How to buy Shinkansen and limited-express tickets without a rail pass
Checked against 31 official sources. 12 minute read.
What to know first
Each JR company runs its own booking site, so your route decides where you buy: SmartEX for Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima and Fukuoka; JR-EAST Train Reservation for Tohoku and Niigata; JR-WEST Online Train Reservation for Kansai and the Hokuriku line; and JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation within Kyushu. SmartEX, JR East and JR West all list Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express and Diners Club, and reserved seats on most JR trains go on sale at 10:00 Japan time one month before travel. If a card is declined, the same ticket is sold at station machines and counters.
Next step: Find your route in the first section, then that site's entry in “Cards, sale dates and pickup on each site”.
- Reserved seats go on sale
- 10:00 Japan time, one month before travelSmartEX, JR East, JR West and JR Kyushu
- People per booking
- SmartEX 6, JR West 6, JR Kyushu 7
- Cancelling on SmartEX
- 320 yen before pickup and departure
On this page
Which booking site covers which route
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| Booking options |
|---|
Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka, Hiroshima, Hakata, Kumamoto and Kagoshima (Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen): book on SmartEX. JR-WEST Online also sells these, but Tokaido-only trips come as plain paper tickets without its online-change benefits, and JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation sells them as paper tickets. |
Tokyo to Sendai, Morioka, Aomori, Akita, Yamagata and Niigata (Tohoku, Akita, Yamagata and Joetsu Shinkansen, JR East): book on JR-EAST Train Reservation. JR-WEST Online sells only Omiya to Nasushiobara and Takasaki to Niigata. |
Tokyo, Nagano, Toyama, Kanazawa and Tsuruga (Hokuriku Shinkansen, JR East and JR West): book on JR-WEST Online, which sells the whole line. JR-EAST Train Reservation also sells it, but JR East's English pages don't say how far west. |
Kansai Airport to Kyoto (HARUKA), Osaka to Tsuruga (Thunderbird) and other JR West limited expresses: book on JR-WEST Online. JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation also sells JR West limited expresses. |
Narita Express, Azusa and Kaiji, Fuji Excursion, Odoriko and Hitachi (JR East limited expresses): book on JR-EAST Train Reservation. |
Hakata to Nagasaki (Relay Kamome to Takeo-Onsen, then the Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen) and other Kyushu limited expresses: book on JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation, or JR-WEST Online. |
Asakusa to Nikko and Kinugawa (Spacia X, Revaty, Tobu Railway): book on Tobu's own online service, where sales open at 09:00 JST one month ahead. These trains aren't sold on JR sites, aren't covered by the Japan Rail Pass, and the JR and Tobu through trains from Shinjuku aren't sold on Tobu's service. |
SmartEX coverage
SmartEX states that it can't book any other line, so a Tokyo to Kanazawa search there finds nothing.
What will it cost? Full fares for the routes visitors book most, such as Tokyo to Kyoto by Nozomi, are worked out in Japan Rail Pass or individual tickets.
Sources for this section: SmartEX: points to note · JR West: Online Train Reservation overview and area map · JR East: FAQ · JR Kyushu: Train Reservation FAQ · Tobu Railway: how to buy limited express tickets
Cards, sale dates and pickup on each site
SmartEX
SmartEX: lists Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners Club and Discover. Membership is free, for ages 18 and over. Without 3D Secure you may be unable to use it; debit and prepaid cards may be refused, and virtual cards lose some services, such as refunds after pickup. Most seats go on sale at 10:00 JST one month before travel. Up to 6 people per booking. You board with a QR code, a linked IC card or a paper ticket collected at a JR Central, JR West or JR Kyushu station.
JR-EAST Train Reservation
JR-EAST Train Reservation: lists Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex and Diners Club, plus Japan's View card. No prepaid or virtual cards. JR East's English pages don't mention 3D Secure. Seats go on sale at 10:00 JST one month before. You board with a linked IC card (an e-ticket) or a paper ticket.
