Our 4 recommended train itineraries with the 14-day JR Pass
View of Mount Koya from a train.
© Nuno Antunes, Unsplash
Take advantage of the JR Pass (or Japan Rail Pass) to travel comfortably on JR trains and buses in every corner of Japan!
Of the 3 types of JR Pass national tickets (7, 14 and 21 days), the 14-day ticket is surely the most advantageous of all in terms of price and time. Its duration is optimal for visiting several regions during your stay and spending enough time in a few cities. As with all JR Passes, you're not obliged to activate it as soon as you arrive on Japanese soil, and can choose the activation date (within thirty days of exchange) that best suits your complete travel itinerary. In addition to access to countless JR intramural lines in major cities, the JR Pass allows you to use the convenient Shinkansen 🚅, Japan's high-speed trains. Here are a few itineraries worth a couple of JR Pass-compatible weeks.
Route 1: Honshu's must-sees
The 14-day Japan Rail Pass allows you to see all the most famous sights, staying long enough to enjoy them all. To begin this itinerary, Nikko for its temples and Hakone for Mount Fuji are obvious stops. The rest of your journey takes you naturally to Kyoto, then Hiroshima and the magnificent island of Miyajima. On the way back to Tokyo, discover the artistic island of Naoshima near Okayama and one of the last wooden castles in Himeji. In short, an itinerary in which you won't overlook any of Japan's unmissable wonders.
Day 1: Tokyo ↔ Nikko = ¥10,000 (2 h)
Day 2: Tokyo → Odawara(Hakone) = ¥3,200 (30 min)
Day 3: Odawara (Hakone) → Kyoto = ¥12,000 (2 h)
Day 4: Kyoto ↔ Nara = ¥1,500 (30 min)
Day 5: Kyoto ↔ Kinosaki Onsen = ¥11,400 (2 h 20)
Day 6: Kyoto → Hiroshima = ¥12,000 (2 h)
Day 7: Hiroshima ↔ Miyajima = ¥1,500 (1 h)
Day 8: Hiroshima → Okayama = ¥6,000 (40 min)
Day 9: Okayama ↔ Uno (Naoshima) = ¥3,000 (1 h)
Day 10: Okayama → Himeji = ¥4,000 (30 min)
Day 11: Himeji → Osaka = ¥4,000 (1 h)
Day 12: Osaka
Day 13: Osaka → Kanazawa = ¥9,000 (2 h 30)
Day 14: Kanazawa → Tokyo = ¥15,000 (2 h 30)
= ¥91,000 (JR Pass = ¥80,000) 14% savings 💴
Honshu must-see itinerary
© Mapchart, Japan Experience
Route 2: Heading north: Hokkaido!
For a quick and easy trip to Japan's northern region, the JR Pass is the obvious choice! It allows you to visit the northern Tohoku cities of Sendai, Aomori and Hirosaki. In Hokkaido, start with the small town of Noboribetsu and its volcanic panoramas , then, after a few days in the capital Sapporo, head straight for the mountains around the Daisetsuzan crater. If you want to stay in touch with nature, you can visit the multi-coloured flower fields of Furano or Biei near Asahikawa. Finally, your expedition ends in Hakodate in the south of the island.
Day 1: Tokyo → Sendai = ¥11,000 (1 h 30)
Day 2: Sendai → Aomori = ¥11,800 (2 h 10)
Day 3: Aomori ↔ Hirosaki = ¥1,300 (51 min)
Day 4: Aomori → Noboribetsu = ¥14,480 (3 h 50)
Day 5: Noboribetsu → Sapporo = ¥4,780 (1 h 15 min)
Day 6: Sapporo
Day 7: Sapporo
Day 8: Sapporo → Asahikawa = ¥5,000 (1 h 30)
Day 9: Asahikawa ↔ Sounkyo = ¥4,500 (2 h 10)
Day 10: Asahikawa ↔ Furano/Biei = ¥2,500 (1 h 10)
Day 11: Asahikawa → Sapporo = ¥4,690 (1 h 30)
Day 12: Sapporo → Hakodate = ¥9,440 (3 h 45)
Day 13: Hakodate
Day 14: Hakodate → Tokyo = ¥24,160 (4 h 45)
= ¥94,970 (JR Pass = ¥80,000) 19% savings 💴
Northern Japan itinerary.
