Plan Ahead! A Dream Ticket for "Train Enthusiasts"—The "Otona no Kyujitsu Club Pass Special" Goes on Sale in August. A Thorough Breakdown of the "Truly Worthwhile" Unlimited Ride Pass Available for the Autumn Season

Plan Ahead! A Dream Ticket for "Train Enthusiasts"—The "Otona no Kyujitsu Club Pass Special" Goes on Sale in August. A Thorough Breakdown of the "Truly Worthwhile" Unlimited Ride Pass Available for the Autumn Season

2025年08月06日 00:21

1. What is the "Adult Holiday Pass Special" — The Reason for "Special"

  • Specially set for the 20th anniversary, in addition to the regular seasonal pass, a special session (5 days) usable in autumn from 9/25 to 10/4 has been newly established. Sales are from 8/25 to 9/29, and purchases are exclusive to Ekinet, available from one month before to the day before the start date. No sales on the day. Travel Watch

  • 3 Types:

    1. East Japan Special (All JR East lines + Aoimori, IGR, Sanriku, Hokuhoku Express, Izu Kyuko, Fujisanroku Electric Railway, part of Echigo Tokimeki)

    2. Hokkaido Special (All JR Hokkaido lines, excluding Hokkaido Shinkansen)

    3. East Japan & Hokkaido Special (1) + 2) + Hokkaido Shinkansen)
      All allow unlimited rides on ordinary car non-reserved seats, and up to 6 reserved seats (Green car version allows green reserved seats as well). Travel Watch

  • Price (unchanged)

    • East Japan: Ordinary car18,800 yen / Green35,000 yen

    • Hokkaido: Ordinary car18,070 yen / Green36,050 yen

    • East Japan & Hokkaido: Ordinary car26,740 yen / Green50,250 yen. Travel Watch

  • Sales Limit: 30,000 ordinary car tickets, 1,000 green car tickets per start date (total for all 3 types). Early reservation is essential for popular dates. Travel Watch

The key to "Special" is that it can be used for 5 consecutive days at the best timing in autumn, with 6 reserved seats and enhanced discounts for convenience stores, buses, rental cars, etc. included.



2. This Year's "Enhanced Benefits" are Exciting

The benefits expansion for the 20th anniversary is exciting. Here are some representative examples.

  • NewDays 15% OFF (usually 10% → increased to 15%. Some exclusions apply to stores and products).

  • 20% OFF on JR Bus Tohoku's regular routes (usually 10% → 20%).

  • Special member rates for Station Rent-a-Car, plus a small gift in the East Japan area.

  • Special menus and exclusive rates at group hotels like Hotel Metropolitan. (Benefits may change / Some require reservations) 
    JR East


3. Who Can Buy It? How to Obtain and Basic Rules

  • Eligibility: Exclusive to members of JR East's membership program **"Adult Holiday Club"** ("Supporting travel and life from age 50"). If not a member, please join in advance. JR East

  • Purchase: Exclusive to Ekinet (via member site). Available until the day before the start date. Companion tickets can also be purchased simultaneously. JRE-OT9

  • Seat Reservation: Up to 6 reserved seats. After that, only non-reserved seats can be used. Travel Watch

  • Validity Period: 5 consecutive days. Counted from the start date. Travel Watch


4. Complete Guide to "Using" the 3 Types

4-1. East Japan Special (Ordinary car 18,800 yen)

  • Coverage includes all JR East lines + partner companies on parallel conventional lines (Aoimori, IGR, Sanriku, Hokuhoku Express, Izu Kyuko, Fujisanroku Electric Railway, Echigo Tokimeki Arai to Naoetsu).Shinkansen is also included (non-reserved / up to 6 reserved seats). Travel Watch

  • Strategy: The classic route is to "hop" on the Tohoku, Akita, Yamagata, Joetsu, and Hokuriku (up to Nagano) Shinkansen, or chase autumn leaves on the Sanriku Railway, Tadami Line, and Banetsu West Line.



4-2. Hokkaido Special (Ordinary car 18,070 yen)

  • All JR Hokkaido lines (excluding Hokkaido Shinkansen). Traverse magnificent landscapes on express trains in eastern and northern Hokkaido (such as Ozora, Soya, and Okhotsk). Travel Watch

  • Strategy: In 5 days, draw a "triangle" in eastern and northern Hokkaido with a tour from Sapporo→Kushiro→Abashiri→Asahikawa→Wakkanai.



4-3. East Japan & Hokkaido Special (Ordinary car 26,740 yen)

  • Hokkaido Shinkansen (Shin-Aomori to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto) is also free. Experience the bliss of "crossing from Honshu to Hokkaido by land." Travel Watch

  • Strategy: A grand traverse from Aomori's autumn leaves→Hakodate's night view→the wetlands of eastern Hokkaido. The allocation of the 6 reserved seats is crucial.


5. Cost Performance Analysis: How Many km/Sections to "Break Even"?

    For East Japan (18,800 yen), a round trip like
  • Tokyo ⇄ Morioka

    (Shinkansen reserved) almost covers the cost, and a round trip to Tokyo ⇄ Shin-Aomori ensures a surplus. For Hokkaido (18,070 yen), a round trip to Sapporo ⇄ Kushiro plus α is sufficient. The classic strategy is to fit several express and Shinkansen rides into the **"6 reserved seats"**, and save on the rest with non-reserved seats. Note: Specific fares are subject to market and peak season fluctuations. Reference conditions are based on the latest express fare system.

6. Practicalities of Reservations and Inventory: Sales Limits and Priorities


There is a limit of

30,000 ordinary / 1,000 green
    per start date. Early reservation is crucial for peak times like three-day weekends and autumn foliage hotspots (around 10/4).
  • Sales start one month before the start date

    (e.g., start on 9/25 → around 0:00 on 8/25 is the guideline). Travel Watch Advance Reservation of 6 Reserved Seats: Secure long-distance (Shinkansen, intercity express) "bones" of travel first. Assume non-reserved seats for short distances for flexibility.



    • 7. "Train Enthusiast" Perspective Model Route (5 Days)
7-1. East Japan & Hokkaido Special:

Honshu→Hokkaido Vertical Autumn Foliage Trail
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