JR-WEST Online
JR-WEST Online: lists Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex and Diners Club, plus Japanese brands. The card must be in your own name, the security code is needed for every purchase, and if you don't have the physical card, JR West treats you as having no card. Sales run from 10:00 JST one month before until 6 minutes before departure, for up to 6 people per booking. You collect a paper ticket from a machine or counter; some limited expresses offer a phone ticket.
JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation
JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation: its English pages say only "credit card (online)" and don't list brands. The card must be in your own name and shown at pickup. Sales run from 10:00 JST one month before until 6 minutes before departure, for up to 7 people per booking. You collect a paper ticket from a JR Kyushu or JR West machine or counter.
Payment conditions
None of the four lists UnionPay. Charges are in yen, and SmartEX warns that each change is a new payment plus a refund, so your bank may add a foreign transaction fee every time.
Sources for this section: SmartEX: service overview for first-time users · SmartEX: registration · SmartEX FAQ: I can't register my credit card · Eki-net FAQ: card brands (Japanese) · JR West: Online Train Reservation terms · JR Kyushu: JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation service · JR Kyushu: Train Reservation terms (Japanese)
What the one-year SmartEX window really means
SmartEX takes requests from 05:30 JST one year before the travel date. It is a request, not a confirmed seat: you pick a train from a provisional timetable, you can't choose your seat, and you pay when you request. The train, times and seat number are confirmed and emailed from 08:00 JST one month before travel (JR Central and SmartEX's Japanese pages say 08:00; one English SmartEX page says 14:00, so expect the email by mid-afternoon JST). If you don't like the seat, you can change it from 10:00 JST that day.
Only a limited number of seats are offered a year ahead. Hayatoku discount fares, wheelchair seats, S Work seats and oversized-baggage seats can't be booked a year ahead (SmartEX's Japanese page says this applies to some trains and sections only). If you'll have a large suitcase, book at the one-month opening instead.
Sources for this section: SmartEX: reservation times · SmartEX: requests one year ahead (Japanese) · JR Central: Nozomi all-reserved peak periods · SmartEX: oversized baggage seats
Worked example: what 10:00 JST is where you live
Japan doesn't change its clocks. Sales open on the same date of the previous month in Japan: 15 November 2026 for a 15 December 2026 trip. If the previous month has no such date, sales open on the 1st of the travel month: for a 31 December 2026 trip, 1 December 2026.
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| Item | Local sale time |
|---|---|
| UK and Europe | UK and Europe: 10:00 JST is 01:00 GMT or 02:00 CET in winter, and 02:00 BST or 03:00 CEST in summer (Europe changes its clocks on 25 October 2026). It is the same date as in Japan. |
| US | US: 10:00 JST is 21:00 EDT or 18:00 PDT the evening before, and 20:00 EST or 17:00 PST after US clocks change on 1 November 2026. |
| Eastern Australia | Eastern Australia: 10:00 JST is 11:00 AEST, or 12:00 AEDT in the Sydney and Melbourne summer. |
Sources for this section: JR East: FAQ · JR West: Online Train Reservation terms · JR Central: how to buy tickets
Your next step: book your first reserved seat
1. Find your route: Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen on SmartEX; Tohoku, Akita, Yamagata and Joetsu Shinkansen on JR-EAST Train Reservation; the Hokuriku Shinkansen on JR-WEST Online.
2. Register on that site before sale day, with a card it lists (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express or Diners Club). SmartEX membership is free for ages 18 and over, and without 3D Secure you may be unable to use it.
3. Set an alarm for 10:00 JST on the same date one month before you travel: 15 November 2026 for a 15 December 2026 trip, which is 01:00 GMT or 02:00 CET.
4. If your card is declined, buy the same ticket at a station machine or counter, from 10:00 JST one month ahead up to the day itself.
