This Is the Most Outdated Piece of Japan Travel Advice, According to a Local

"For years, there was one golden rule for travelers heading to Japan: get the Japan Rail Pass. It was a no-brainer, a budget-savvy hack shared across travel blogs and guidebooks alike. After all, the price for unlimited, nationwide travel on JR trains was roughly the same as a roundtrip ticket between Tokyo and Osaka, so just about any tourist venturing beyond the capital could save money."

"But that once-reliable advice is now outdated. In 2023, JR raised the price of the pass by about 70 percent. While they added some perks, including discounts at shops and tourist attractions, the new prices make it a much less attractive option for most visitors. What was once the ultimate travel tool has become a costly convenience, and travelers now need to carefully whether it fits their itinerary-or if it's worth it at all."

Japan Rail raised Japan Rail Pass prices in 2023 by roughly 70 percent, introducing 7-, 14-, and 21-day standard reserved-class passes priced at 50,000 yen, 80,000 yen, and 100,000 yen. The passes include unlimited travel on JR-operated trains, buses, and ferries, though some regional lines are excluded and the fastest Shinkansen services (Nozomi and Mizuho) require supplement fees. A Tokyo–Osaka–Kyoto roundtrip reserved-seat itinerary costs about 36,060 yen, meaning travelers would need additional JR travel to break even on a 50,000-yen pass. Urban subways and private lines are often not covered, making rechargeable transit cards like Suica or Pasmo usually more convenient and economical.

Read at Travel + Leisure