The JR Tokyo Wide pass

The JR Tokyo Wide Pass has replaced the JR Kanto Area Pass in december 2015.  Still Valid for 3 days within the Kanto region, this pass costs 10 000 yen for an adult (12 and over), and 5 000 yen for children (6 to 11).

Unlike the national Japan Rail Pass, the JR Tokyo Wide Pass is available for sale in Japan and to all foreign passport holders, no matter the duration of their stay. Therefore, even foreigners living in Japan are eligible for this pass.

This pass can be bought in the JR East travel service centers in Narita and Haneda airports, as well as in Tokyo station and in the View Plaza of Shinagawa, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Ueno, Mito and Yokohama stations.

With this pass you can use all the JR lines, as well as many lines serving the most popular tourist destinations.

• The Fuji Kyuko line to Mount Fuji 5 lakes area
• The Izu Kyuko line to Mount Fuji 5 lakes area
• The Joshin Dentetsu line on the Gunma peninsula
• The Tokyo Monorail giving access to Haneda airport
• The Tokyo Waterfront Area Transit line limited express
• The new Saitama Shuttle between Omiya and the Railway museum

Also it allows you to travel on limited express JR trains shared with Tobu : The Nikko, Spacia Nikko, Kinugawa, Spacia Kinugawa, local and rapid trains between Shimo-imaichi and Tobu-nikko/Kinugawa-onsen.

However, please note that the JR Tokyo Wide Pass is not valid fot the Tokaido Shinkansen and the Tohoku's Shinkansen 's Hayabusa and Komachi trains.

The answer is yes, if you only stay in Tokyo and its surrounding area for a short time. The JR Wide Area Pass will give you the opportunity to go for day trips around Tokyo at a lower cost. You can, for instance, go to: Yokohama, Kamakura, Nikko, Mito, Nasu, Kutatsu and Minakami (Onsen towns in the Gunma prefecture), Karuizawa (for its fresh air), to the Mount Fuji region (to Hakone or around the 5 lakes), or the Izu peninsula, etc.

Considering that a round-trip to Nikko by Shinkansen or to Kutatsu with an express train cost about 10 000 yen, this pass will pay for itself.

The Pass is of course valid for Tokyo JR lines as well as for the lines serving the airports (Narita Express and Haneda by Tokyo Monorail).