Sources for this section: SmartEX: points to note · JR East: FAQ · JR West: Online Train Reservation terms
Picking up paper tickets
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| Item | Pickup |
|---|---|
| SmartEX | SmartEX: use machines with the EX logo at Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen stations, counters at major JR Central, JR West and JR Kyushu stations, or JR East machines in central Tokyo (the 23 wards), Yokohama, Kawasaki, Odawara and Atami. Machines take the QR or 16-digit pickup code; counters need the 16-digit code; either way you also need your login password. Staff may ask to see the card you paid with. Machines release tickets from three days before travel and counters from one month before; year-ahead requests can't be collected before 10:00 JST on the one-month sale day. |
| JR-WEST Online | JR-WEST Online: use machines or ticket offices with the e5489 mark at JR West, JR Shikoku and JR Kyushu stations; JR Central stations only if your trip uses JR Central track; or some JR East Travel Service Centers in greater Tokyo, for Hokuriku Shinkansen and Tokyo-area tickets only. At a machine, choose English first, insert the physical card you paid with and enter the 5-digit reservation number (starting with "4") and your 4-digit identification number. Collect by the first day the ticket is valid: machines run 04:30 to 23:20 and offices 04:30 to 23:30, within each station's hours. |
| JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation | JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation: use JR Kyushu machines or ticket offices, or JR West ticket offices and reserved-seat machines (not JR East, JR Central, JR Hokkaido or JR Shikoku stations). You need the same card, the 5-digit reservation number starting with "6" and your 4-digit identification number. Only the person named on the card can collect, and without that card JR Kyushu says you can't collect "under any circumstances". At Hakata and Kokura, use the JR Kyushu machines and offices. Collect by your travel date. |
| JR-EAST Train Reservation | JR-EAST Train Reservation: JR East says you can collect at reserved-seat machines with passport readers or at JR East Travel Service Centers. Its English pages don't say whether an ordinary ticket needs a passport scan, so carry your passport when you collect. |
Collect before boarding
JR West and JR Kyushu both say that boarding without collected tickets means buying new, full-price ones.
Sources for this section: SmartEX: where to collect tickets · JR West: receiving tickets · JR Kyushu: collecting tickets · JR Kyushu: Train Reservation terms (Japanese) · JR East: ticket guide
Buying at the station instead
In person, you can buy from 10:00 JST one month ahead up to the day itself. JR Central says every machine at its stations has English menus, and some also sell limited-express and reserved-seat tickets. JR Kyushu machines also have English. JR West's green machines start in Japanese, so choose your language first.
At ticket offices (Midori-no-madoguchi) and JR East Travel Service Centers, JR East says the centers have staff who speak English, Chinese and Korean. JR Central and JR Kyushu suggest telling staff your stations, date and time, train type, number of adults and children (6 to 11) and seat type (reserved, non-reserved or Green Car). Showing this written on your phone is the easiest way.
A passport is needed for rail passes and visitor-only discounted tickets, such as the JR West special discounted tickets collected at passport-reader machines. JR West's pickup steps for ordinary tickets ask only for the card and booking numbers. If your card fails online, JR East's booking site tells you to try another card or buy at a station, a Travel Service Center or a reserved-seat machine.
Sources for this section: JR Central: how to buy tickets · JR Kyushu: JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation service · JR East: tickets · JR West: receiving tickets · JR-EAST Train Reservation: top page notices
Reserved or non-reserved?
Narita Express, Hayabusa and Kagayaki are always all-reserved (JR East's ticket guide); JR East's Touch de Go page also lists Hayate, Komachi and Tsubasa as all-reserved. On these trains a non-reserved ticket isn't an option.
Nozomi on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen is all-reserved on peak days; a non-reserved ticket then lets you stand on the deck of an ordinary car only. The remaining dates are 21 to 23 November 2026, 25 December 2026 to 5 January 2027, 9 January 2027 to 11 January 2027 and 20 to 22 March 2027. JR Central warns that Hikari and Kodama non-reserved cars may be overcrowded then too.
If you miss your reserved Tokaido, Sanyo or Kyushu train, SmartEX and JR Central say you can use a non-reserved seat on a later train the same day. On Nozomi peak days, that means a non-reserved seat on a Hikari, Kodama, Mizuho, Sakura or Tsubame, or standing on the deck of a Nozomi. Hayatoku fares are valid only on the train you booked.
