Sanyo–Sanin Area Pass: seven-day routes, Hakata and exchange
Sanyo-San’in Area Pass
Seven days across the covered Kansai, Sanyo and San’in area, including the Sanyo Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Hakata. The Kyushu and Hokuriku Shinkansen are excluded.
Places in this guide: Shin-Osaka (新大阪) · Hakata (博多) · Hiroshima (広島) · Tottori (鳥取) · Takamatsu (高松) · Kamigori (上郡) · Chizu (智頭) · Kojima (児島) · Utazu (宇多津) · Miyajimaguchi (宮島口) · Miyajima (宮島) · Kagoshima-Chuo (鹿児島中央)
Source: JR West Sanyo–Sanin official English guideSource: JR West official transport conditions (Japanese) — Sanyo-San’in Area Pass
Kansai to Hakata with journeys into Sanin
Compare this seven-day pass if your journeys combine Kansai, Hiroshima or Hakata with included Sanin destinations such as Tottori. Hakata coverage does not make onward journeys around Kyushu free. Add each planned fare and compare the smaller regional passes before choosing wider coverage.
Source: JR West Sanyo–Sanin official English guideSource: JR West official coverage map — Sanyo-San’in Area Pass
Scroll the table sideways if it does not fit your screen.
| Validity | Adult (JPY) | Child aged 6–11 (JPY) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 consecutive days | 23,000 | 11,500 |
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Source: JR West Sanyo–Sanin official English guideSource: JR West official coverage map — Sanyo-San’in Area Pass
Original passport, entry status and child age
You need a passport issued by a government other than Japan and Temporary Visitor entry status. Japanese nationals are not eligible, including those with overseas permanent residence. Bring your original passport for collection and carry it while travelling. A pass is personal, and overlapping purchases of the same pass for the same person are not allowed.
Source: JR West official transport conditions (Japanese) — Sanyo-San’in Area PassSource: JR West Sanyo–Sanin official English guide
The current Japanese conditions assess the 6–11 child band when payment is made. One adult or child pass holder may accompany up to two children aged 1–5 free. A third child, a younger child occupying their own reserved seat, or a child travelling alone needs a child pass. Infants under one travel free. Check the seller’s age option as well.
Source: JR West official transport conditions (Japanese) — Sanyo-San’in Area PassSource: JR West Sanyo–Sanin official English guide
Consecutive calendar days, not rolling hours
Validity runs from 00:00 on the chosen first day to 24:00 on day 7, Japan time. Collecting or boarding late on day one does not move the expiry time. After exchange, the start date and pass type cannot be changed.
Source: JR West official transport conditions (Japanese) — Sanyo-San’in Area PassSource: JR West Sanyo–Sanin official English guide
If already travelling across midnight on the final day, the fare element continues until leaving the station and the train-charge element until leaving that train. This does not give a new day of unrestricted travel.
Source: JR West official transport conditions (Japanese) — Sanyo-San’in Area PassSource: JR West Sanyo–Sanin official English guide
Agency exchange orders and direct-JR collection are different
An agency MCO or E-MCO is an exchange order, not the gate ticket. Exchange it within three months of issue and no later than the travel date at a location accepting this pass and purchase channel. Paper MCOs go to a counter; E-MCOs can use a supported counter or passport-reading machine. A passport-reader symbol alone does not establish support for your order.
Source: JR West official transport conditions (Japanese) — Sanyo-San’in Area PassSource: JR West Sanyo–Sanin official English guide
Direct JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION (WEST-TR) collection requires the reservation number, your chosen four-digit identification number, the physical payment card and original passport. Machine collection needs an IC-chip passport; otherwise use a counter. Virtual and numberless cards are not accepted for the direct-JR purchase procedure. These requirements must not be substituted for an agency order’s documents.
Source: JR West official transport conditions (Japanese) — Sanyo-San’in Area PassSource: JR West Sanyo–Sanin official English guide
Unlimited seats versus six machine bookings
Eligible Ordinary Car reservations have no overall use-count limit. Reserve before boarding at a supported machine or JR counter. After six machine bookings, use a counter for the seventh and subsequent reservations. This is not a six-journey limit.
