How much is the Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Tourist Pass?

¥16,500 for adults and ¥8,250 for children aged 6 to 11, valid for 5 consecutive days. The price is the same online, from an agent abroad and at a station in Japan.

Does the pass cover the Kumano Kodo?

It covers the buses from Kii-Katsuura to Nachisan and from Shingu to Hongu Taisha, and buses to trailheads near Owase and Kumano-shi. The bus from Kii-Tanabe to Takijiri, the usual Nakahechi start, is not covered.

Does the pass cover Kintetsu to Ise?

No. Kintetsu trains, including the Ise-Shima Liner, are not included. Use JR's Rapid Mie from Nagoya to Ise-shi and Toba, which is covered.

How many seat reservations are included?

Six free reserved seats on JR limited expresses. After that, ride in the non-reserved cars. In peak periods the Nanki becomes all-reserved, so book its seats first.

Can I start the pass at Kansai Airport?

Yes. JR from Hineno to Kansai Airport is in the pass area, and the JR West ticket office at Kansai Airport issues the pass to those who booked online.

Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Tourist Pass: Price, Route and Is It Worth It?

10/14/202510/10/2026

The three-storied pagoda of Seiganto-ji in front of Nachi Falls

Quick answer

The pass costs ¥16,500 for adults and ¥8,250 for children aged 6 to 11, for 5 consecutive days.
It covers JR from Nagoya round the Kii Peninsula to Osaka, plus buses to Ise Jingu, Nachi and Hongu.
Up to six limited express seat reservations are free.

Contents

What Is the Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Tourist Pass?

The Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Tourist Pass is a 5-day ticket from JR Central and JR West that covers a full circuit of the Kii Peninsula, from Nagoya to Ise, down the coast to Kumano, Nachi and Shingu, and round to Shirahama, Wakayama and Osaka. It adds the local buses that the Kumano shrines depend on, which no other JR pass includes.

It is a foreign visitors' pass for travellers who want to see Ise Jingu, the Kumano Sanzan shrines and the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes without a car. It is not a pass for getting from Tokyo to the region. The Shinkansen is excluded.

Our guide to regional rail passes in Japan compares it with the other area passes.

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Price and Who Can Buy It in 2026

The pass costs ¥16,500 for adults and ¥8,250 for children aged 6 to 11, and is valid for 5 consecutive days, counted by calendar day from the start date you choose.

Traveller	Price	Valid
Adult (12 and over)	¥16,500	5 consecutive days
Child (6 to 11)	¥8,250	5 consecutive days
Under 6	No pass, rides free under JR's child rules	Not needed

Who can buy it. Only foreign travellers with a passport issued outside Japan and "Temporary Visitor" status, checked when the pass is issued. If you use the automated gates at immigration, ask for the stamp.

Japanese nationals and foreign residents of Japan cannot use it.

Children under 6 ride free with a paying passenger, up to two per adult or child, as long as they do not take their own reserved seat. With six free reservations on the pass, a child aged 6 to 11 with their own pass can have a reserved seat of their own on the long limited express legs.

A 4-year-old travels on a lap or in a free seat.

Some older guides, including resellers' pages, still list ¥11,000 or ¥13,000. The current price is ¥16,500.

What the Pass Covers

The pass covers JR lines round the peninsula, the Ise Railway, the Wakayama Electric Railway and selected Mie Kotsu and Kumano Kotsu buses. Routes not on the list cost extra.

Map of the Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Tourist Pass showing JR lines from Nagoya to Ise, Kumano, Shingu, Shirahama, Wakayama, Osaka, Nara and Kansai Airport, with bus routes to Nachi and Hongu — The pass area, from JR Central's route map

1. JR lines and the Ise Railway

The pass covers non-reserved seats on limited express, express, rapid and local trains.

Nagoya to Osaka the long way round, on the Kansai, Kisei and Hanwa lines via Kameyama, Taki, Owase, Kumano-shi, Shingu, Kii-Katsuura, Shirahama, Kii-Tanabe and Wakayama
Taki to Toba on the Sangu Line, through Ise-shi and Futaminoura
Kameyama to Osaka on the Kansai Line through Iga-Ueno and Nara, and the Katamachi and Osaka Higashi lines into Osaka
Hineno to Kansai Airport, so you can start or end at the airport
Kawarada to Tsu on the Ise Railway, the short cut the limited express Nanki uses

2. Wakayama Electric Railway

The line runs from Wakayama to Kishi and is known for its cat stationmaster and the cat-themed Tama Densha train.

