that IC Cards, I spend MORE than I should like vending. Machines. It’s too easy! 😂
In regards to the Android phones, it kind of is Japan's fault because they decided to use Sony's patented technology to encrypt the ic cards. Most other places do not use the Sony patent. It only works on iPhones because Apple made the business decision to pay the licensing fee for that technology for all phones instead of most Android phones which only pay the license fee for those manufacture for the Japanese market.
However, most other markets do not use Sony's patent for things like eMoney transit passes. They still use NFC, just not this encryption that Sony developed
Good info! Thanks.
It can't be helped. Garbage foreign trash technology is unnecessary in Japan.
I attempted to add up all my trains and came up with roughly 100k. Thankfully i will be able to buy jr pass before the price increase.
Me and my wife will be arriving at around 8pm Japan time at Narita airport.. Will we be able to ride NEX or Keisei going to Tokyo? Is it advisable to buy a JR Pass since we are going to Kyoto, Osaka, Kawaguchiko then back to Tokyo?
A $150 grocery shop here in Australia around July 2022 is now about $220. Inflation has been intense. Totally sympathise with the Japanese. Also 110% bet that regular commuter Shinkansen tickets will increase in price. All balances out in the end.
Normal Economics, JP is overrun with Tourists, its logical that they rise the JR Pass Prices.
I think they were already raised in 2020 i think ?
Sadly i also took closely the golden Route in May. If i watched your Chn before i had let Kyoto out 😅 .
Tokyo, Kurobe, Osaka, Kyoto, Miyajima, Hiroshima.
JR Pass was 14 days around 380€ in Germany. Now 650€ i think i would buy maybe JR pass 7 days for expensive and travel heavy areas but 14 and 21 days doesnt make any sense anymore. Mostly single Shinkansen Ticket should be cheaper.
JR Pass was nice bc its more simple and time efficient to use than regular tickets. But now the price is so high that most people will travel less Shinkansen etc. and stay more on one place for the extra money..
If the loans go up in JP the local ticket Prices definitely will rise. At the moment JP only makes Money of tourists. If loans dont go up they cant raise ticket prices, People will go Bonkers.
So I don’t get it, will the JR PASS that covers all of Japan also increase in October or did that already increase a few months ago?
Old news. It’s going up 68-77% from Oct 1st. Regional Passes will also go up, Oct 1st. They just released this info - and the supplement fees for Nozomi and Mizuho Shinkansen trains.
@@onlyinjapanGO Damn.. was planning a trip with the wife for February. Thanks for the info. So does that mean that one way ticket trains will also increase in price or is it just the passes?
I am relieved I can still buy it at the old price before I travel all over Japan from mid october. Guess I`ll buy 21 Day JR Standard, JR East Pass, Hokuriko Arch Pass and maybe one other at the end of August, those will hopefully be enough to keep me covered while travelling. Rental Car is too expensive for me as a Solo Traveller and makes too much of a dent in my daily budget, as I am travelling for 111 days.
I wonder if renting a Car might be an option
The price increase, especially on the JR Pass, is outrageous. It's still a bargain though, if you travel via train all over Japan.
I agree! I also look at it as an investment in my peace of mind, as almost all travel expenses would be covered upfront. Stress free travel is where it's at! I think Japan Rail is probably banking on people like 😅
Hello , we cant buy it after the 25th september? im lost, i wanted to buy it at last day of september 28th or 29th because i come to japan the 25th december. 😶
Question on buying the pass in advance for Nov trip, what's meant by you can buy the ticket 3 months in advance but only book Shinkansen one month in advance? My trip will be near the end of Nov and I was planning to buy the pass in September.
This is useful to know if you plan to ride the NOZOMI and MIZUHO super express Shinkansen. You cannot book seats 💺 more than a month ahead. You can get the pass, just non-reserved but have to wait until a month before to get seats (reserved seating).
@@onlyinjapanGO Thanks for the answer!
@@onlyinjapanGO if I buy the pass 3 month in advance, (trip on November) can I reserve seats in October ,out of Japan or need to be there?
Didn't you mean the yen is weak!
I wont use a rail pass exactly as i just walk wheverver and get lost, as long as i have cash to go back on the train to a destination im slighly more familiar with then i just go that way.
Im not experienced in travel, but i expect most of this effects the typical traveler with plans and luggage, and not so much someone like myself just wondering about till i find something, idk
Our experience ( 4 trips) is the Passes aren’t worth it. Better to buy what and when you need them. Given you stay in places for 2-4 nights.
Very good information. I have got Visa .I will visit end of the AUG.i have got lot of valuable information from your chanel. ❤❤❤
Why r the trains so overcrowded? Tourism in Japan was 32 million in 2019 down to 3.8 million in 2022.
It’s not 2022. It’s 2023. Google the numbers 1/2023 to 6/2023 and understand that Japanese are NOT traveling abroad this year. Yen is too weak, most are staying domestic. Now do you see it? It’s like the perfect storm ⛈️ 😝 so hopefully they find a way to balance it out in 2024.
Thanks. Coming in Oct. Added up legs of our trip and 14 day rail pass is somewhat worth it at present cost. Just about break even. Would not buy at new rate especially if rates are increased per ride.
