Japan Has Changed | NEW Shinkansen Updates for 2025: Know before traveling to Japan

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

My Previous video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6aWiJeljLGCpK8si=cZU5k-or_Vu2vZlE

[@twostate7822]

The maximum regular size luggage for shinkansen trains is the same as almost all airlines maximum checked baggage size of around 62 inches (160 cm) (length + width + height). So unless you had oversized baggage on your international flight, you should be OK on the shinkansen. The bigger problem is trying to hoist a 50 pound (23 kg) heavy bag into the overhead racks which are above shoulder height and safely getting the bag down from the rack when you reach the destination. If you can't lift a 50 pound (or however heavy your bag is) bag above your shoulders, you're better off reserving a seat with oversize luggage.

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

Yes it is very important to think about your luggage size, it's not only about dimensions it’s also about weight!

[@jimross7648]

As always you give me the information before most sources. Some of these I knew, some I technically i knew although I had forgotten, but some I didn't. Perfect timing for my next trip.

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

Yes Jim some is not new but important reminders because Tourists keep on making the same mistakes.. Im glad I can help!

[@ductritran8637]

Since price go up 70% I stop buying the Shinkansen nation wide pass but buy the local wide pass which still allowed you go out for sight seeing and enjoy your stay in japan . You can get the Kansai wide pass which you can visit Hiroshima , Kyoto , Osaka , Nara , Kobe ….. at very affordable and unlimited used on JR system . Check them out for other JR local pass .

[@hardnock-theoriginal..6539]

@@ductritran8637 I have used this to great success with the San-in Pass, Haoriku-Kansai pass and the Kyshu-all pass. This allowed me 21 days of travel in 3 different area. Excellent value.

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

Yep regional passes are great!

[@nateshf9303]

My wife and I used the 14-day full pass to go from Sapporo to Ureshino and a few places in between, and back to Tokyo. That alone was worth it.

[@kasperowskii311]

I really enjoyed using my JR Pass. I could just walk straight to the non-reserved seats and hop on the next train. I still remember those long lines of people at the ticket machines. But I am a city hopper.

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

Yea the JR pass is very convenient but It really does depend on how much you are saving at the end of the day

[@FollowTheSunAustralia]

Great info Ninja 🐒

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

Glad to be of service!

[@davidebert8034]

When I was in Japan this past August, I had bought the Shinkansen one-week pass online. I also reserved my day trips-one to Hiroshima, one to Osaka, and one to Kyoto. Those were also round-trips. When I arrived at Narita, I went to get my ticket and, to my happy surprise, the staff printed ALL of my tickets-one for each trip to the city and back to Tokyo station! It was precise!

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

Wow! That's awesome that they did that for you - the staff at the station are great!

[@davidebert8034]

@ yes, the process was easy! I’m sure you mentioned this in various videos, but for me, when I arrived at Narita from LAX, after clearing immigration, I went to get my IC card first and loaded it up with 5,000 Yen. I then went to the JR office to get all of my Shinkansen tickets and finally went to get my Wi-Fi router. I’ll be doing the same in August 2025 when I go back!

[@tohayamaji4705]

Great video! What cities do you recommend to see snow in Japan, which are easy to get to from Tokyo?

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

Thank you for the kind words! 😊 If you’re looking for snow near Tokyo, here are some great options: (but always depends on the weather!) heading north is a good option or higher elevations such as 1. Karuizawa: Just an hour by shinkansen, it’s a charming town with winter activities like skiing and beautiful snowy scenery. 2. Gala Yuzawa: About 90 minutes by bullet train, this resort is super convenient for skiing and snowboarding-it even has a station directly connected to the slopes! 3. Nikko can sometimes have snow and is only around two hours away, you’ll find a mix of snow-covered shrines and natural beauty if you are lucky! 4. Nagano: Famous for hosting the Winter Olympics, it’s perfect for skiing, onsen, and snowy mountains, about 2-3 hours by train!

[@ihaveseverefrootsnackism]

Well dang, I had to use those train cars sometimes lol, because I'm terrible at following my own plans.

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

Hahaha happens to the best of us!

[@ihaveseverefrootsnackism]

@@NinjaMonkeyguy yeah xD

[@nateshf9303]

The 14-day full JR Pass remains a fantastic value, even with the price hike. My wife and I have happily bought it 3-4 times since the increase and will do so again this March.