The white Tama Densha train of the Wakayama Electric Railway with cat ears on the front — The Tama Densha on the Kishi line, covered by the pass

3. Buses

Company	Covered routes
Mie Kotsu	Geku to Naiku at Ise Jingu, the "CAN Bus" round Ise, Futami and Toba, Owase to Washige and to Segiyama, Kumano-shi to Senmaida and the Tori-toge pass entrance
Kumano Gobo Nankai Bus (Kumano Kotsu)	Kii-Katsuura to Nachisan, Shingu to Kii-Katsuura, Shingu to Hongu Taisha-mae, Shiko and Kanmaru to Koguchi, three local lines around Shingu

The Shingu to Hongu bus stops at Kumano Hongu Taisha. The onsen villages beyond it, such as Yunomine, are outside the covered route, so pay the extra fare on board.

What the Pass Does Not Cover

The biggest gaps are the Shinkansen, Kintetsu and most of the Kumano Kodo trailheads on the Tanabe side.

The Tokaido Shinkansen. Tokyo to Nagoya, and Nagoya to Osaka by Shinkansen, are paid separately.
Kintetsu trains, including the Ise-Shima Liner from Osaka and Nagoya to Ise. Many travellers reach Ise by Kintetsu. With this pass you go by JR's Rapid Mie instead.
The bus from Kii-Tanabe to Takijiri and Hongu, the usual start of the Nakahechi route of the Kumano Kodo.
Koyasan, which is on the Nankai line.
Local buses in Shirahama, including to the beaches and the safari park. Shirahama station itself is covered.
Reserved seats beyond the sixth one. After six free reservations, ride in the non-reserved cars or pay the reserved-seat fee.

Facilities marked "※" on the official route map may charge an additional fare even though they look as if they are in the area.

Six Free Seat Reservations and the All-Reserved Nanki

The pass includes six free reserved-seat tickets for JR limited expresses. Use them for the long legs, such as the Nanki between Nagoya and Kii-Katsuura, and the Kuroshio between Shingu and Shin-Osaka.

The Nanki is a short train with a small non-reserved section. In peak periods it becomes all-reserved. From 18 to 23 September 2026, for example, every Nanki seat was reserved and pass holders had to collect a free seat ticket before boarding.

Expect the same in Golden Week, the August Obon holiday and New Year. With children, reserve every long leg as soon as your dates are fixed rather than hoping for a non-reserved seat.

Reserve seats at a JR Central or JR West ticket office or reserved-seat ticket machine at major stations on the route.

A 5-Day Route Round the Kii Peninsula

This route goes clockwise from Nagoya and ends in Osaka or at Kansai Airport, which is how the pass is meant to be used.

Okage Yokocho street near Ise Jingu with wooden Edo-style shopfronts — Okage Yokocho, the old street outside the Naiku of Ise Jingu

Day 1. Nagoya to Ise. Take the Rapid Mie to Ise-shi. Visit the Geku (Outer Shrine), take the covered bus to the Naiku (Inner Shrine), and eat in Okage Yokocho. Stay in Ise or Toba.
Day 2. Ise to Kii-Katsuura. Take the limited express Nanki down the coast. Stop at Kumano-shi to see the Shichirimihama shore, or take the covered bus to the Maruyama Senmaida rice terraces, or ride straight through.
Day 3. Nachi. Take the covered bus from Kii-Katsuura to Nachisan for Kumano Nachi Taisha, Seiganto-ji and Nachi Falls. The Daimonzaka stone steps are a short, steep stretch of the old pilgrim road.
Day 4. Hongu. Take the bus from Shingu to Kumano Hongu Taisha, then return to Shingu for Kumano Hayatama Taisha. Stay in Shingu or Kii-Katsuura.
Day 5. Shirahama and Wakayama. Take the limited express Kuroshio to Shirahama for the coast, then continue to Wakayama and the Kishi line, and finish in Osaka or at Kansai Airport.

