Hokuriku Arch Pass: Tokyo to Kansai via Hokuriku in 7 days
Japan rail pass guide
The Hokuriku Arch Pass costs JPY 35,000 for adults or JPY 17,500 for children and covers specified routes from Tokyo through Hokuriku to Kyoto and Osaka for seven consecutive days. It includes the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo to Tsuruga, but not the Tōkaidō Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto or Shin-Osaka, nor the San’yō Shinkansen.
Key destinations
Tokyo · 東京 / Kanazawa · 金沢 / Tsuruga · 敦賀 / Kyoto · 京都 / Osaka · 大阪
When does this pass suit your itinerary?
If you plan to visit Hokuriku while travelling between Tokyo and Kansai, compare the JPY 35,000 pass with separate tickets for your actual stops. Several long journeys within seven consecutive days may make it useful; a single trip or mostly local travel may cost less. It does not cover a direct Tokaido Shinkansen trip from Tokyo to Osaka.
Eligibility and prices
You need a non-Japanese passport and Temporary Visitor status. Your original passport must be valid throughout the pass period. The official seven-day price is JPY 35,000 for an adult or JPY 17,500 for a child. JR West assesses a child’s age when the agency exchange order is issued or the pass is purchased: ages 6–11 qualify for the child fare. Check the issuing channel’s terms before buying.
Covered trains and the English map
Eligible JR East and JR West Ordinary Car reserved and unreserved seats within the area are covered, along with Tokyo Monorail and Noto Railway between Nanao · 七尾 and Wakura-Onsen · 和倉温泉. Open the official English maps below to check the exact boundary stations.
Conditional through travel on other railways
You may pass through the full Kanazawa–Tsubata · 津幡 section on an eligible IR Ishikawa Railway local or limited-express train without getting off at an intermediate station. The Ainokaze Toyama Railway exception is for a local train through the full Toyama · 富山–Takaoka · 高岡 section, again without an intermediate stop. On Hapi-Line Fukui, only local travel between Fukui · 福井 and Echizen-Hanando · 越前花堂 is covered. A trip outside those conditions needs a separate fare.
Collection depends on how you buy
For a JR-EAST Train Reservation purchase, collect the paper pass at a supported travel service centre or passport-reader machine; the machine needs an original IC-chip passport. Exchange an overseas agency order within three months of issue at a location that accepts that order, with your original passport. For a JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION purchase, bring the reservation number, four-digit identification number, the physical credit card used to pay and your passport. A JR West ticket machine requires an IC-chip passport; otherwise use a supported ticket office. Do not use a direct-purchase machine as an agency exchange counter.
Reserved seats and ticket gates
Obtain reserved-seat tickets before boarding. The pass itself does not secure a seat. Green Car and GranClass require separate charges. Use the paper pass at a compatible automatic gate and collect it afterwards; show it to staff where there is no automatic gate.
Changes and cancellations
The validity period cannot be changed after issue, and a lost pass cannot be reissued. JR’s terms specify a 10% fee for refunding an unused pass within its validity period; restrictions apply once a reserved train has departed, even if the pass was unused. Before exchanging an agency order, check the seller’s cancellation rules.
From purchase to boarding
Choose your route via Hokuriku first, so you do not confuse it with a Tokaido Shinkansen journey.
Collect the paper pass at a location supporting your purchase channel. Bring your original passport and agency exchange order, JR-EAST booking details, or—in the JR-WEST online channel—your reservation number, four-digit identification number and physical payment card. For machine pickup, check that your passport has an IC chip; otherwise use a supported counter. Do not board with the order or confirmation alone.
Obtain an Ordinary Car reserved-seat ticket for each train where you need one before boarding.
Use the pass at the gate, collect it afterwards, then go to the car and seat shown on your reserved-seat ticket.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Nozomi from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka?
No. The Tokaido Shinkansen is excluded.
Which part of the Hokuriku Shinkansen is covered?
The Tokyo–Tsuruga section is covered.
Can I split the seven days?
No. It is valid for seven consecutive days from your chosen start date.
Where can I find the official English map?
Open the official coverage-map links in the sources below.
What do I need to collect a Hokuriku Arch Pass bought on JR West’s website?
Bring your reservation number, four-digit identification number, the physical credit card used for payment and your original passport. A ticket machine also requires an IC-chip passport; use a supported ticket office if yours does not have one.
Official sources and guide materials
- Hokuriku Arch Pass official coverage map (JR West; English) ↗Checked:
- Hokuriku Arch Pass official coverage map (JR East; English) ↗Checked:
- Hokuriku Arch Pass conditions of use ↗Checked:
- JR East: Hokuriku Arch Pass ↗Checked:
- JR West: Hokuriku Arch Pass ↗Checked:
- JR: purchase, collection and cancellation ↗Checked:
Content updated: