- Tokyo → Kyoto
- 2 h 15 min · ¥14,170 one way
- 7-day JR Pass
- ¥50,000–53,000 (≈ £240–250)
- Tokyo subway day ticket
- ¥1,000 for 24 hours
- IC card deposit
- ¥500 (Suica / PASMO)
The Shinkansen (bullet train)
The Shinkansen network links almost every place on a first itinerary. On the main Tokaido line between Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, the fastest Nozomi trains run every few minutes; the slightly slower Hikari and stopping Kodama fill the gaps.
- Reserved or unreserved: most trains have a few unreserved cars, but a reserved seat costs little extra and is worth having at busy times. Book in advance on JR Central's smartEX app (in English, takes UK cards) or at ticket machines and offices in Japan.
- Peak dates: on the busiest days every Nozomi seat is reserved-only. In 2026–27 that covers 25 December–5 January and the long weekends of 10–12 October and 21–23 November 2026, and 9–11 January and 20–22 March 2027. Book early for those dates.
- Big suitcases: on the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu lines, a bag whose height + width + depth adds up to 161–250 cm needs an "oversized baggage" seat, reserved free when you book. Board without one and you pay ¥1,000. Anything over 250 cm isn't allowed. A typical large checked suitcase falls in this band — or send it ahead.
- Mount Fuji views: travelling from Tokyo towards Kyoto, sit on the right-hand side (seat E in standard class) and look out about 40 minutes after leaving Tokyo.
| From Tokyo to | Fastest train | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kyoto | Nozomi | 2 h 15 min |
| Osaka (Shin-Osaka) | Nozomi | 2 h 30 min |
| Hiroshima | Nozomi | about 4 h |
| Kanazawa | Kagayaki (Hokuriku Shinkansen) | about 2 h 30 min |
| Sapporo | Fly from Haneda | about 1 h 30 min in the air |
| Okinawa (Naha) | Fly from Haneda | about 2 h 45 min in the air |
Is the Japan Rail Pass worth it?
The nationwide Japan Rail Pass gives unlimited travel on JR trains, including most Shinkansen, for 7, 14 or 21 consecutive days. Prices rose sharply in October 2023 and the pass no longer pays for itself on a simple Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka trip.
| Adult pass | Ordinary, official site | Ordinary, agents | Green, official site | Green, agents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days | ¥50,000 | ¥53,000 | ¥70,000 | ¥74,000 |
| 14 days | ¥80,000 | ¥84,000 | ¥110,000 | ¥116,000 |
| 21 days | ¥100,000 | ¥105,000 | ¥140,000 | ¥147,000 |
The standard price went up on 1 October 2026; the official JR Pass website is still selling at the old price as a promotion, for a limited time. Buying through an overseas travel agent costs the higher price. Children aged 6–11 pay half.
Do the maths first
A reserved Nozomi seat from Tokyo to Kyoto costs ¥14,170 one way, so a Tokyo–Kyoto return is about ¥28,340 — far below the cost of a seven-day pass. The pass only starts to pay off when you add long legs inside a single week, such as Tokyo → Kyoto → Hiroshima → Tokyo, or a loop that takes in Kanazawa or Kyushu.
Two more catches:
- Nozomi and Mizuho trains are not included. Pass holders can either ride the slightly slower Hikari for free, or buy a special Nozomi/Mizuho supplement ticket (about ¥4,960 between Tokyo and Kyoto or Osaka).
- Private railways, subways and city buses aren't covered — and in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto that's most of your daily travel.
Rule of thumb
Price your route leg by leg on a planner such as the smartEX app or Google Maps. Buy the pass only if the total beats the pass price. For most 10–14-day trips that stay in Honshu's Golden Route, single tickets plus one regional pass win.
Regional passes worth knowing
| Pass | Covers | Adult price |
|---|---|---|
| JR West Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass | 5 days: Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, Himeji, Okayama, Hiroshima — including the Nozomi between Shin-Osaka and Hiroshima, the Haruka airport express and the Miyajima ferry | ¥17,000 |
| JR West Kansai WIDE Area Pass | 5 days across Kansai and out to Okayama and the coast | ¥12,000 |
| JR EAST PASS (new March 2026) | JR East network, including Tohoku and Nagano/Niigata Shinkansen; replaced the older Tohoku and Nagano-Niigata passes | 5 days ¥35,000 · 10 days ¥50,000 |
| JR East–South Hokkaido Pass | 6 days from Tokyo up through Tohoku to Hakodate and Sapporo | ¥40,000 |
The JR West Kansai Area Pass stopped being sold on 30 September 2026. Hokkaido has its own JR Hokkaido Rail Pass — check the current price on JR Hokkaido's website before you buy.
Suica, PASMO and IC cards
A rechargeable IC card is the single most useful thing you can carry. Tap in and out of trains, subways and buses nationwide, and pay in convenience stores, vending machines and many cafés.
- Plastic Suica and PASMO cards are back on general sale since March 2025 after a chip shortage, with a ¥500 refundable deposit. ICOCA is the Kansai equivalent; they all work across each other's areas.
- Welcome Suica is a tourist version sold at Haneda Terminal 3 and Narita: no deposit, valid for 28 days.
- On iPhone you can add a regular Suica, PASMO or ICOCA to Apple Wallet and top it up with a UK card — Mastercard and Amex tend to work more reliably than Visa. JR East's Welcome Suica Mobile app (iPhone only) lasts 180 days and can book JR East Shinkansen seats.
- On Android, phones bought outside Japan generally can't add Suica to Google Wallet. Use a plastic card.
Getting around the cities
- Tokyo: the Tokyo Subway Ticket gives unlimited rides on all Tokyo Metro and Toei subway lines for 24 hours (¥1,000), 48 hours (¥1,500) or 72 hours (¥2,000). It doesn't cover JR lines such as the Yamanote loop, so pair it with an IC card.
- Kyoto: city buses are slow and packed in peak season. Use the subway and the JR, Keihan and Hankyu lines where you can, and walk between neighbouring sights.
- Osaka: the Metro covers the centre well; an IC card is all you need.
- Taxis are clean, metered and safe, and ride-hailing apps work in the big cities. They're expensive for long distances but sensible for three or four people with bags.
From the airport
Non-stop flights from the UK land at Haneda, Tokyo's closer airport: the Keikyu line and the Tokyo Monorail reach central Tokyo in 15–30 minutes. If you fly into Narita on a connecting route, the Narita Express (JR) takes about an hour to central Tokyo, while the Keisei Skyliner reaches Nippori and Ueno in about 40 minutes. At Kansai International (Osaka), the JR Haruka express runs to Kyoto in about 80 minutes.
Sending luggage ahead
Japan's door-to-door delivery services (takkyubin, run by firms such as Yamato) will move your suitcase between hotels, usually by the next day. Ask at your hotel's front desk or any convenience store. A large case from Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka costs about ¥3,000–3,500. Send it the day before you travel and take a small overnight bag on the train — it's the easiest way round the Shinkansen's oversized-baggage rules.