Sources for this section: JR East: ticket guide · JR East: Touch de Go! Shinkansen · JR Central: Nozomi all-reserved peak periods · SmartEX: changes and refunds
Can I use Suica or ICOCA on the Shinkansen?
Yes, but only in specific ways. On SmartEX, link one of ten IC cards (Suica, PASMO, ICOCA, TOICA, manaca, Kitaca, PiTaPa, Hayakaken, nimoca, SUGOCA). The fare is charged to your credit card, not taken from the card balance. Visitor IC cards expire after 28 days, and an expired card fails at the gate. Children's cards can't be the member's registered card.
JR East Shinkansen e-ticket
JR East Shinkansen e-ticket: book on JR-EAST Train Reservation and link one IC card per person. The Express Train e-ticket does the same for Narita Express, Azusa, Kaiji, Fuji Excursion, Odoriko, Hitachi and others, but you still pay the basic fare with your IC card or a paper ticket.
Touch de Go! Shinkansen (JR East)
Touch de Go! Shinkansen (JR East): tap Welcome Suica Mobile at the gate to use non-reserved seats on JR East Shinkansen sections, for example Tokyo to Sendai or Tokyo to Niigata, and the Hokuriku line only as far as Joetsu-Myoko, without booking. The all-reserved trains have no non-reserved seats to use it on. JR East notes the fare may be higher than a paper ticket if you also transfer to or from a conventional line.
JR West Digital Limited Express Ticket
JR West Digital Limited Express Ticket: show it on your phone on some limited expresses. You enter the gate with ICOCA or a basic-fare ticket and should carry the card you paid with. We found no official way to ride the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen on an IC card that isn't linked to a SmartEX booking.
Sources for this section: SmartEX: boarding with an IC card · JR East: e-tickets · JR East: Touch de Go! Shinkansen · JR West: Digital Limited Express Ticket
Peak-season seat tips
Be online at 10:00 JST on sale day, or put in a SmartEX request a year ahead if you don't need a luggage seat. On Nozomi peak days, a reserved Hikari seat is the alternative to standing.
Groups: SmartEX and JR West take up to 6 people per booking and JR Kyushu up to 7; one JR West booking keeps everyone in the same car. Bigger groups need several bookings, so make them one straight after another at 10:00.
For Mount Fuji, travel guides and a SmartEX promotional feature point to window seat E, on the two-seat side, between Mishima and Shin-Fuji. JR Central's own English pages don't say which seat.
Sources for this section: SmartEX: reservation times · JR West: Online Train Reservation terms · JR Kyushu: Train Reservation FAQ · FUN! JAPAN: SmartEX and Mount Fuji views (promotional feature)
Common mistakes
Using SmartEX for Hokuriku or Tohoku trains
Using SmartEX for Hokuriku or Tohoku trains: it covers only the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen.
Looking for the SmartEX app in a UK, French or German app store
Looking for the SmartEX app in a UK, French or German app store: it's offered only in the US, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand, plus Taiwan under a different name. Use the website instead.
Booking with a virtual or app-only card
Booking with a virtual or app-only card: JR West treats it as no card, JR East doesn't accept it, and SmartEX limits refunds.
Leaving the paying card at the hotel
Leaving the paying card at the hotel: JR West and JR Kyushu tickets can't be collected without it.
Entering a hyphen in your name
Entering a hyphen in your name: SmartEX won't accept "-" or "."; replace them with a space or leave them out.
Cancelling the wrong way
Cancelling the wrong way: before pickup, cancel online (SmartEX charges 320 yen before departure); after pickup, cancel at a counter. Changing a booking repeatedly with a foreign card can add a fee each time.