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

Yea it can be if you use it enough but a lot of people assume that it’s worth the price without checking and the realise that it isn’t

[@henrychew235]

As usual, good video. Important to note that jr pass does not work with nozomi so if you are opting for a nozomi, you will need to top up irrespective of this new change. It also means you may want to rebook your reserved seat if you miss a train as opposed to opting straight for non reserved seat. One other thing that is worth reminding for those free and easy tourists is that the suica alone will not work for limited express (the smart ex app that allows you to put shinkansen on your suica is an exception), seen quite a lot of tourist getting confused in recent trip on skyliner or narita express or thunderbird etc. Poor conductor or airport jr gate personnel has to explain a lot of this!

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

Good points to remember thanks.. my train guide mentions quite a few of these :)

[@Psychphuq]

Tohoku pass for 5 (consecutive) days... See something outside the normal route like a whiskey distilery in Miyagi...

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

That’s a good area one of my favourites

[@josephpetrovic6962]

I'm planning to fly back to Japan with my brother and SIL in July and after arriving at HND, we planned: Tokyo-Yokohama Yokohama-Hokane Hakone-Nagoya Nagoya-Osaka Around Osaka Osaka-Kyoto & back Osaka-Nara & back Osaka-Kobe & back Osaka-Fukuoka Fukuoka-Hiroshima Hiroshima-Miyajima & back Hiroshima-Tokyo Around Tokyo for 3 days Total of all of this is currently scheduled for two weeks. I was originally considering a JR Pass for two weeks, but I was told I wouldn't have access to all of the trains with that pass. Also am looking at upgrading to 💚 car, considering over that length of time, seems worth the extra ¥25K or so. What are your thoughts given our situation? Also of note, we're light travelers (backpack & carryon luggage - no checked bags).

[@pandarush.]

Are you going to the Expo in Osaka?

[@josephpetrovic6962]

@@pandarush. I didn't book with that intent, but since I'll be there, I might as well

[@nateshf9303]

Great itinerary! If I may, my wife and I have traveled this route a few times over the past few years, but we typically allocate 18+ days for our entire trip. This allows us to return to the Tokyo area on the 14th day and spend several days doing last minute shopping. Regarding the Japan Rail Pass, it will cover most of your transportation needs, with the exception of short portions of the Hokane and Miyajima journeys. However, there are strategies to maximize the use of the JR Pass for these segments as well.

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

a 14 day pass costs 80,000 yen (not green car) your trip will be around 60,000 yen. a lot of your travel are not too expensive for example tokyo - Yokohama is around 500 yen or so, Osaka to Kyoto, Nara and Kobe are also very affordable .. you might want to consider getting the JR Sanyo-San’in Area Pass from Osaka to Fukuoka/ Hiroshima (its for 5 days but will get you back to Osaka before your return to Tokyo)

[@josephpetrovic6962]

@@NinjaMonkeyguy I think Green car was around ¥110K for 14 day pass, but if pricing out everything on an individual basis, I ended up around ¥70‐80K. I guess I'm looking for some sort of confirmation that I miscalculated something, because it seems like I should be better off with a pass for that amount of rail travel, but that's not what I was coming up with.

[@wino2378]

Thanks, which website or App u recommend using for seat reservations?

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

I use klook you can use my link if you want: www.ninjasaru.com/klook

[@JimiLiddell]

Crazy how taking a flight is starting to become the easier/cheaper option in a lot of cases

[@hardnock-theoriginal..6539]

Once you ride the Shinkansen you realize the time to go through security checks and the distance from city centers is often a big con to air travel. Those can add hours to a trip VS using a shinkansen. I've been in Japan for two months and have yet to book a flight for those reasons. But it can make sense if money is a factor over time.

[@EVL-xj5vc]

@JimiLiddell shinkansen stations are close to city centre compared to domestic airports.

[@ellye3400]

Air travel can be a great option if covering a long distance or visiting out of the way places not on the shinkansen route e.g flying Haneda to Memanbetsu Airport north east Hokkaido to visit Shiretoko peninsula or the ice floes in Winter. Or flying to Shikoku or Kyushu if pressed for time. It can be a great option for repeat visitors who want to experience something different off the popular shinkansen routes. It's worth noting that JAL currently offers a complimentary domestic flight when booking your flight to Japan with them. ( I really love the rail experience but do see the benefits of a domestic flight too.)

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

it can be indeed!

[@j1y0ni]

I’ll be traveling between Tokyo and Shin Osaka just after New Year’s Day in Green Car. My luggage equals 158cm in side…….Phew!

