This site is an online media that delivers all sorts of trivia about the six Tohoku prefectures, from sightseeing and gourmet spots to local customs, history, and more
This yearthe 150th anniversary of the railway's openingmarks
And JR East lived up to our expectations!
To celebrate the 150th anniversary, they're being extravagant!From October 14th (Fri) to October 27th (Sun), 2022,on any date you choosecan enjoy unlimited rides within the designated free area for three days.
There's no way I'm going to miss out on a bonus like this. I always say to NEFT, "I'm not getting too excited yet" and "I don't have the budget," but this time I decided to take the plunge and buy it
And since I have purchased it, I believe there is no point unless I can get my money's worth both in terms of enjoyment and the cost of the passport
Of course, I will not forget my main job and would like to briefly introduce tourist spots throughout Tohoku while comparing them with the regular fares of each railway company
Please bear with me for a moment as I write about "JR East Pass Journey to Commemorate 150 Years of Railway Opening."
First, let me explain the JR East Pass
I've written a lot about this above, but let me give you a quick explanation of the JR East Pass
The usage period is from October 14th to October 27th, 2022
Adults: 22,150 yen
Child: 10,150 yen
This means you can ride as much as you want within the free area for three days
Some readers of this article might be thinking, "Isn't this just like the Seishun 18 Ticket? Can I really get my money's worth?" But the biggest feature of this ticket is that you can ride limited express trains and Shinkansen bullet trains as much as you want within the free area, andyou can ride in reserved seats up to four times.
Gran Class and Green Seats are an additional cost, but I don't think there's any other ticket that's as dreamy as this
Moreover, the free area is not limited to JR East lines
It also includes seven local railroads and a BRT (bus rapid transit) system
Take a look at the map above, and of course it's not just Tohoku. You can travel from Aomori in the east to Nagano in the west, and even Izu with the free pass
However, NEFT is a web media that aims to revitalize Tohoku and introduces its wonderful land, food, products, sightseeing, and trivia
This trip will be limited to six prefectures in the Tohoku region
Product Name: "JR East Japan 150th Anniversary Pass" ○ Price: Adult 22,150 yen, Child 10,150 yen (tax included) ○ Usage Period: October 14th (Fri) - October 27th (Thu), 2022 *Available for purchase from one month prior to the start date of use ○ Validity Period: 3 days ○ Sales Location: Exclusively available on "Ekinet (Web)" *Cannot be purchased through the "Ekinet app". ○ Usage Details: Unlimited rides for 3 days on ordinary non-reserved seats of limited express (including Shinkansen), express, and rapid trains on all JR East Japan lines, Aoimori Railway Line, IGR Iwate Galaxy Railway Line, Sanriku Railway Line, Hokuetsu Express Line, Izukyu Railway Line, Fujikyu Railway Line, and Echigo Tokimeki Railway Line (Naoetsu - Arai section), as well as on BRT operated by JR East Japan. If you reserve your seat in advance, you can ride in reserved seats on Shinkansen and express trains up to four times. ○Benefits: During the validity period of the JR East Pass, you can receive benefits at rental car companies and various shops and facilities by presenting the pass.
Where are you going? What is your purpose?
I had a hard time deciding on my destination
Thanks to this, I, who am not very knowledgeable about trains, was able to use the Tohoku line map in everyday conversations
The concept, or rather the idea
"Traveling is about having fun, and this time I'm not taking on a challenge, so I want to go somewhere far away in comfort. I also want to enjoy local cuisine and delicious alcohol, and I want to be able to walk to tourist spots within a 3km radius of the station."
Although this free pass does include discounts on rental cars, I thought it would be more like a train trip to sightsee within walking distance of each station
We at NEFT are based in Sendai City, and if we were to go to a place that was simply far away, it would be the Gono Line or Ominato Line in Aomori
However, if you calculate the time, it just becomes a train enthusiast trip
So here it is this time!
The trip is for two days and one night, and the destination is Akita City!
So I decided! My goal for the first day will be Akita City!
We will head towards Akita, stopping at appropriate stations along the way for sightseeing
First, we will start from Sendai Station, and to give ourselves plenty of time, we plan to board the Tohoku Shinkansen bound for Morioka, departing at 8:05 AM
Today I will just give an explanation, but in the next article I will share with you the details of the trip
At the end of the day, I will also include the difference in cost between the total normal transportation cost and the cost of the free pass ticket, so please look forward to the next article
"new travel etiquetteチケットwe'll also enjoy learning about
I'm a member of the Neft editorial team. I love alcohol, music, and travel, and on weekdays I indulge in drinks after work, and on weekends I travel to nearby places whenever I have free time.
My goal is to one day travel abroad to explore connections with Tohoku for a Neft feature! I work hard every day towards that goal.
![Chusonji Temple information board](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/IMG_3829-1200x675-1-150x150.jpg.webp "[JR East Japan Pass Trip: Day 2, Part 2] Intensive exploration of Hiraizumi! World Heritage sites "Chusonji Temple" and "Golden Hall"")
