Is the JR East Pass Nagano Niigata still available?

No. It was sold until 13 March 2026. The JR EAST PASS replaced it from 14 March 2026 and covers Nagano, Niigata and Tohoku for 5 or 10 days.

How much does the JR EAST PASS cost?

Adults pay ¥35,000 for 5 consecutive days and ¥50,000 for 10 consecutive days. Children aged 6 to 11 pay ¥17,500 and ¥25,000.

Does the JR EAST PASS cover the trip to Kanazawa?

It covers the line only as far as Joetsu-Myoko. The Hokuriku Shinkansen beyond that is run by JR West. For Kanazawa, use the Hokuriku Arch Pass or buy a ticket for that section.

Does the pass cover the snow monkeys?

No. The Nagano Electric Railway to Yudanaka and the buses to Jigokudani are run by other companies. The pass gets you to Nagano station.

Can I use the pass for skiing at GALA Yuzawa?

Yes. GALA Yuzawa station is on the Joetsu Shinkansen and covered by the JR EAST PASS and the JR TOKYO Wide Pass. The station opens only in the winter and spring season.

JR East Pass (Nagano, Niigata Area) in 2026: What to Buy Now

10/04/202510/10/2026

A Shinkansen train for the JR East Pass Nagano and Niigata area

Quick answer

The JR East Pass (Nagano, Niigata area), ¥27,000 for 5 days, stopped selling on 13 March 2026.
Its replacement, the JR EAST PASS, costs ¥35,000 for 5 days and also covers Tohoku.
For Nagano plus Kanazawa and Kyoto, the 7-day Hokuriku Arch Pass (¥35,000) often fits better.

Contents

Can You Still Buy the JR East Pass (Nagano, Niigata Area)?

No. JR East stopped selling the JR East Pass (Nagano, Niigata area) on 13 March 2026. From 14 March 2026 it was replaced, together with the Tohoku version, by a single JR EAST PASS that covers all JR East lines.

If you find the old pass on a reseller site or in an older guide, it is no longer on sale.

The old pass cost ¥27,000 for 5 days and covered only the Nagano and Niigata side of eastern Japan. The new pass costs ¥35,000 for 5 days, but the same ticket now also takes you to Sendai, Aomori and the rest of Tohoku.

This page is about using the new pass for a Nagano and Niigata trip taking in places such as Karuizawa, Nagano city, the snow monkeys, Matsumoto, Echigo-Yuzawa and Niigata. The step-by-step on buying, collecting and reserving is in our JR East Pass Tohoku guide, and every regional pass is compared in regional rail passes in Japan.

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Old Pass vs New JR EAST PASS

The new pass costs ¥8,000 more for 5 days than the old Nagano and Niigata pass, and adds a 10-day option and the whole of Tohoku.

	Old pass (Nagano, Niigata area)	New JR EAST PASS
On sale	Until 13 March 2026	From 14 March 2026
Adult / child, 5 days	¥27,000 / ¥13,500	¥35,000 / ¥17,500
10 days	Not offered	¥50,000 / ¥25,000
Area	Tokyo, Nagano, Niigata	All JR East, including Tohoku

Children aged 6 to 11 pay half. Children under 6 do not need a pass if they do not need their own reserved seat. The new pass is open to anyone with a passport issued outside Japan, without the "Temporary Visitor" requirement, so foreign residents can use it too.

What the Pass Covers in Nagano and Niigata

In this region, the JR EAST PASS covers the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo to Joetsu-Myoko, the Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo to Niigata and GALA Yuzawa, JR East limited expresses and local lines, and two partner railways.

A blue and copper E7 Shinkansen at a station platform — The Hokuriku Shinkansen runs from Tokyo through Karuizawa to Nagano

Covered.

Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo through Karuizawa and Nagano as far as Joetsu-Myoko
Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo to Echigo-Yuzawa, Nagaoka and Niigata, plus GALA Yuzawa station, which opens only in the winter and spring ski season
Limited express Azusa from Shinjuku to Matsumoto, and the JR line north from Matsumoto towards Hakuba
Hokuetsu Express, the line across to the Sea of Japan coast
Echigo Tokimeki Railway between Naoetsu and Arai only

Not covered.

The Hokuriku Shinkansen beyond Joetsu-Myoko to Toyama and Kanazawa, which is run by JR West
The Nagano Electric Railway to Yudanaka and the bus to the Jigokudani snow monkeys
The Shinano Railway between Karuizawa and Nagano (take the Shinkansen instead, which is covered)
The ferry to Sado Island
Green Car and GranClass, which need a separate charge

Is the New Pass Worth It for Nagano and Niigata Only?

Often not. At ¥35,000, the new pass is priced for long trips. A Tokyo, Nagano and Niigata loop of a few days is the kind of trip the old ¥27,000 pass was made for, and on the new price it may come out close to single tickets.

Run the same test we use for every pass. Price each Shinkansen and limited express leg on JR East's fare search or JR-EAST Train Reservation, add them up, and compare. Then look at the alternatives.

