Can I ride the Nozomi & Mizuho Shinkansen with the Japan Rail Pass?
- Published on : 24/01/2025
- by : Joshua
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The Shinkansen bullet train is hailed as one of the most premium and efficient means of rail travel in the entire world, making it a popular choice for visitors to Japan who are engaging in travel between different destinations throughout the country.
In conjunction with these high-speed trains, many travelers often opt to buy the Japan Rail Pass, a specialized travel pass that allows unlimited access to many different transportation services, including both local train and cross-country Shinkansen bullet trains, conveniently and all at one price. However, for those traversing between Tokyo, Kansai, and Chugoku, Nozomi Shinkansen trains are some of the most premier forms of transportation in all of Japan, bringing travelers to staple destinations quickly, comfortably, and efficiently. Even for those whose itineraries do not call for a Japan Rail Pass, tickets to destinations like Kyoto, Osaka, and Odawara from Tokyo using the Nozomi Shinkansen bullet train are sure to be a treat!
However, due to this express, luxurious service, many ask the question, "Can I ride the Nozomi Shinkansen with the Japan Rail Pass?"
Yes, however, there is an additional surcharge for riding the Nozomi Shinkansen with the Japan Rail Pass.
In this article, we go into more detail about accessing these express Shinkansen as a Japan Rail Pass holder.
Riding the Nozomi & Mizuho Shinkansen
The most efficient and fast of these Shinkansen bullet trains are the Nozomi and Mizuho bullet trains that traverse between Tokyo and Hakata and a number of destinations in between, such as Yokohama, Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and more. This makes this set of Shinkansen bullet trains especially convenient for those traveling on the "Golden Route," an itinerary that incorporates train travel between Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hiroshima. However, many pass holders ask if these specialized bullet trains are able to be ridden with the Japan Rail Pass.
The short answer is that YES, the Nozomi and Mizuho Shinkansen bullet trains CAN be ridden with the Japan Rail Pass. HOWEVER, there is an additional charge to ride these high-speed bullet trains that differ by the distance being traveled.
The Nozomi & Mizuho Shinkansen with the Japan Rail Pass
While the trains aren’t 100% included with the new Japan Rail Pass price, this added flexibility will certainly serve as a plus for many travelers to Japan, especially if it’s their first time.
The additional fees for the most common routes are displayed below:
- Tokyo > Kyoto: 4960 yen
- Tokyo > Shin Osaka: 4960 yen
- Tokyo > Hiroshima: 6500 yen
- Tokyo > Hakata: 8140 yen
- Shin-Osaka > Hiroshima: 4,170 yen
- Shin-Osaka > Hakata: 4,960 yen
- Hakata > Kagoshima-Chuo: 4,500 yen
Shinkansen Nozomi
MaedaAkihiko, Wikimedia Commons
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Without the Japan Rail Pass, here is a listing of usual fares for common trips with the Nozomi Shinkansen when purchasing individual, one-way tickets:
- Tokyo > Kyoto: 14,834 yen
- Tokyo > Shin Osaka: 15,446 yen
- Tokyo > Hiroshima: 18,012 yen
- Shin-Osaka > Hiroshima: 9,692 yen
- Shin-Osaka > Hakata: 14,455 yen
Benefits of the Nozomi & Mizuho Shinkansen bullet trains for your next trip to Japan
With the Japan Rail Pass, JR's vast network of trains and other public transportation will be an essential part of your travels. Being some of the fastest and most convenient Shinkansen bullet trains available to travelers, riding the Nozomi and Mizuho Shinkansen bullet trains presents riders with a great option for seeing some of Japan's most essential destinations. For first-time travelers, these will be great trains for getting to each destination on their itineraries and seeing how fast and accommodating Japan's Shinkansen can be.
Of course, with there still being an additional fee needed to board the trains, travelers ought to not feel obligated to take them throughout their entire trip, but if such fits into a given itinerary or becomes more time-effective, these trains will be very much worth considering.
Even for visitors to Japan who are not using JR Passes, they will see the benefits from a ride on the Nozomi or Mizuho Shinkansen. Out to Kyoto, the Nozomi will take only 132 minutes to arrive from Tokyo, as opposed to a Kodama Shinkansen that takes 219 minutes. Additionally, the Hikari and Kodama Shinkansen do NOT go directly to Kyoto and some other key destinations and require a transfer. Tack on the fact that there are usually 12 Nozomi Shinkansen departures every hour from Tokyo out to Kansai, and it's easy to see why the Nozomi is so highly regarded. Be sure to benefit from these Shinkansen bullet trains if you are going from Tokyo, Kansai, or Chugoku and back on your next trip to Japan!
The different types of Nozomi Trains
There are four models of Nozomi currently running: the 300, 500, 700 and N700 series. The N700 series is the latest and has electrical sockets in all Green Car seats and in the window seats and end-of-car seats of the ordinary cars. The N700 Nozomi trains also have Wi-Fi on the Tokaido Line section.
The Nozomi achieves speeds of up to 285 km/h on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line (i.e., Tokyo to Nagoya) and 300 km/h on the Sanyo Shinkansen Line (Nagoya to Hakata).
Some typical travel times on the Nozomi:
- Tokyo to Nagoya: about 1 hour and 40 minutes
- Tokyo to Kyoto: about 2 hours 20 minutes
- Tokyo to Shin-Osaka: about 2 hours 35 minutes
- Tokyo to Hiroshima: about 4 hours
- Tokyo to Hakata: about 5 hours 15 minutes.