Sources for this section: SmartEX: points to note · SmartEX: home page · JR West: Online Train Reservation terms · SmartEX FAQ: I can't register my credit card · SmartEX: changes and refunds
Key facts, checked 8 October 2026
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| Item | Facts |
|---|---|
| Reserved seats on SmartEX, JR East, JR West and JR Kyushu | Reserved seats on SmartEX, JR East, JR West and JR Kyushu: on sale at 10:00 JST one month before travel. |
| SmartEX year-ahead requests | SmartEX year-ahead requests: from 05:30 JST one year before; confirmed from 08:00 JST one month before. |
| Tobu limited expresses | Tobu limited expresses: on sale at 09:00 JST one month ahead, on Tobu's own service. |
| People per booking | People per booking: SmartEX 6, JR West 6, JR Kyushu 7. |
| Nozomi all-reserved peak days left | Nozomi all-reserved peak days left: 21 to 23 November 2026, 25 December 2026 to 5 January 2027, 9 January 2027 to 11 January 2027 and 20 to 22 March 2027. |
| SmartEX cancellation before pickup and departure | SmartEX cancellation before pickup and departure: 320 yen. |
| SmartEX call centre | SmartEX call centre: +81-3-6632-5130, 05:30 to 23:30 JST daily, English through an interpreter. |
Sources for this section: JR East: FAQ · SmartEX: reservation times · Tobu Railway: how to buy limited express tickets · JR Kyushu: Train Reservation FAQ · JR Central: Nozomi all-reserved peak periods · SmartEX: changes and refunds · SmartEX: contact
Questions about this guide
Can I buy Shinkansen tickets before I arrive in Japan?
Yes. SmartEX and JR East say explicitly that you can book from your home country; JR West and JR Kyushu sell online by card, with pickup in Japan. SmartEX and JR East also offer tickets you never collect (a QR code or a linked IC card), as does JR West's phone ticket on some limited expresses.
Do I need a passport to buy an ordinary Shinkansen ticket?
The official pages we checked require a passport for rail passes and visitor-only discounted tickets, not ordinary tickets. Carry it anyway when you collect: JR East's pickup machines have passport readers, and its English pages don't say whether an ordinary ticket needs a scan.
Can I just buy a Shinkansen ticket at the station on the day?
Usually, yes. Machines and counters sell same-day tickets. On Nozomi peak dates, such as 25 December 2026 to 5 January 2027, Nozomi is all-reserved, seats can sell out, and a non-reserved ticket means standing on the deck.
My card was rejected on a JR booking site. What now?
Check 3D Secure and that you entered your name as it appears on the card (on SmartEX, with any hyphen replaced by a space and any full stop left out), or try another card. Your card company may be blocking an overseas payment. SmartEX's call centre is on +81-3-6632-5130 (05:30 to 23:30 JST, English through an interpreter). Otherwise, buy at a station machine or counter.
Is booking Shinkansen tickets online cheaper?
Not automatically. SmartEX's advance Hayatoku fares are discounted but limited and tied to one train. Its standard reserved-seat price also moves by season: on a single line, 200 yen less off-peak and up to 400 yen more at top peak.
Official pages for this guide
The rules in this guide come from the official pages below. Japan, Booked. does not book or submit requests on your behalf.
- SmartEX: service overview for first-time users
- SmartEX: registration
- SmartEX FAQ: I can't register my credit card
- SmartEX: reservation times
- SmartEX: requests one year ahead (Japanese)
- SmartEX: oversized baggage seats
- SmartEX: points to note
- SmartEX: where to collect tickets
- SmartEX: boarding with an IC card
- SmartEX: changes and refunds
- SmartEX: home page
- SmartEX: contact
- JR Central: Nozomi all-reserved peak periods
- JR Central: how to buy tickets
- JR West: Online Train Reservation overview and area map
- JR West: Online Train Reservation terms
- JR West: receiving tickets
- JR West: Digital Limited Express Ticket
- JR East: FAQ
- JR East: ticket guide
- JR East: tickets
- JR East: e-tickets
- JR East: Touch de Go! Shinkansen
- JR-EAST Train Reservation: top page notices
- Eki-net FAQ: card brands (Japanese)
- JR Kyushu: JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation service
- JR Kyushu: collecting tickets
- JR Kyushu: Train Reservation FAQ
- JR Kyushu: Train Reservation terms (Japanese)
- Tobu Railway: how to buy limited express tickets
- FUN! JAPAN: SmartEX and Mount Fuji views (promotional feature)
Read next
- JR Pass or individual tickets?Check your eligibility, routes, and required journeys.
