JR Tohoku-South Hokkaido Rail Pass
JR trains across Tohoku from Shin-Shirakawa north to Hakodate, Sapporo and Otaru for 6 days, including shinkansen
JR Hokkaido, JR East
Adults from¥32,000Price checked 2026/09/27
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Fares
| Ticket | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| 6 consecutive days | ¥32,000¥5,333 a day | ¥16,000¥2,667 a day |
Child fares are for ages 6 to 11. From age 12, the adult fare applies.
Prices for passes sold from 2026/03/14.
Is the JR Tohoku-South Hokkaido Rail Pass worth it?
- You go from Sendai to Hokkaido and back: Sendai to Sapporo and back costs ¥49,720 in reserved seats, against ¥32,000 for the pass.
- Even Sendai to Hakodate and back is ¥37,440, so a trip that reaches Hokkaido pays off.
- You start in Sendai, Morioka or Aomori, with no rides south of Shin-Shirakawa.
- You stay in Tohoku: Sendai to Shin-Aomori and back is ¥23,280, below the pass price.
- You start in Tokyo: Tokyo to Shin-Shirakawa is outside the area and costs ¥6,900 each way, so this pass plus two of those tickets (¥45,800) costs more than the JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass at ¥40,000.
- You need Asahikawa, Furano or Biei, which are outside the area.
Fares are regular-season reserved-seat fares.
What's covered
- The Tohoku, Akita and Yamagata Shinkansen north of Shin-Shirakawa, and the Hokkaido Shinkansen to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto, in ordinary-car reserved seats
- JR East lines in Tohoku, including BRT, as far south as Shirasaka, Yamatsuriyama, Nakoso, Tadami and Murakami
- JR Hokkaido lines around Hakodate, Sapporo and Otaru, as far as Kutchan, Toya, Noboribetsu, Muroran and New Chitose Airport
- The Aoimori Railway, Iwate Galaxy Railway (IGR) and Sendai Airport Transit
- Travel south of Shin-Shirakawa, towards Tokyo
- Asahikawa, Furano and Biei in Hokkaido
- The South Hokkaido Railway
- Green Cars, as the pass covers ordinary cars only
How to use it
The pass runs for 6 consecutive days from the start date you choose, and it works in the automatic ticket gates. It includes reserved seats in ordinary cars: book them at a reserved seat ticket machine, or online on JR-EAST Train Reservation.
If you won't take a train you have a seat on, cancel the reservation before it leaves. Once the start date is set, it can't be changed.
Before you buy
The pass is for foreign nationals with a non-Japanese passport; Japanese nationals can't use it. The person who will use the pass must show their own original passport to buy or collect it; a copy is not accepted, and family members can't buy it for them.
There are several ways to buy it. Book online on JR-EAST Train Reservation, buy at a reserved seat ticket machine with a passport reader (you need a passport with an IC chip), or buy at a JR East Travel Service Center. You can also buy a voucher from a travel agency before you arrive and exchange it, with your passport, at a Travel Service Center.
Refunds: an unused pass can be refunded at the place you bought it, within its validity period, for a set fee. A booking on JR-EAST Train Reservation that you haven't collected can be cancelled online free of charge until 23:50 (Japan time) on the day before the pass starts. Vouchers go back to the travel agency. No refund is given for a reserved seat after the train has left.
Questions
Does the JR Tohoku-South Hokkaido Rail Pass cover Tokyo?
No. The pass area starts at Shin-Shirakawa and runs north, so the shinkansen to Tokyo is not covered.
Does it go to Sapporo?
Yes. JR Hokkaido lines around Hakodate, Sapporo and Otaru are covered, as far as New Chitose Airport, Noboribetsu and Kutchan.
Can I use it to Asahikawa or Furano?
No. Asahikawa, Furano and Biei are outside the pass area.
Can foreign residents of Japan use it?
Yes. Any foreign national with a non-Japanese passport can use it.
Can I use the automatic ticket gates?
Yes. The pass works in the automatic gates.
Do children need their own pass?
Children aged 6 to 11 need a child pass, ¥16,000.
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