If criss-crossing train tracks and roundabout routes are not for you, perhaps trusty buses may be the way to go.
The Japan Bus Pass, sold by transport operator Willer Express, offers unlimited travel on its various bus routes throughout the country – excluding Hokkaido and Okinawa – across a set number of days.
Dates of travel can be chosen within two months of purchase, and do not have to be on consecutive days.
According to the japan-guide.com website, a traveller utilising the pass will pay only about 3,000 yen for a trip from Tokyo to Hiroshima, compared with a regular train ticket which can cost up to 18,000 yen.
Anyone holding a non-Japanese passport will be eligible to buy the pass, including non-Japanese citizens living in Japan, foreign students and long-term travellers.
To kill two birds with one stone, travellers can also opt for overnight highway buses, saving on accommodation through the night as well. After all, there is nothing better than to magically awaken already at your destination.
The pass can be used for up to one overnight and two daytime bus rides a day on buses operated by Willer Express, but does not cover the same route in the same direction twice on the same day – for example, two rides from Osaka to Hiroshima.
Travel on the same route but in different directions, such as a trip from Osaka to Hiroshima and back, is allowed.
Overnight buses departing after midnight count as a ride taken the previous day.
A sample itinerary on japan-guide.com for a popular series of destinations spanning Tokyo, Hiroshima, Kyoto and back to Tokyo known as the “Golden Route” will cost about 40,000 yen with regular train tickets. The same route costs 29,650 yen with the JR Pass, and has to take place across seven days.
Via the Japan Bus Pass, travelling along the “Golden Route” costs 10,200 yen, and can be used across up to two months.
Highway buses are also a viable option for those who do not wish to be restricted by a pass. Leading bus companies offering such services include Willer Express, as well as JR Bus.
However, prices often vary by date instead of route. Willer Express highway bus tickets from Tokyo to Osaka in May cost between 2,800 yen and 6,000 yen, while those in June cost between 3,900 yen and 6,000 yen.
Seat reservations are required for each ride and can be made online until one hour before departure.
Willer’s bus network is centred on Japan’s two primary urban areas, Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto, and connects with secondary cities across the country. This means that those based around the primary areas will be able to shuttle back and forth, but will not be able to travel between secondary cities directly.
Two options are currently available.
The first, a Monday To Thursday Pass, offers options of a three-day pass for 10,200 yen, five-day pass for 12,800 yen and seven-day pass for 15,300 yen. This cannot be used on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
The second, an All Day Pass, offers a three-day option at 12,800 yen or a five-day option at 15,300 yen.
Both types of passes cannot be used during certain blackout periods spanning one or two days before and after Golden Week, Obon and the New Year holidays.
For example, 2023’s Golden Week spanned April 29 to May 5. The blackout period for the Japan Bus Pass was from April 28 to May 7.
Obon lasted from Aug 13 to 16, with the blackout dates being Aug 10 to 16.
The blackout period for New Year holidays began before Christmas on Dec 23, 2022, and ended on Jan 3, 2023.
The actual blackout dates for 2024 have yet to be listed on the Willer Express website. Those who wish to purchase the pass near these periods should check for updates on its website before purchasing.