These are working shrines and temples, and the Kumano Sanzan are among the most sacred sites in Japan. Bow at the torii, keep voices down in the precincts, and follow the signs where photography is not allowed.

ONO

Yes, I recommend Ise and Kumano for families with children.

Is the Pass Worth It?

The pass pays off on the full loop. A single one-way limited express from Nagoya to Kii-Katsuura already costs about half the pass, and the Kuroshio back to Osaka plus the Kumano buses take you past the price. For Ise alone it does not.

Plan	Pass worth it?	Why
Nagoya to Kumano to Osaka in 4 or 5 days	Yes	Two long limited expresses plus buses
Nagoya to Ise and back	No	Regular tickets cost much less than ¥16,500
Osaka to Shirahama and back	Usually no	Look at JR West's Kansai Wide Area Pass
Kumano Kodo hike from Takijiri	Partly	The Tanabe to Takijiri bus is not covered

If your plan is Osaka-based and Kumano is only a side trip, compare it with JR West's Kansai Wide Area Pass, which covers the Kuroshio to Shirahama but not the Kumano buses.

How to Buy and Collect the Pass

Buy it online through JR-WEST Online Train Reservation, from a travel agent outside Japan, or at a JR ticket office in the area. The price is the same through all three.

Online. Bookings open one month before your start date, from 10:00 Japan time on the same date of the previous month. Collect the pass by the start date you chose.
Where to collect or buy. JR Central ticket offices at Tokyo Station (Yaesu Central and Yaesu North), Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama and Nagoya, JR Central and JR West offices at Kyoto, Shin-Osaka and Osaka, the JR West ticket office at Kansai Airport, and the Central Japan Travel Center at Chubu Centrair Airport for exchange and purchase.
What to bring. Bring every traveller's passport. Each person must be present, children included.
Start date. The start date must be within one month of the day the pass is issued. The details cannot be changed after issue, and a lost pass is not reissued.

If the ticket office is new to you, our guide to the Midori no Madoguchi JR ticket office explains how to ask for passes and seats.

Coming from Tokyo

Take the Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagoya on a separate ticket, and start the pass there. The ride is under two hours on a Nozomi.

You can collect the pass at Tokyo Station before you leave, which saves a queue in Nagoya.

The Shinkansen leg is the expensive part. If you are also travelling Tokyo to Kyoto and back, price it against the Japan Rail Pass and our guide to buying Shinkansen tickets cheaply.

Most families spend their first days in Tokyo before heading west. Our Tokyo private tour with kids is a walking day planned around strollers, naps and food allergies, and our Japan travel tips cover the rest.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Tourist Pass?: ¥16,500 for adults and ¥8,250 for children aged 6 to 11, valid for 5 consecutive days. The price is the same online, from an agent abroad and at a station in Japan.
Does the pass cover the Kumano Kodo?: It covers the buses from Kii-Katsuura to Nachisan and from Shingu to Hongu Taisha, and buses to trailheads near Owase and Kumano-shi. The bus from Kii-Tanabe to Takijiri, the usual Nakahechi start, is not covered.
Does the pass cover Kintetsu to Ise?: No. Kintetsu trains, including the Ise-Shima Liner, are not included. Use JR's Rapid Mie from Nagoya to Ise-shi and Toba, which is covered.
How many seat reservations are included?: Six free reserved seats on JR limited expresses. After that, ride in the non-reserved cars. In peak periods the Nanki becomes all-reserved, so book its seats first.
Can I start the pass at Kansai Airport?: Yes. JR from Hineno to Kansai Airport is in the pass area, and the JR West ticket office at Kansai Airport issues the pass to those who booked online.

Sources

https://touristpass.jp/en/ise_kumano/
https://touristpass.jp/assets/pdf/points/injapan/ise_en.pdf
https://touristpass.jp/assets/pdf/locations/ise_en.pdf
https://touristpass.jp/en/reserved_seat_ticket/
https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/tickets/type/adults_children.html
https://www.westjr.co.jp/travel-information/en/tickets-passes/jrwest-rail-pass/kansai_wide/

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