Kansai Thru Pass

Hi everyone,

My husband and I are planning to visit the Kansai area and are not sure whether or not to purchase a Kansai Thru pass. Our hotel is very close to the Nagahoribashi Station. Below is our preliminary itinerary. Please recommend which days we should use the Kansai Thru Pass or if we should switch our itinerary around. We are also planning to get a ICOCA with round trip Haruka for airport transfers.

Day 1 Osaka to Fushimi Inari Taisha

Day 2 Osaka to Arashiyama & Ryoan Ji & Kinkakuji

Day 3 Osaka Castle & Arima Onsen

Day 4 Arima Onsen to Nara Park

Day 5 Osaka to Nishiki Market & Kiyomizu Dera & Ninenzaka, Sannenzaka steps (historical street) & Hanamikoji Dori (Gion)

Or should we get a different type of pass instead?

Thank you very much in advance for your recommendation.

I don't think a Kansai Thru Pass will pay off. Just using Icoca for everything is unlikely to be more expensive, and it is more convenient.

Kansai Thru passes cost 4000/5200 for 2 or 3 day options. or 1733 to 2000 yen per day.

Osaka to Fishimi Inari and return will be 1100-1300 yen for the day via Keihan Mainline. Same for for Arashiyama (Hankyu) and Kiyomizudera (Keihan) on their days.

Unless you are going to Himeji and Koyasan, I wouldn't bother with the Kansai Thru pass.

If you use google maps for your start and finish locations, you will have your costs per day.

Actually looking at your Arashiyama day. It might just pay itself off.

610 yen each direction to Arashiyama. 500 yen for a Randen all day pass. 220 each direction for bus to Kinkajuku. Total 2160 yen.

I didn't do the costings for the other days. But you can google it.

Day1 = 1220 yen
Day2 = 2160
Day3 = 1730
Day4 = 2400
Day 5 = 1280

hakata14 Thank you very much. You have everything figured out!

It looks like I can save some money if I buy the 3 day pass.

I have google my routes before but am not sure the pass will come in handy because I don't know what the pass cover and what it does not.

Could you tell me the routes I should take to make use of the pass?

Thank you!

I just google mapped the routes and then google normally gives you a few options to pick from. Just click on the ones that don't have any JR West line options within them.

to fishimi-inari
https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/Nagahoribashi/Fushimi-Inari/@34.669...

to arashiyama
https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/Nagahoribashi/Arashiyama/@34.721679...

arima onsen to nara
https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/Arimaonsen/Kintetsu-Nara/@34.823718...

kiyomizudera/gion (2 options)
https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/Nagahoribashi+/Kiyomizu-Gojo/@34.83...
or
https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/Nagahoribashi+/Kawaramachi/@34.8393...

One thing I found was that if you do get the pass. It will only save you 1090 yen in total for days 2+3+4 if you buy a 3 days pass for these days. Day 1 and 5 don't need a pass.

Only using private railways and ignoring the JR lines made some options slower and more difficult also. Especially the to and from Arima Onsen and Osaka castle days.

Is saving 1090 yen with worth the inflexibility of only using private railways?

I notice though that on your Fishimi Inari day that you only have said temple to visit on that day. If you go to the top of the mountain walk, you'll only need 3 hours or so to complete. So if you do other stuff that day, maybe it will cost you more, and not be covered buy a pass???

hakata14 ,

Thank you so much for looking up the information!

Yes. I agree with you. Saving 1090 yen is not worth the slower and more complicated travel.

We will just get the ICOCA card with the discounted round trip Haruka tickets for the purpose of airport transportation.

Thank you again for your detailed and insightful advice!

For Fushimi-Inari day and especially for Kiyomizudera-Gion day you can try Keihan's Sightseeing Pass
http://www.keihan.co.jp/travel/en/tickets/special-sightseeing-pass.htm...

1 day is 700 yen so it really pays off!