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

Even though its under 160, the key thing to consider is if it will fit/ or you will be able to lift it onto the over head compartment area because unless you have a reserved seat for luggage you wont be able to use that area! so it might still be worth getting the reserved seat regardless

[@davidthomas9]

The JR pass is no longer good value for most travellers, you now need to check your plans before you arrive. As you said, the regional passes are mostly good value, and both JAL & ANA have special fares for overseas travellers that include checked baggage that are useful if travelling Tokyo-Sapporo or Fukuoka, etc. For my last trip a few weeks back, I booked my shinkansen tickets a month in advance to get the rear seats with luggage space. Tokyo-Osaka return in Green Class was nearly AUD$200 cheaper than a 7 day JR pass. Green class tickets on the EX app were only around AUD$15-$20 more expensive than 'normal' tickets.

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

Yea so true but still some people will make good use of it

[@nateshf9303]

My wife and I traveled up and down Japan using a 14-day pass a few times already. Despite the price increase, it was still worth it. (Cheaper than 2-week car rental in the US.)

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

yes everything is relative huh

[@towada1066]

hmmm ... luckily I don't have to use the bullet train next month ... I want to try the overnight bus next time. I always feel sorry for the farmers that had to give up their land to JR for the bullet train lines. Even though they got money there is all the really good land which could grow rice.

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

lucky

[@towada1066]

@@NinjaMonkeyguy hmmm ... to live in Japan there is nothing about luck ... but the foreign tourists seem so happy so I cannot say very much ...

[@jaredrawlins4340]

Where is the best place to buy Shinkansen tickets?

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

I like to purchase at the station but you can also consider using my Klook online link www.ninjasaru.com/klook there are many options online apart from this

[@bonwatcher]

Do you think they are cutting down non-reserved seats because of the 2025 Osaka Expo next year to make people reserve a seat and not depend on getting a non-reserved seat? 🤔

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

No I doubt it as they already make the train reserve only during busy periods

[@zhoufang996]

How early do you need to reserve seats?

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

If you want to travel in the morning I suggest the day before unless it’s a public holiday then a few days in advance

[@zhoufang996]

@@NinjaMonkeyguy Is it easier if it's non-peak times? I'm planning to travel on from Hakone to Kyoto at some point in the afternoon but I'm not totally sure when I'll be done...

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

yes its easier but that route might be quite a popular one .. a perfect example of why using an onlinke platform like klook (www.ninjasaru.com/klook) might work whilst you are on the go!

[@lannifincoris6482]

So, if I am going to take a train, and there is no seat left, after the train left the station, will I be nicley kicked out, or am I able to reserve a seat for the train I am in?

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

You’d need to stand!

[@asuranrocks]

regional jr passes are still very worth the money

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

Yess I strongly recommend them and I believe I mention this?

[@asuranrocks]

​@@NinjaMonkeyguy Great!

[@slowcyclist4324]

I’ll be frank, higher price means less having to fight with others to book the seats. I’ll take that gladly.

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

true

[@TkyoSam]

YOu are the best and coolest and sexiest man to ever live. Also Shinkansen travel updates ftw

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

Hahaha Thanks! Lots of cool updates for 2025!

[@EVL-xj5vc]

The nation wide JR passes are no longer worth it unless you travel very long distance by shinkansen and stay 1 night at one place. But such rushed itinerary doesn't allow you to enjoy Japan. Even the regional passes may not be worth it. For some routes, you can take rapid or limited express trains which take slightly longer than shinkansen but half the price for single tickets. I've done substantial calculations to conclude this.

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

You are right but at the same time I know of plenty of people that make it work by travelling out of one location and doing day trips for example Osaka to himeji, Hiroshima kurashiki as day trips .. it’s not my style but it works for some people

[@EVL-xj5vc]

@NinjaMonkeyguy I get what you mean. Likely these folks may not visit Japan more than once or twice so they just want to see as much as they can.

[@nateshf9303]

I differ. A single-trip ticket from Sapporo to Nagasaki for example, already costs a hefty $350 USD. Given that we typically spend 14+ days in Japan, a 14-day rail pass would easily offset the cost of multiple journeys.

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

That only works if you’re gonna do that crazy route but yep it can work but it’s important to calculate before committing 90% of people won’t need it or be travelling so extensively

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

hehe yes.. lol

[@ellye3400]

a

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

aa

[@dittohead7425]

I got the pass on my last trip in October and broke even. I didn't plan or reserve hotels i just got off in Haneda, got my pass and suica card and flipped a coin and went to Nagano, Kanazawa, Fukuoka, Nagasaki and the back to Osaka then Tokyo. With little side trips along the way. One of my best trips yet! Too bad about losing the food carts, they go back all the way to when i was a kid going to Japan in the early seventies. Hope they didnt just layoff those folks. I heard they still had food/ordering service in the green cars.

[@NinjaMonkeyguy]

yep some trains still have the cart and some only on the green car!