JR Hokkaido Rail Pass

The Hokkaido JR Pass for 7 days is extremely useful. It helped me travel by train to many distant places. You can reach almost anywhere you want to go. It's especially helpful for northern Hokkaido, which is quite far. The Wakkanai JR train station takes 3 hours and 45 minutes to reach from Asahikawa. Afterwards, you can reach Chitose City from Asahikawa. I previously used it to travel to the eastern part of Hokkaido. It's so easy to take the train by ordering tickets at JR stations. If you take the bus, it takes too long. The train is a better choice and a better decision.

Joining this one-day tour made me feel very relaxed. It's highly recommended for non-self-driving tourists who want to visit Noboribetsu, Lake Toya, Jigokudani (Hell Valley), the Bear Ranch, and drink the 'best water in the world'. This was my first time joining a one-day tour in Hokkaido, and our guide Michelle had excellent language skills, speaking four languages (Mandarin, Cantonese, English, and Japanese). She was warm and hospitable, providing detailed introductions for each attraction, actively helping us take photos, and proactively recommending souvenirs. The one-day tour included lunch, which solved the problem of figuring out where to eat 🤣, making the trip full of joy. If you want to visit the suburban areas near central Hokkaido and don't want to take the bus yourself, join this tour!! 💨

It's much cheaper than buying on-site. This pass allowed us, who couldn't drive in Hokkaido, to travel freely through Sapporo, Obihiro, Kushiro, Nemuro, and Tomamu Hoshino. Just be sure to pay close attention to the train schedules, as Hokkaido's railway services are very infrequent. Exchanging for the physical ticket in Kushiro was very smooth; the station staff were friendly and patient, and we were able to reserve seats at the same time. We even received a cute (Hokkaido's prefectural bird) ticket holder as a gift, which we could bring back as a souvenir after the trip.

After landing in the afternoon, I went to exchange money, which was quick and convenient. Then I took the JR to Sapporo. In the evening, I went to Asahikawa, and the next morning, I headed to Wakkanai, the northernmost point of Japan. Later, I returned to Sapporo from Kushiro. All these routes were covered by the JR Pass, making long-distance travel very cost-effective. Additionally, this time when I bought the JR Pass, I received a very nice card holder, which wasn't available before. I wonder if other JR Passes will offer such holders to tourists; it would be even better if they did.

I made full use of this great value 4-day pass to visit Furano, Biei, Asahikawa, and Otaru. In addition to unlimited JR rides within the area, you can also reserve seats for the Furano Lavender Express and the Furano-Biei Norokko Train for free. Especially since the Furano-Biei Norokko Train will cease operations after 2026, be sure to seize the opportunity! This pass is definitely a great helper for those who don't drive, highly recommended!

This pass was incredibly useful during my trip from New Chitose Airport to Sapporo, Hakodate, Toya, Noboribetsu, Asahikawa, Biei, and Furano. It saved a lot of money and time on the JR. You can reserve seats on the machine, and it's quite user-friendly and easy to access. The seat reservation process is easy and fast, and the redemption guide on the machine is also easy to follow.

A full-day tour of Aoiike (Blue Pond), Shikisai-no-Oka, Farm Tomita, and Rokkatei, all-inclusive! Excellent value for money! Although there was no stop at the Patchwork Road (we only slowed down to view it from the car), it couldn't be helped due to the long journey. However, the sightseeing time at other attractions was sufficient. Our guide, Cookie, was very experienced, introducing the features and delicious food at each stop before we disembarked, and the driver was also very responsible. I highly recommend the soup curry and soft-serve ice cream at Shikisai-no-Oka, and the cheese cookie sandwiches at Rokkatei Cafe! The lavender disinfectant alcohol and soap at Farm Tomita are also great buys 🫢🫢🫢 I sincerely recommend this tour to anyone who doesn't have a car but wants to visit most of the Biei and Furano attractions!!!

I used the JR Hokkaido Furano Pass during my summer trip, and it was definitely worth it. It made traveling between Furano, Biei, and Asahikawa easy without buying separate tickets. The trains were clean, comfortable, and always on time. The scenery was the best part. Every ride offered beautiful views of flower fields, forests, rivers, and mountains, making the journey just as enjoyable as the destinations. The pass also gave me the freedom to explore without worrying about transportation costs. The only downside is that train services in rural Hokkaido are limited, so careful planning is necessary. Some attractions are also a bit far from the stations and may require a bus, bicycle, or a longer walk. Overall, the JR Hokkaido Furano Pass offers great value and is a convenient way to experience the beauty of central Hokkaido. I would happily use it again.

Redeem and claim at any station with ease. Fully utilize the pass for 5 days to explore Eastern and Northern Hokkaido. Seat reservations are also easy to make, either by machine or manually. All seasonal trains are covered as well!

easy to redeem. just gotta go any of the ticket redemption booth to activate. And inform the staff which date you wish to activate it. Recommended to redeem it as soon as you arrive because the queue may be long if you go to the booth on the day of activation. Its worth it especially if you are visiting multiple locations outside the city.