© Mapchart, Japan Experience
Some ideas of places to see:
Furano: Shikisai no Oka farm flower fields, Tomita farm.
Sapporo: Sapporo TV tower, Buddha Hill, Susukino.
Hirosaki Castle.
Route 3: The Golden Route to Kyushu
If you're planning to go all the way to Kyushu without missing out on the must-see cities of Japan, this itinerary is for you! With Kyoto as your first stop, visit Japan's most famous historical and religious sites. The rest of your journey takes you directly to Kyushu, where you can see the island's three main cities: Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Kagoshima. Finally, you'll make your way back up to Hiroshima before passing through electric Osaka. The journey ends calmly with Kanazawa and finally Tokyo. Make the most of the Japan Rail Pass by spending a day in Nikko, one of Japan's most beautiful cities.
Day 1: Tokyo → Kyoto = ¥13,000 (2 h)
Day 2: Kyoto
Day 3: Kyoto → Fukuoka = ¥14,000 (3 h)
Day 4: Fukuoka
Day 5: Fukuoka → Kumamoto = ¥4,700 (40 min)
Day 6: Kumamoto → Kagoshima = ¥6,500 (1 h)
Day 7: Kagoshima
Day 8: Kagoshima → Fukuoka = ¥10,610 (1 h 50)
Day 9: Fukuoka → Hiroshima = ¥8,500 (1 h)
Day 10: Hiroshima → Osaka = ¥10,000 (1 h 40)
Day 11: Osaka → Kanazawa = ¥9,800 (2 h 30)
Day 12: Kanazawa
Day 13: Kanazawa → Tokyo = ¥15,000 (2 h 30)
Day 14: Tokyo ↔ Nikko = ¥10,000 (2 h)
= ¥111,910 (JR Pass = ¥80,000) 40% savings 💴
*Day-trip to Nara possible.
Golden Route to Fukuoka.
© Mapchart, Japan Experience
Route 4: From Tokyo to western Japan
This itinerary takes you on a tour of Japan from east to west on the main island of Honshu, from Tokyo in the east to Shimonoseki, its westernmost point. This region is rich in culture and sumptuous landscapes! On the outward journey, you'll pass through the Japanese Alps and Lake Biwa before reaching mythical Kyoto. Then on to the lush shores of the Sea of Japan and Shimonoseki. Finally, return to Kansai on the Shinkansen (or Tokyo, if you want a complete loop) via Hiroshima and Okayama.
Day 1: Tokyo ↔ Nikko = ¥10,000
Day 2: Tokyo → Nagano = ¥8,700 (1 h 20 min)
Day 3: Nagano → Toyama = ¥7,600 (45 min)
Day 4: Toyama ↔ Kurobe Gorge
Day 5: Toyama → Kanazawa = ¥3,700 (45 min)
Day 6: Kanazawa → Kyoto = ¥8,200 (1 h 50)
Day 7: Kyoto ↔ Omi Maiko = ¥2,000 (1 h)
Day 8: Kyoto ↔ Nara = ¥1,500 (40 min)
Day 9: Kyoto → Tottori = ¥11,000 (4 h)
Day 10: Tottori → Matsue = ¥3,500 (2 h)
Day 11: Matsue → Okayama = ¥6,500 (2 h 30)
Day 12: Okayama → Hiroshima = ¥5,600 (40 min)
Day 13: Hiroshima → Shimonoseki = ¥7,500 (1 h 15)
Day 14: Shimonoseki → Osaka = ¥13,800 (3 h)
= ¥89,600 (JR Pass = ¥80,000) 12% savings 💴
Itinerary Tokyo in western Japan.
© Mapchart, Japan Experience
Practical tip: If your trip is to end in Tokyo and you don't want to spend the whole day on the train or add the Osaka - Tokyo Shinkansen journey on top of the JR Pass, you can opt to take a day-trip to somewhere you're less interested in and stay in Osaka for a day (day 13), then take the Shinkansen back to Tokyo the next day, on day 14 of the itinerary.
Some ideas of places to see:
