How the math works
Add what you would pay in single tickets, then compare it with the pass that covers the days your legs span. Our single fares are adult, one way, reserved seat, standard season: the ticket a first-timer actually buys without a pass.
That means a reserved Nozomi on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen, the JR rapid where nobody takes an express (Kyoto–Osaka ¥580, Kyoto–Nara ¥720), and the ¥2,200 HARUKA One-way Ticket from Kansai Airport to Kyoto. JR scrapped the 10% discount on long return tickets on 14 March 2026, so a round trip is simply two one-ways. JR East raised fares the same day, so older calculators under-count Tohoku and Hokuriku legs.
The window matters as much as the legs. A 7-day pass covers 7 consecutive days. If your long rides are spread over 12 days, you need the 14-day pass, and at ¥80,000 that almost never pays on a first trip.
Official site or reseller: which price is real?
Both, from 1 October 2026. Overseas agents and resellers, Klook included, charge ¥53,000 / ¥84,000 / ¥105,000. The official JAPAN RAIL PASS online site keeps ¥50,000 / ¥80,000 / ¥100,000 "for a limited period".
JR says it will announce the end of that period once decided; as of 27 Sept 2026 no date is published. The calculator shows both prices on every line. If the pass only wins at the official price, the verdict tells you to buy direct.
Nozomi and Mizuho: the hidden extra
The pass does not include the fastest trains. Since October 2023 you can ride Nozomi and Mizuho only with a special ticket bought in Japan: ¥4,960 Tokyo–Kyoto or Tokyo–Shin-Osaka, ¥6,500 Tokyo–Hiroshima, per ride.
Hikari, Sakura and Kodama stay free. On Tokyo–Kyoto the Hikari takes about 2h35 against 2h10. Tick the Nozomi box only if you would really pay for the speed: on the default trip it adds ¥15,630.
Break-even table: five classic trips
Only one of five classic trips clearly beats the 7-day pass: the Kyushu week. The classic 14-day trip wins by ¥1,690 only if all its legs fit in 7 days and you buy on the official site.
- Golden Route: Tokyo – Kyoto – Osaka – Tokyo
- Hokuriku arc: Narita – Tokyo – Kanazawa – Kyoto – Osaka – Kansai Airport
- Hiroshima loop: Tokyo – Kyoto – Hiroshima – Tokyo
- Classic 14-day trip: Narita – Tokyo – Kyoto, Nara day trip, Hiroshima, Miyajima day trip – Tokyo (our default)
- Kyushu week: Tokyo – Kyoto – Hiroshima – Hakata – Tokyo
| Itinerary | Single tickets | Pass ¥50,000 (official) | Pass ¥53,000 (resellers) | Nozomi tickets | Cheaper option |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Route | ¥29,470 | Lose ¥20,530 | Lose ¥23,530 | +¥9,920 | Single tickets |
| Hokuriku arc | ¥27,220 | Lose ¥22,780 | Lose ¥25,780 | None needed | Single tickets |
| Hiroshima loop | ¥45,870 | Lose ¥4,130 | Lose ¥7,130 | +¥15,630 | Single tickets |
| Classic 14-day trip | ¥51,690 | Save ¥1,690 | Lose ¥1,310 | +¥15,630 | Toss-up: official site only, and only if it fits in 7 days |
| Kyushu week | ¥59,550 | Save ¥9,550 | Save ¥6,550 | +¥20,670 | 7-day pass |
JR Pass price history
The 7-day pass cost ¥29,650 until September 2023. At reseller prices it is now ¥53,000, up 79% in three years. The big jump came on 1 October 2023; the October 2026 rise is smaller and, for now, skips the official site.
| Period | 7 days | 14 days | 21 days | 7-day change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2014 – Sep 2019 (8% tax) (pending official check) | ¥29,110 | ¥46,390 | ¥59,350 | — |
| Oct 2019 – Sep 2023 | ¥29,650 | ¥47,250 | ¥60,450 | — |
| From 1 Oct 2023 | ¥50,000 | ¥80,000 | ¥100,000 | +69% |
| From 1 Oct 2026 — official site (limited period) | ¥50,000 | ¥80,000 | ¥100,000 | +69% |
| From 1 Oct 2026 — agents & resellers | ¥53,000 | ¥84,000 | ¥105,000 | +79% |
JR Pass prices from 1 October 2026
Every class and age has two prices from 1 October 2026. Children are 6 to 11 at the time of use.
| Pass | 7 days | 14 days | 21 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary, adult | ¥50,000 official site ¥53,000 resellers | ¥80,000 official site ¥84,000 resellers | ¥100,000 official site ¥105,000 resellers |
| Ordinary, child (6–11) pending official check | ¥25,000 official site ¥27,000 resellers | ¥40,000 official site ¥42,000 resellers | ¥50,000 official site ¥53,000 resellers |
| Green, adult pending official check | ¥70,000 official site ¥74,000 resellers | ¥110,000 official site ¥116,000 resellers | ¥140,000 official site ¥147,000 resellers |
| Green, child (6–11) pending official check | ¥35,000 official site ¥37,000 resellers | ¥55,000 official site ¥58,000 resellers | ¥70,000 official site ¥74,000 resellers |
Ordinary adult prices and the 7-day Green (¥74,000) and 7-day child (¥27,000) reseller prices are confirmed against the JR Group notice. The other Green and child reseller prices come from secondary sources.