- Boarding with SmartEXUnderstand IC cards, QR codes and paper tickets.
- Taking a large suitcase on the ShinkansenLearn how to measure your bag and choose the seat and luggage arrangement that matches your train journey.
- What to do when your train is cancelled in JapanFind your ticket issuer, learn the refund route, and plan the next leg of your journey.
- Train tickets for childrenAges 6–11 pay half; under-6s free on a lap.
Sources and how this guide was checked
Published · Based on official sources · no affiliate links
Official sources
These official sources explain the rules and conditions used in this guide. Live availability and your own booking, admission or service outcome still need to be confirmed for your trip.
- SmartEX: service overview for first-time users
What this confirms: Explains the service, the accepted credit cards and the IC cards that can be linked.
Last checked - SmartEX: registration
What this confirms: Covers the age limit, 3D Secure and the limits on debit, prepaid and virtual cards.
Last checked - SmartEX FAQ: I can't register my credit card
What this confirms: Lists the card brands and the name symbols that are not accepted.
Last checked - SmartEX: reservation times
What this confirms: Explains the one-month sale and the year-ahead requests, including the 14:00 confirmation time on this English page.
Last checked - SmartEX: requests one year ahead (Japanese)
What this confirms: Gives the 05:30 opening one year ahead, the 08:00 confirmation and the seat types that can't be requested.
Last checked - SmartEX: oversized baggage seats
What this confirms: Explains the seats for baggage of 160 to 250 cm in total dimensions.
Last checked - SmartEX: points to note
What this confirms: States that SmartEX covers only the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen.
Last checked - SmartEX: where to collect tickets
What this confirms: Lists the machines and counters for pickup, the codes needed and when tickets can be collected.
Last checked - SmartEX: boarding with an IC card
What this confirms: Lists the ten IC cards that can be linked and how the fare is charged.
Last checked - SmartEX: changes and refunds
What this confirms: Gives the 320 yen refund fee before departure and how changes and missed trains are handled.
Last checked - SmartEX: home page
What this confirms: Lists the countries and regions where the SmartEX app is offered.
Last checked - SmartEX: contact
What this confirms: Gives the call centre number, its hours and the English interpreter service.
Last checked - JR Central: Nozomi all-reserved peak periods
What this confirms: Gives the 2026–27 dates when Nozomi is all-reserved, the deck-standing rule and the 08:00 confirmation of year-ahead requests.
Last checked - JR Central: how to buy tickets
What this confirms: Explains buying at machines with English menus and what to tell staff at the ticket office.
Last checked - JR West: Online Train Reservation overview and area map
What this confirms: Shows the lines JR-WEST Online sells, including the whole Hokuriku Shinkansen.
Last checked - JR West: Online Train Reservation terms
What this confirms: Sets the card rules, the sales period and the pickup rules.
Last checked - JR West: receiving tickets
What this confirms: Explains where and how to collect tickets, the numbers needed and the opening hours.
Last checked - JR West: Digital Limited Express Ticket
What this confirms: Explains the phone ticket on some limited expresses and entering with ICOCA or a basic-fare ticket.
Last checked - JR East: FAQ
What this confirms: Confirms that reserved seats go on sale at 10:00 one month before travel.
Last checked - JR East: ticket guide
What this confirms: Covers booking from abroad, the all-reserved trains and pickup with passport-reader machines.
Last checked - JR East: tickets
What this confirms: Says the Travel Service Centers have staff who speak English, Chinese and Korean.
Last checked - JR East: e-tickets
What this confirms: Explains the Shinkansen e-ticket and the Express Train e-ticket with a linked IC card.
Last checked - JR East: Touch de Go! Shinkansen
What this confirms: Explains using non-reserved seats with Welcome Suica Mobile, the sections covered and the all-reserved trains.
Last checked - JR-EAST Train Reservation: top page notices
What this confirms: Tells users whose card fails to try another card or buy at a station.
