Hokuriku Arch Pass: Is It Worth It for Tokyo–Kanazawa–Osaka?

Buy the Hokuriku Arch Pass only if your rail trip runs between Tokyo and Kansai through Kanazawa in both directions, or if you add several day trips to a one-way crossing. A simple one-way Tokyo→Kanazawa→Osaka→Kansai Airport trip on single tickets costs ¥24,800 at the HARUKA prices from November 1, 2026, ¥10,200 less than the pass.^{[3],[4],[6],[1]} A round trip Tokyo↔Kanazawa also comes in under it.^[3],[1] The price rose on March 14, 2026, so ignore any page that still quotes ¥30,000.^[2]

Key facts

• Verdict: pays off on a Tokyo→Kanazawa→Kansai→Kanazawa→Tokyo loop; not on a one-way crossing or a Tokyo–Kanazawa round trip alone.
• Price: ¥35,000 for adults, ¥17,500 for children, for passes sold from March 14, 2026.^[2]
• Validity: 7 consecutive days, midnight to midnight Japan time.^[1],[2]
• Eligibility: foreign passport holders entering as a “Temporary Visitor”; not Japanese nationals.^[1],[2]
• Covers: Hokuriku Shinkansen Tsuruga–Tokyo, Thunderbird and HARUKA, JR local trains in the area; not the Tokaido Shinkansen.^[1]
• Where to buy: JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION, or an exchange order from a travel agency outside Japan.^[1]

Does the Hokuriku Arch Pass pay off on my route?

The pass is a prepaid bundle, so compare it with the tickets you would otherwise buy. The fares below are JR West’s own booking prices for one adult in an ordinary reserved seat. Tokyo–Kanazawa is the Shinkansen e-ticket at the regular-season price for purchases from March 14, 2026.^[3],[1] Osaka–Kanazawa is the Hokuriku-Kansai Ticketless, with the Thunderbird (サンダーバード) fare charged to your IC card.^[4] Check the price for your own date, because the Shinkansen e-ticket price changes with the season.

Item	Single tickets	Hokuriku Arch Pass	Verdict
Tokyo→Kanazawa→Osaka→Kansai Airport	¥24,800	¥35,000	Skip the pass
Tokyo↔Kanazawa round trip	¥28,800	¥35,000	Skip the pass
Tokyo→Kanazawa→Osaka→Kanazawa→Tokyo	¥45,800	¥35,000	Buy the pass

One way, Tokyo to Kansai Airport: no. Tokyo→Kanazawa costs ¥14,400, Kanazawa→Osaka ¥8,500 and the HARUKA to Kansai Airport ¥1,900 for tickets sold from November 1, 2026, ¥24,800 in total.^{[3],[4],[6],[1]} You would need about ¥10,200 of other covered rides in the same week, such as day trips from Kanazawa, to break even.^{[3],[4],[6],[1]} From Kyoto the Kansai leg is cheaper still: the Hokuriku-Kansai Ticketless costs ¥5,340, plus the fare to Tsuruga.^[5]

Round trip, Tokyo and Kanazawa only: no. Two e-tickets total ¥28,800, ¥6,200 less than the pass.^[3],[1] Day trips can close that gap. Check their fares before you buy.

Tokyo to Kansai and back through Kanazawa: yes. Going out and coming back the same way costs ¥45,800 on single tickets, ¥10,800 more than the pass.^[3],[4],[1] This is the trip the pass is designed for, because it does not cover the faster Tokaido Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Tokyo.^[1] If you return to Tokyo on the Tokaido line instead, price the trip as a one-way crossing.

The airport legs can tip a close case. JR West’s pass page lists Haneda Airport and Narita Airport within the pass area, and Tokyo Monorail is covered.^{[1] [1]} In Kansai, the HARUKA to Kansai Airport is covered; on single tickets it costs ¥1,800 from Osaka and ¥2,200 from Kyoto when sold through October 31, 2026, and ¥1,900 and ¥2,700 when sold from November 1, 2026.^[6]

What does the pass cover, and what does it not?