Source: JR West official transport conditions (Japanese) — Sanyo-San’in Area PassSource: JR West Sanyo–Sanin official English guide
Only direct WEST-TR purchase supports its pre-collection reservation procedure, for up to six trains. Agency MCO/E-MCO customers exchange first, then reserve locally. Do not apply direct-JR online functions to a seller’s voucher.
Source: JR West official transport conditions (Japanese) — Sanyo-San’in Area PassSource: JR West Sanyo–Sanin official English guide
Missed trains, seat-only services and extra accommodation charges
All-reserved trains have no non-reserved cars. If you miss a booked service, reserve a seat on a later train. Standing is only available on services that offer that arrangement and are full when the reservation is requested; it is not permission to board every full train.
Source: JR West official transport conditions (Japanese) — Sanyo-San’in Area PassSource: JR West Sanyo–Sanin official English guide
Green Car, sleeping accommodation and Special Rapid A-seat need the applicable additional charge tickets. Sanyo Shinkansen S Work cars require both separate fare and charge tickets. Do not transfer another regional pass’s sleeper exclusion to this product. Check the specific accommodation before boarding; lost or stolen passes are not reissued.
Source: JR West official transport conditions (Japanese) — Sanyo-San’in Area PassSource: JR West Sanyo–Sanin official English guide
Shin-Osaka–Hakata Shinkansen, not onward Kyushu or Hokuriku
The included Shinkansen is Sanyo Shin-Osaka–Hakata, with eligible Ordinary Car reserved and non-reserved seats. Tokaido Shin-Osaka–Tokyo, Kyushu Hakata–Kagoshima-Chuo and the Hokuriku Shinkansen are excluded. Check a conventional-line connection separately from the Shinkansen entitlement.
Source: JR West Sanyo–Sanin official English guideSource: JR West official transport conditions (Japanese) — Sanyo-San’in Area PassSource: JR West official coverage map — Sanyo-San’in Area Pass
Eligible mapped conventional JR services, Chizu Express Kamigori–Chizu and Kyoto Tango Railway sections are included. The JR connection from Chizu continues towards Tottori. Do not apply Kansai–Hokuriku’s Chizu-route exclusion to this pass.
Source: JR West Sanyo–Sanin official English guideSource: JR West official transport conditions (Japanese) — Sanyo-San’in Area PassSource: JR West official coverage map — Sanyo-San’in Area Pass
The Shikoku connection is the mapped Kojima–Utazu–Takamatsu section, not the whole island. It does not become an all-Shikoku pass for Matsuyama or Kochi. Use staffed gates on JR Shikoku sections.
Source: JR West Sanyo–Sanin official English guideSource: JR West official transport conditions (Japanese) — Sanyo-San’in Area PassSource: JR West official coverage map — Sanyo-San’in Area Pass
Local buses and the specific Super Hagi exception
West Japan JR local route buses within the map are included, but its highway buses are not. JR Bus Chugoku includes the specified local routes, Hiroshima Meipuru-pu and the named Super Hagi highway bus. The exception is operator- and route-specific, not a blanket highway-bus entitlement.
Source: JR West official transport conditions (Japanese) — Sanyo-San’in Area Pass
Take one numbered ticket per person when boarding a numbered-ticket service. Show the pass to the driver on leaving and put only the numbered ticket in the fare box; keep the pass.
Source: JR West official transport conditions (Japanese) — Sanyo-San’in Area Pass
Takamatsu exchanges use the counter
Use the collection table’s MCO, E-MCO and WEST-TR columns for your purchase channel. Takamatsu Station is marked for counter collection for all three channels, not machine exchange. Check the counter hours and leave time for exchange before the first train.
