Hokuriku Arch Pass

The Hokuriku Arch Pass is one of Japan’s most scenic rail deals, connecting Tokyo and Osaka the long and beautiful way through the Hokuriku region. Instead of racing down the Tokaido line, you loop through Nagano, Kanazawa, Toyama and Fukui, taking in the Japan Alps, samurai districts and coastal towns that most first time visitors never see. For a return trip between Tokyo and Kansai with stops along the way, it can work out cheaper and far more memorable than buying tickets leg by leg.

What the Hokuriku Arch Pass covers

The pass gives you seven consecutive days of unlimited travel on JR trains between Tokyo and Osaka along the northern arc through Hokuriku. The two workhorses of the route are the Hokuriku Shinkansen, which now runs all the way from Tokyo to Tsuruga, and the Limited Express Thunderbird, which carries you from Tsuruga down through Kyoto to Osaka. Everything in ordinary class is included, and seat reservations are free.

• Hokuriku Shinkansen between Tokyo and Tsuruga, including the Kagayaki, Hakutaka, Asama and Tsurugi services
• Limited Express Thunderbird between Tsuruga and Osaka via Kyoto
• All JR local and rapid trains within greater Tokyo and greater Osaka
• Narita Express to and from Tokyo, and the Haruka to and from Kansai Airport
• Tokyo Monorail to Haneda Airport
• A few short private sections such as the IR Ishikawa Railway near Kanazawa and the Ainokaze Toyama Railway

The one thing it does not cover is the fast Tokaido or Sanyo Shinkansen, so you cannot use it for the quick two hour hop between Tokyo and Kyoto. Trading a little speed for a lot of scenery is the whole idea of the pass.

Is the Hokuriku Arch Pass worth it?

The pass pays off when you make a return journey between Tokyo and the Kansai cities and treat the Hokuriku region as part of the trip rather than a detour. A one way Tokyo to Kanazawa fare on the Hokuriku Shinkansen already costs a large share of the pass price, so adding the return leg and several days of local travel in Tokyo and Osaka tips the balance in your favour. If you only need a single one way trip between Tokyo and Osaka, ordinary tickets are usually the cheaper choice.

Highlights along the route

Half the value of this pass is what you can see without paying extra along the way.

• Kanazawa for the Kenrokuen garden, the preserved Higashi Chaya geisha district and the gold leaf crafts the city is famous for
• Toyama as the gateway to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route and its striking glass art museum
• Nagano for the Zenkoji temple and the snow monkeys of Jigokudani in winter
• Fukui for the world class dinosaur museum and the sea cliffs at Tojinbo
• Karuizawa as an easy mountain resort stop straight off the Shinkansen

Seat reservations and non JR sections

Seat reservations are included at no extra cost, so you can reserve a place on the Hokuriku Shinkansen and the Thunderbird limited express before you travel. The one exception is the Hayabusa and Komachi services between Tokyo and Omiya, where pass holders ride in the non reserved cars only. You can book seats at JR ticket offices or from the ticket machines, though the machines cap you at six reservations at a time while ticket offices have no limit.

A few short stretches of the route run on private railways rather than JR, and the pass still covers them. You can ride the IR Ishikawa Railway between Kanazawa and Tsubata and the Ainokaze Toyama Railway between Toyama and Takaoka without buying a separate ticket. If you travel beyond the pass area you simply pay the fare for that section on the train or at the station.

How to buy and activate

You reserve the Hokuriku Arch Pass online before you fly, then collect the physical pass at a major station once you arrive in Japan. Ticket offices and passport reader machines at Tokyo, Narita, Kanazawa, Osaka and Kansai Airport can all issue it. When you collect it you choose the start date, and the seven day clock runs on calendar days from that date rather than in 24 hour blocks, so plan your first day to make the most of it.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the Hokuriku Arch Pass?

It costs ¥35,000 for an adult and ¥17,500 for a child aged 6 to 11, for seven consecutive days of travel. There is no green car version.

Does it cover the fast train from Tokyo to Kyoto?

No. The pass uses the Hokuriku Shinkansen and the Thunderbird rather than the Tokaido Shinkansen, so the journey between Tokyo and Kansai runs through the Hokuriku region instead of the direct coastal route.

Can residents of Japan use it?

No. Like most tourist rail passes it is only for foreign visitors entering Japan on a Temporary Visitor status.

Are seat reservations included?

Yes. Seat reservations are free and worth making in busy periods. You can reserve at station ticket offices and at selected ticket machines.

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