This absolutely destroys my way of life. I work in Tokyo but my family lives in Aomori. I can no longer afford to go back and see my family monthly.
The price increase should be not that much on several jr passes. The increased fees should allot more flexibility on the days of use.
Now people will buy tickets to kyoto and back and not venture elsewhere. Very poorly thought out plan, typical of japanese companies.
I still have my suica card from last year November.. Is it still valid for next year February? If I may ask is Tokyo Inn Asakusa Kuramae No.2 a good hotel?
Yes
I like how all the revised prices are rounded numbers. Clearly they did multiple calculations to arrive at the new prices...NOT.
Damn. That is a hike.
I feel sad having used pass many times last time in Feb for 3 weeks so glad I went then as I have been many trips so I will now fly or bus it .I have been 3 times to Hokkaido down to Nagisaki Fukuoka twice day trips to Morioka many trips Niagatta allover love to go to Kagishima but will fly or bus it .I hope it backfires and they lose money then may change it again .I think need to raise it but to much at once .
I guess I'll be buying individual shinkansen tickets 😅 i planed on going to fukuoka, hiroshima, hakone and tokyo 🫠
Just fly to Fukuoka. Much cheaper, faster, convenient :) then ride back hitting Hiroshima, Tokyo etc.
@onlyinjapanGO thats a great idea thank you!!
I can understand the logic of actually wanting less people to take the "golden route" as it's making places too crowded. In Europe both Venice and Amsterdam have banned large cruise ships from docking as a way to limit the number of tourists to reduce the insane overcrowding, so over tourism isn't a uniquely Japanese problem, it affects many places that have become too popular for their own good.
I think it would have been smart to do a smaller rise for regional passes though, to encourage people to try exploring less busy areas.
You’re right but JR is also not a public company, it’s private. They’re in it to make money to run the business not just tourism. Promoting Japan is in their benefit but so is making money and keeping their work force at full strengths
The Regional Passes are only going up not so much, as the JR Rail Pass itself.
That’s a relief but the JR EAST pass spike (20,000 to ¥30,000) is sad considering we want more to visit Tohoku, everyone in Japan wants that.
Wow... the price hikes are way too much. I'd think renting a car would be cheaper now, even if I'd have to pay for toll, parking, and petrol.
Gas prices are at a 15 year high (note) but yes, it’s maybe more fun to rent a car for part of the trip :)
@@onlyinjapanGO Oh, thanks for the info! I'll be sure to note that down. I do really want to explore the east of Japan in my next trip.
Honestly I couldn't care less about those passes since I find them super annoying to use: It takes a ton of research and planning just to find possible options and figure out the most valuable ones and then you have to plan, book and execute your whole stay around the passes and if anything goes wrong (say a typhoon hitting) you might even have to pay extra just to compensate for the inflexibility. Those passes are a niche product for backpackers and maybe youtubers, but for regular tourists they're pretty much useless; thinking that they might help underexposed regions is just a pipe dream in my opinion.
I thought that was already expensive.
why 50% increase for the two JR Tohoku five day passes ? .... I thought they really want people to explore Tohoku.....this is a turn off for many travelers planning to explore this area....I just hope they'll extend the validity to seven days
I don’t know, this upset me the most.
When you say “THEY” you mean the Japanese government and Tohoku prefectures. JR is a business - people will go there anyway 🤷🏻♂️ but not tourists so much, they over-estimate the weak yen and strong US dollar.
With this new jr pass price, sure people will cut down their days of stay in Japan, and only traveling to major cities with bus (budget) and plane. I will stay more than one week if I have jr pass in hand.
And go where? I think staying a day here and there isn’t so useful, is it? Spending 3 days some place is much better - or a week - in Kanazawa to get to know the city. Not sure why the pass would keep people longer. You can travel faster with it 😂
I'm fu**Ed because I'm going there next may. Payed for my flight and hotel in Tokyo AND Osaka
los japoneses se quejan de los shinkansen llenos de gente con maletas pero solo con el jrp se pueden tomar los hikari de tokyo a kyoto y cada vez hay menos frecuencias de estos trenes por eso se llenan de turistas.... me parece que un aumento del valor del pase es logico pero este tipo desproporcionado de aumento no lo es.
We purchased the 7 day rail pass which was Aus$306 which I don't consider cheap. I won't be buying it at the new prices, I will fly instead.
Its really expensive to travel around whole Japan by train.
I mean if I would want to visit south and north from Tokyo would pay almost the cost of airplane return ticket from Eu to Japan.
This is super 💩.
It should be cheaper, its putting me off to come to Japan
😱
I totally understand. It's still a value, considering JR is the best commuter system in the world. It's money well spent. Service, cleanliness, immaculate stations, and effectiveness are unmatched. I would gladly pay the fare hike if I were traveling to many Japanese cities and rural destinations. If not, the Suica & Passmo option is still a value.
YEN is recovering already. Few percentage points a day dude.
- Resident Economist
hi
Good decision. It is natural to increase price. I think a tourist tax should be made in Japan. Banning immigration is important. Foreign trash are unnecessary in Japan. All prices for foreigners should be increased immediately. A 30% tax on all foreign goods import should also be made.