JR Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass

The JR Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass is a rail pass for exclusive use by foreign tourists. It provides pass holders with seven consecutive days of unlimited travel on designated train and bus lines (including shinkansen and limited express trains) in the Kansai Region, Hokuriku Region and Okayama. It roughly combines the coverage areas of the Kansai Wide Area Pass and Hokuriku Area Pass into a single pass.

Purchase the Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass

Validity

1. Unlimited use of local, rapid and limited express JR trains along the lines shown on the map above.
2. Unlimited use of of the Sanyo Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Okayama and on the Hokuriku Shinkansen between Kanazawa and Joetsu Myoko. However, the Tokaido Shinkansen between Kyoto and Osaka is not covered.
3. Up to six seat reservations can be made at no additional cost.
4. Unlimited use of the IR Ishikawa Railway between Kanazawa and Tsubata to access the JR Nanao Line and of the Ainokaze Toyama Railway between Toyama and Takaoka to access the JR Himi and Johana Lines; however, it is not allowed to get on and off at any stations in between. The liner surcharge for Ainokaze Liner trains is not covered.
5. Unlimited use of the Kyoto Tango Railway, which provides access to Amanohashidate.
6. Unlimited use of the Wakayama Railway.
7. Unlimited use of local JR buses around Kyoto and Kanazawa.
8. Free use of rental bicycles at designated Ekirin Kun outlets within the covered area.
9. The pass is valid on seven consecutive calendar days (midnight to midnight).
10. Only foreign visitors to Japan (with temporary visitor status) can use the JR Hokuriku Area Pass. It cannot be used by residents of Japan.
11. The pass can only be used by a single person. It cannot be transferred between multiple persons. The pass holder has to carry his/her passport at all times.

Points of sale

The JR Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass can purchased online, at selected travel agents outside of Japan and at major railway stations in the area covered. If purchasing the pass outside of Japan or via the internet, the actual pass has to be picked up at a major station in the area covered before use.

Purchase the Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass

Assessment

The JR Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass is of excellent value for travelers visiting the Kansai and Hokuriku regions. For example, it costs about the same as a round trip between Osaka and Kanazawa. The pass provides access to most major tourist destinations in the Kansai Region; Okayama, Kurashiki and Naoshima west of Osaka; and many destinations in the Hokuriku Region including Kanazawa, Fukui, the Noto Peninsula and the Kurobe Gorge. If used well, it can provide large savings over regular tickets.

Alternative tickets

The coverage area of the Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass corresponds roughly to the combined coverage areas of the Kansai Wide Area Pass and Hokuriku Area Pass (except that the Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass includes the Hokuriku Shinkansen as far as Joetsu Myoko, but does not include Takamatsu). The Kansai Wide Area Pass costs 10,000 yen for five days and the Hokuriku Area Pass costs 5,090 yen for four days, which together can be the better value than the Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass (17,000 yen for seven days).