Source: Sanyo–Sanin purchase-channel collection table (Japanese)Source: JR West official transport conditions (Japanese) — Sanyo-San’in Area Pass
JR West Miyajima ferry and separate visitor tax
The JR West Miyajima Ferry between Miyajimaguchi and Miyajima is included. Pay the separate JPY 100 visitor tax when entering the island. Other ferry operators are not automatically included.
Unexchanged orders, unused issued passes and refunds
For an unexchanged agency order, contact the original seller. The operator refers order refunds within one year of issue to the issuing agency, but the seller’s actual deadline and fee are package-specific.
An unused pass exchanged from an agency order can be refunded at a designated exchange counter before validity starts or within the unexpired valid period. The fee is 10% of the JPY selling price, rounding down amounts below JPY 10, with a JPY 220 minimum. Direct WEST-TR purchase has separate conditions, including a JPY 560 fee; check its processing location and first booked-train deadline.
Once used, the pass is not refundable. Its conditions do not provide pass-price refunds for suspensions or delays. An agency-order cancellation is a separate contract, not an operator promise.
Using your ticket
Match each journey to this pass’s official map, then choose the consecutive start date and correct adult or child option.
Identify the purchase channel. An agency MCO/E-MCO is an exchange order, not a boarding QR; direct WEST-TR collection uses different documents.
Take every traveller’s original passport and the channel-specific collection documents to a location accepting this pass. Check its counter hours.
After collection, check the physical pass’s start date and reserve eligible Ordinary Car seats before boarding. Use a counter after six machine bookings.
Use the issued physical pass at a supported ticket gate and retrieve it. Show it at staffed gates on JR Shikoku sections. Carry your passport and seat ticket.
For bus travel, check the operator and named route. A specific included highway bus does not include every highway service.
Questions and answers
Can I take the Shinkansen from Hakata to Kagoshima-Chuo?
No. Sanyo Shin-Osaka–Hakata is included, but the Kyushu Shinkansen beyond Hakata is excluded.
Can I use the Shinkansen to Tokyo or Kanazawa?
No. Tokaido and Hokuriku Shinkansen travel is excluded. This pass’s Shinkansen coverage is Sanyo Shin-Osaka–Hakata.
Is Chizu Express included for a Tottori journey?
The mapped Kamigori–Chizu Chizu Express section is included, connecting to JR towards Tottori. This differs from Kansai–Hokuriku’s exclusion.
Does Takamatsu coverage include all of Shikoku?
No. The mapped connection is Kojima–Utazu–Takamatsu, not an all-Shikoku entitlement to Matsuyama or Kochi.
Can I exchange at a Takamatsu ticket machine?
The official Sanyo–Sanin table marks counter collection only for MCO, E-MCO and WEST-TR at Takamatsu. Use the accepting counter.
Are all highway buses excluded?
West Japan JR highway buses are excluded, but the Japanese conditions specifically include JR Bus Chugoku’s Super Hagi. Check the operator and route, not just the bus category.
Does the six-booking rule limit me to six train journeys?
No. Eligible Ordinary Car seat reservations are unlimited. After six machine bookings, make further reservations at a JR counter.
Can I reserve online before exchanging an agency E-MCO?
Not through the direct WEST-TR pre-collection procedure. Exchange the agency order first, then reserve at a supported machine or JR counter.
Can I use the exchange-order QR at the gates?
No. Exchange it for the issued physical pass. WEST QR boarding products are different tickets.
Is the Miyajima ferry included?
The JR West Miyajima Ferry from Miyajimaguchi is included. The JPY 100 visitor tax is separate.
Official sources and coverage maps
Open the operator’s coverage map and conditions before choosing your journeys. Official maps are linked rather than republished. The coverage and exclusions are also explained above.
- JR West official coverage map — Sanyo-San’in Area Pass ↗
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- JR West Sanyo–Sanin official English guide ↗
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- JR West official transport conditions (Japanese) — Sanyo-San’in Area Pass ↗
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- JR West Sanyo–Sanin official guide (Korean) ↗
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- Sanyo–Sanin purchase-channel collection table (Japanese) ↗
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- Sanyo–Sanin channel-specific refunds (Japanese) ↗
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