JR West sells the pass, and it runs on both JR West and JR East lines. It covers the Hokuriku Shinkansen between Tsuruga (敦賀) and Tokyo, plus the Tohoku and Yamagata Shinkansen between Omiya and Tokyo and the Joetsu Shinkansen between Takasaki and Tokyo, in ordinary reserved and non-reserved seats.^[1] Reserved seats on limited express trains in the area, such as the HARUKA and the Thunderbird, are included. So are JR West and JR East rapid and local trains in the area, and Tokyo Monorail.^[1]

Three non-JR lines are included, but only as through journeys. These are IR Ishikawa Railway between Kanazawa and Tsubata, Ainokaze Toyama Railway between Toyama and Takaoka, and Hapi-Line Fukui between Echizen-Hanando and Fukui. If you get off at any other station on those lines, that ride is not covered.^[1]

Not covered:

• The Tokaido Shinkansen (Shin-Osaka–Tokyo) and the Sanyo Shinkansen (Shin-Osaka–Hakata).^[1]
• GranClass, which needs separate GranClass tickets, and Green Cars, which need Green and express tickets.^[1]
• The HAYABUSA and KOMACHI, which need a separate limited express ticket.^[1]
• Buses, including the bus from Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go. JR West’s list of valid services names trains and Tokyo Monorail, and no bus.^[1]

What changed in March 2026?

Two things changed. In a news release, JR West raised the 7-day pass from ¥30,000 to ¥35,000, with children at half price, for passes sold from March 14, 2026.^[2] The same release widened the pass area to include the Shinetsu area toward Matsumoto (松本), the Maizuru Line and the Obama Line.^[2]

The price depends on the day you buy the pass, not the day you exchange or use it.^[1] Many reseller and blog pages still show the old price and the old map, so check the issuer’s page before you compare.

How do I buy it and reserve seats?

1. Buy online or from an agency abroad

   On JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION you pay by credit card in advance.^[1] Travel agencies outside Japan sell an exchange order instead. You must exchange it in Japan within 3 months of issue, and you can buy the pass up to 1 month before your first day of use.^[1]

2. Collect the pass in Japan

   For an online purchase, go to a station ticket machine or ticket office. Bring the reservation number, the 4-digit number you set, the credit card you paid with and your passport. Ticket machines only work with a passport that has an IC chip.^[1]

3. Reserve seats before you board

   Book seats at a ticket vending machine or a station ticket office. If you bought online, you can also book them online. From the 7th booking, you have to reserve at a JR ticket office.^[1] Reserve before boarding. Trains with only reserved seats have no non-reserved cars.^[1]

Arch Pass or Japan Rail Pass?

The 7-day Japan Rail Pass costs ¥50,000 online, against ¥35,000 for the Arch Pass. For a week that only runs Tokyo, Hokuriku and Kansai, the Arch Pass is the cheaper pass. Consider the nationwide pass when your week also needs the Tokaido Shinkansen, which the Arch Pass excludes.^[1] The full Japan Rail Pass review shows which routes justify it.

How does the change at Tsuruga work?

The Hokuriku Shinkansen ends at Tsuruga, and the Thunderbird carries you on to Kyoto and Osaka. Both trains are covered.^[1] Reserve both seats before you set off.^[1] The transfer stays inside the station; the Tsuruga transfer guide covers the floors, gates and connection times.

Can I use it for side trips from Kanazawa?

Yes, on JR and on the Shinkansen. Kaga Onsen Station is on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, so the ride from Kanazawa is covered.^{[7] [1]} The Kaga Onsen guide explains the buses from the station to the onsen towns. The Ainokaze Toyama Railway between Toyama and Takaoka is covered too, but only end to end.^[1]

Frequently asked questions

How much is the child pass, and do small children need one?

Children pay ¥17,500.^[1],[2] Each pass holder can take up to two children aged 1 to 5 free, and babies under 1 are free. A child aged 1 to 5 needs a child pass to use a reserved seat alone, to travel alone, or as the third infant.^[1]

Can residents of Japan or Japanese citizens buy it?

No. The pass requires a passport issued by a foreign government and entry as a “Temporary Visitor”. Japanese nationals cannot use it, even with permanent residency abroad.^[1],[2]

Does it include the HARUKA to Kansai Airport?

Yes. Reserved seats on the HARUKA are included.^[1]

Can I ride the Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka?

No. The Tokaido Shinkansen and the Sanyo Shinkansen are excluded.^[1]

Can I get a refund?

Only before you start using it. JR West refunds the sale price minus a 10% handling fee, at least ¥220 per pass. After the first day there is no refund, and delays or cancelled trains do not extend the pass.^[1]