JR Tohoku South Hokkaido Rail Pass
The JR Tohoku South Hokkaido Rail Pass is a rail pass for exclusive use by foreign tourists, providing unlimited travel on JR trains (including shinkansen and limited express trains) in the Tohoku region and southern Hokkaido on six consecutive days.
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24,000 yen |
Below is a simplified map of major train lines that can be used with the pass:

Validity
- Unlimited use of trains operated by JR in the Tohoku Region (Fukushima, Miyagi, Yamagata, Akita, Iwate and Aomori Prefectures) and southern Hokkaido (as far as Sapporo), including shinkansen, limited express trains and local trains. The BRT buses along the Sanriku Coast are also covered.
- There are a small number of JR trains, which partially run on the tracks of different railway companies. When riding along a non-JR owned section, pass holders will have to pay the fare for the non-JR section on board of the train or at the station. Only the following non-JR train lines can also be used with the JR Tohoku South Hokkaido Rail Pass:
- Seat reservations can be made for free.
- The pass is valid on six consecutive calendar days (midnight to midnight).
- Only foreign visitors to Japan (on temporary visitor status) can use the pass. It cannot be used by residents of Japan.
Points of sale
The JR Tohoku South Hokkaido Rail Pass can be purchased online, from 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.
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Assessment
The JR Tohoku South Hokkaido Rail Pass can be a good value for those making a trip around southern Hokkaido and Tohoku. At 24,000 yen, the pass costs roughly the same as a regular one way ticket between Sendai and Sapporo. Travelers starting and/or ending their trip in Tokyo could consider the similar JR East South Hokkaido Rail Pass which additionally covers the Kanto Region around Tokyo.
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