Your trip	Pass that fits
Karuizawa or GALA Yuzawa as a day trip	Single tickets
GALA Yuzawa and Nikko within 3 days	JR TOKYO Wide Pass, ¥16,000
Tokyo, Nagano and Niigata only	Add up single tickets first
Nagano or Niigata plus Sendai or Aomori	JR EAST PASS, 5 or 10 days
Nagano plus Kanazawa, Kyoto or Osaka	Hokuriku Arch Pass, ¥35,000 for 7 days
Nagano plus Kyoto, Hiroshima and back	National Japan Rail Pass

JR East's own example for the JR TOKYO Wide Pass is a trip from Tokyo to GALA Yuzawa and on to Nikko, which costs about ¥21,500 in single tickets against ¥16,000 for the 3-day pass. For a ski weekend at GALA Yuzawa, that pass is the cheaper choice.

Hokuriku Arch Pass for Nagano, Kanazawa and Kyoto

The Hokuriku Arch Pass costs ¥35,000 (child ¥17,500) for 7 consecutive days, and covers JR East and JR West lines in an arch from Tokyo through Nagano and Kanazawa to Kyoto and Osaka. Since March 2026 its area also takes in Nagano and Niigata, so it now does much of what the old Nagano and Niigata pass did, plus Kanazawa.

In JR East's example, Narita Airport to Kanazawa, Kanazawa to Nagano, and Nagano back to Narita costs about ¥38,000 in single tickets, against ¥35,000 for the pass, with stops along the way free.

The pass has two limits. It is sold only to visitors with Temporary Visitor status, and it does not cover the Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Kyoto.

It suits a trip that goes one way through the mountains and Kanazawa and comes back another way.

Where to Go with the Pass

The pass is most useful for the places on the Shinkansen lines. The mountain sights at the end of a bus ride need extra tickets.

1. Karuizawa

Karuizawa is the first big stop on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, about an hour from Tokyo. It is a cool summer resort town with an outlet mall next to the station.

It works as a day trip from Tokyo, or as a stop on the way to Nagano.

2. Nagano city and Zenko-ji

Zenko-ji, one of Japan's oldest and most visited temples, is a bus ride or a walk of about 30 minutes uphill from Nagano station. Visitors can walk through the dark passage under the main hall.

Treat it as a quiet walk of worship.

3. The Jigokudani snow monkeys

The wild monkeys that bathe in hot springs live about an hour from Nagano by road. Neither the private railway to Yudanaka nor the bus is on the pass, so budget for them separately.

The monkeys are easiest to see in the snow months.

4. Matsumoto and Hakuba

Matsumoto Castle, one of the few original castle keeps in Japan, is on the Azusa line from Shinjuku. Hakuba's ski and hiking valleys are further north on the JR line from Matsumoto.

5. Echigo-Yuzawa, GALA Yuzawa and Niigata

GALA Yuzawa is a ski resort with its own Shinkansen station, so you step off the train and into the ski centre in the season. Niigata city, at the end of the Joetsu Shinkansen, is known for rice, sake and seafood, and is the port for Sado Island.

ONO

Zenkoji, Karuizawa and Jigokudani.

Buying and Using the Pass

You buy the JR EAST PASS online on JR-EAST Train Reservation, from a travel agency outside Japan, or at a JR East ticket office, and collect it with every traveller's passport. Our JR East Pass Tohoku guide walks through buying, collecting, refunds and gates.

Two points matter more on this side of the network. The Kagayaki to Nagano is all-reserved, so book a seat before you board, even with the pass.

And in the ski season and the New Year holidays, the Joetsu Shinkansen to Echigo-Yuzawa and GALA Yuzawa fills up with skiers, so reserve family seats together as soon as your dates are fixed. Reservations open a month ahead.

Our Midori no Madoguchi guide explains how to book at the counter.

Nagano and Niigata from a Tokyo Base

You do not need a pass, or even a hotel move, to see this region from Tokyo. Karuizawa and Echigo-Yuzawa are both about an hour or a little more by Shinkansen, so a family based in Tokyo can do either as a day trip on single tickets and be back for dinner.

Nagano with the snow monkeys, or Matsumoto, is better with one night away. For the days in the city, our Tokyo private tour with kids plans a walking day around strollers, naps and food allergies.

The other decisions before a first trip are in our Japan travel tips.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the JR East Pass Nagano Niigata still available?: No. It was sold until 13 March 2026. The JR EAST PASS replaced it from 14 March 2026 and covers Nagano, Niigata and Tohoku for 5 or 10 days.
How much does the JR EAST PASS cost?: Adults pay ¥35,000 for 5 consecutive days and ¥50,000 for 10 consecutive days. Children aged 6 to 11 pay ¥17,500 and ¥25,000.
Does the JR EAST PASS cover the trip to Kanazawa?: It covers the line only as far as Joetsu-Myoko. The Hokuriku Shinkansen beyond that is run by JR West. For Kanazawa, use the Hokuriku Arch Pass or buy a ticket for that section.
Does the pass cover the snow monkeys?: No. The Nagano Electric Railway to Yudanaka and the buses to Jigokudani are run by other companies. The pass gets you to Nagano station.
Can I use the pass for skiing at GALA Yuzawa?: Yes. GALA Yuzawa station is on the Joetsu Shinkansen and covered by the JR EAST PASS and the JR TOKYO Wide Pass. The station opens only in the winter and spring season.

Plan a Private Day with a Local

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