The fares behind the calculator
Every fare has a source and a check date. Fares marked "pending official check" come from fare-search sites, because JR's own fare pages were not reachable from our checker.
| Leg | Single fare | Nozomi ticket | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narita Airport – Tokyo N'EX, reserved | ¥3,140 | Not needed | 17 Sept 2026 |
| Haneda Airport – Hamamatsucho Tokyo Monorail (JR Pass valid) | ¥520 | Not needed | 17 Sept 2026 |
| Kansai Airport – Kyoto Haruka (HARUKA One-way Ticket) Tourist ticket price; ¥3,590 walk-up reserved. | ¥2,200 | Not needed | 27 Sept 2026 |
| Kansai Airport – Osaka JR Kansai Airport Rapid Pass holders take the Haruka to Shin-Osaka. | ¥1,180 pending official check | Not needed | 1 Sept 2026 |
| Tokyo – Kyoto Nozomi, reserved Hikari reserved ¥13,850. | ¥14,170 | ¥4,960 | 14 Aug 2026 |
| Tokyo – Shin-Osaka Nozomi, reserved | ¥14,720 | ¥4,960 | 14 Aug 2026 |
| Tokyo – Nagoya Nozomi, reserved | ¥11,300 pending official check | ¥4,180 | 28 Sept 2026 |
| Kyoto – Nagoya Nozomi, reserved | ¥5,910 pending official check | ¥2,530 | 28 Sept 2026 |
| Kyoto – Osaka JR Special Rapid | ¥580 | Not needed | 14 Aug 2026 |
| Kyoto – Nara JR Miyakoji Rapid | ¥720 pending official check | Not needed | 1 Sept 2026 |
| Osaka – Nara JR Yamatoji Rapid Kintetsu from Namba is ¥680 but not JR. | ¥840 pending official check | Not needed | 27 Sept 2026 |
| Kyoto – Himeji Hikari, reserved Unreserved ¥4,740. JR Special Rapid is ¥2,210 (about 1h30). Kansai-Hiroshima Pass: Special Rapid to Shin-Osaka, then the Sanyo Shinkansen, both covered. | ¥5,270 pending official check | Not needed | 28 Sept 2026 |
| Kyoto – Hiroshima Nozomi, reserved | ¥11,940 | ¥4,170 | 14 Aug 2026 |
| Shin-Osaka – Hiroshima Nozomi, reserved | ¥10,950 pending official check | ¥4,170 | 28 Sept 2026 |
| Hiroshima – Miyajima JR to Miyajimaguchi + JR ferry ¥420 train + ¥200 ferry; ¥100 island tax not covered. | ¥620 pending official check | Not needed | 27 Sept 2026 |
| Hiroshima – Tokyo Nozomi, reserved | ¥19,760 | ¥6,500 | 14 Aug 2026 |
| Hiroshima – Hakata Nozomi, reserved | ¥9,630 | ¥3,400 | 14 Aug 2026 |
| Shin-Osaka – Hakata Nozomi/Mizuho, reserved | ¥16,020 pending official check | ¥4,960 | 28 Sept 2026 |
| Hakata – Tokyo Nozomi, reserved | ¥23,810 | ¥8,140 | 14 Aug 2026 |
| Tokyo – Nikko (JR route) Shinkansen to Utsunomiya + JR Nikko Line Unreserved ¥5,260. Tobu from Asakusa is cheaper but not JR. | ¥5,790 pending official check | Not needed | 28 Sept 2026 |
| Tokyo – Odawara (for Hakone) Hikari/Kodama, reserved Hakone itself is not JR. | ¥3,810 pending official check | Not needed | 28 Sept 2026 |
| Tokyo – Mishima (for Fuji) Hikari/Kodama, reserved | ¥4,600 pending official check | Not needed | 28 Sept 2026 |
| Tokyo – Karuizawa Asama/Hakutaka, reserved | ¥6,130 pending official check | Not needed | 28 Sept 2026 |
| Tokyo – Nagano Kagayaki, reserved | ¥8,450 pending official check | Not needed | 28 Sept 2026 |
| Tokyo – Sendai Hayabusa, reserved | ¥11,630 pending official check | Not needed | 28 Sept 2026 |
| Tokyo – Kanazawa Kagayaki, reserved | ¥14,600 pending official check | Not needed | 28 Sept 2026 |
| Kanazawa – Kyoto Hokuriku Shinkansen + Thunderbird via Tsuruga | ¥7,720 pending official check | Not needed | 28 Sept 2026 |
Deeper dives: is the JR Pass worth it, regional JR pass itineraries, how to book Shinkansen tickets online and our 14-day Japan itinerary.