Last checked - Eki-net FAQ: card brands (Japanese)
What this confirms: Lists the card brands accepted on JR-EAST Train Reservation.
Last checked - JR Kyushu: JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation service
What this confirms: Describes the service and payment by "credit card (online)".
Last checked - JR Kyushu: collecting tickets
What this confirms: Explains collection with the paying card and the numbers needed, and that only the cardholder can collect.
Last checked - JR Kyushu: Train Reservation FAQ
What this confirms: Covers the routes sold, the limit of 7 people and pickup at JR West stations.
Last checked - JR Kyushu: Train Reservation terms (Japanese)
What this confirms: Requires a card in your own name and lists the places where tickets can be collected.
Last checked - Tobu Railway: how to buy limited express tickets
What this confirms: Gives the 09:00 sale time one month ahead and the trains its online service doesn't sell.
Last checked - FUN! JAPAN: SmartEX and Mount Fuji views (promotional feature)
What this confirms: Names window seat E between Mishima and Shin-Fuji as the Fuji side; it is not a JR Central page.
Last checked
About this guide
Which JR site sells your route: SmartEX, JR East, JR West or JR Kyushu. Foreign cards accepted, seats on sale at 10:00 JST one month ahead, plus pickup.
Checked against official JR Central, SmartEX, JR East, JR West, JR Kyushu and Tobu pages on 8 October 2026. This page covers buying; whether a rail pass pays off and how the gates work are separate guides. Japan, Booked. is independent, not affiliated with any railway, and this page has no affiliate links.
How we checked this
Sources and limits of this guide
These dated notes clarify what is confirmed by official sources—and what you still need to verify yourself.
If columns are cut off, scroll sideways. Keyboard: focus the table, then use Left/Right Arrow keys.
| Question | What we found | Where it comes from | What this means for your trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Which site sells Tokyo to Kanazawa? | JR-WEST Online sells the whole Hokuriku Shinkansen; SmartEX can't book it. | JR West: Online Train Reservation overview and area map | Use JR-WEST Online or JR-EAST Train Reservation, not SmartEX. |
| When do seats go on sale? | At 10:00 JST one month before travel on SmartEX, JR East, JR West and JR Kyushu; SmartEX also takes year-ahead requests from 05:30 JST. | JR East: FAQ | Work out 10:00 JST in your own time zone before the sale day. |
| Can someone else collect a JR Kyushu ticket? | No. Only the person named on the card can collect, and only with that card. | JR Kyushu: collecting tickets | Book in the name of the person who will carry the card to the station. |
| Does SmartEX sell Hokuriku or Tohoku trains? | No. SmartEX covers only the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen. | SmartEX: home page | Book Hokuriku and Tohoku trains on the JR East or JR West site instead. |
Based on official sources, linked below.
Guide updates Reviewed
When this guide was checked and what changed
- First published
- Last checked
- Check again by
- What we checked
- SmartEX, JR Central, JR East, Eki-net, JR West, JR Kyushu and Tobu Railway pages, checked 8 October 2026.
- Latest update
- : How much is Tokyo to Kyoto/Osaka?
The date above reflects when these checks were last run. If an individual source was rechecked later, you’ll see that date next to it below. Other copy edits are listed in the update history.
Who edits this guide
One editor looks after this guide
Japan, Booked. is run and edited from Japan. The same editor checks the Japanese and English sources, writes the traveller-facing guidance and keeps the correction history up to date.
What changed
Update history
- Guide updated
How much is Tokyo to Kyoto/Osaka?
- Next step
Added a numbered next step, using only facts already in this guide. No facts were rechecked, so the review date is unchanged.
- First published
First published: which JR booking site sells each Shinkansen and limited-express route, card and sale-time rules for SmartEX, JR East, JR West and JR Kyushu, pickup, IC cards and peak-day seats, checked against official pages on 8 October 2026.
If an operator, organiser or product changes in a way that affects the guide, we check it again sooner. Reader reports help us spot what to investigate, and we verify them against current official information before publishing. Read our update and corrections policy. See every guide's review schedule. Suggest an improvement to this guide.