Kansai Wide Area Pass
Kansai to Okayama, Takamatsu, Kinosaki Onsen, Amanohashidate, Tottori and Shirahama, incl. the Sanyo Shinkansen to Okayama
JR West
Adults from¥12,000Price checked 2026/09/26
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Fares
| Ticket | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| 5 days | ¥12,000¥2,400 a day | ¥6,000¥1,200 a day |
Child fares are for ages 6 to 11. From age 12, the adult fare applies. Each pass holder can bring up to two children aged 1 to 5 for free; a third needs a child pass. Babies under 1 ride free. Age is counted on the date the exchange order is issued or the pass is bought.
Is the Kansai Wide Area Pass worth it?
- You go Osaka to Okayama and back on the shinkansen: that's ¥12,920 in single tickets, already more than the ¥12,000 pass.
- You make a long trip out of Osaka: Kinosaki Onsen on the Konotori or Shirahama on the Kuroshio is ¥6,140 each way, so one round trip clears the pass on its own, and Tottori on the Super Hakuto is ¥7,520 one way.
- You're heading to Hiroshima: the shinkansen west of Okayama isn't covered, so the Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass (¥17,000) fits better.
- You stay in Osaka, Kyoto and Nara: JR rides between them cost ¥580 to ¥840, and the Kansai Area Pass or Kansai Mini Pass costs far less.
Fares are regular-season reserved-seat fares.
What's covered
- Sanyo Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Okayama, Nozomi and Mizuho included, in reserved and non-reserved ordinary seats
- Limited expresses in the area, including the Haruka, Kuroshio, Konotori and Super Hakuto
- Special Rapid, Rapid and Local trains on JR-West and JR-Shikoku conventional lines in the area, to Takamatsu across the Seto Ohashi bridge
- Kyoto Tango Railway to Amanohashidate, Chizu Express and Wakayama Electric Railway
- West Japan JR Bus local buses in the area
- Tokaido Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Tokyo
- Sanyo Shinkansen between Okayama and Hakata, and the Kyushu Shinkansen
- Green Cars and sleeper cars, which need separate tickets
- Paid seats such as the Special Rapid "A-Seat"
- Expressway buses
How to use it
The pass runs for 5 consecutive days, from 0:00 on the first day to 24:00 on the last (Japan time). If it expires while you're on a train on the last day, you can finish that journey as long as you stay on the train and don't leave the station.
Reserved ordinary-car seats are included. Book them at a ticket machine or a JR ticket office before boarding; from the seventh booking onward they must be made at a JR ticket office. Trains with only reserved seats have no non-reserved option, so book before you ride.
Before you buy
Requires a passport issued by a foreign government and entry to Japan as a Temporary Visitor. Japanese nationals are not eligible, even with permanent residence abroad. You can hold only one pass for the same dates.
There are three ways to buy it: an exchange order from a travel agency outside Japan (exchange it within 3 months of issue), JR-West's own online reservation site from one month before travel (credit card only), or a travel agency in Japan up to one month ahead. Either way you show your passport to collect the pass.
Once you exchange the order, the start date can't be changed. An unused pass can be refunded at an exchange location in Japan for a 10% fee (at least ¥220), but not after the first day of use.
Questions
Does the Kansai Wide Area Pass cover the shinkansen?
Only the Sanyo Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Okayama, in reserved or non-reserved ordinary seats. The Tokaido Shinkansen (Shin-Osaka to Kyoto and Tokyo) is not included, so ride JR conventional trains to Kyoto instead.
Can I use it on the Haruka from Kansai Airport?
Yes. Reserved seats on the Haruka limited express are included, like the other limited expresses in the area.
How many seat reservations can I make?
As many as you like, at no extra cost. The first six can be booked at a ticket machine or JR ticket office; from the seventh booking onward, only at a JR ticket office.
Who can buy it?
Travellers with a passport issued by a foreign government who enter Japan as a Temporary Visitor. Japanese nationals can't use it, including those with permanent residence abroad.
Do children need their own pass?
Children aged 6 to 11 need a child pass (¥6,000); 12 and over pay the adult fare. Each pass holder can bring up to two children aged 1 to 5 for free, as long as they don't take a reserved seat of their own. Babies under 1 ride free.
Can I change the start date or get a refund?
The start date can't be changed once the exchange order is swapped for the pass. An unused pass can be refunded at an exchange location in Japan, minus a 10% fee (at least ¥220). There are no refunds after the first day of use, or for delays and cancellations.
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