While standing in line last week before a last minute dash to get shinkansen tickets at a JR Midori Madoguchi ticket window, a brightly colored pamphlet caught my eye: “The Seishun Juhachi Kippu season has started again!” With some relief, I knew I’d found the week’s frugal topic.
The Seishun Juhachi Kippu is Japan’s original bargain ticket, and it’s something everyone should try (or think about trying) at least once. The name translates roughly as “youthful 18 ticket,” but anyone of any age can use it, including foreign tourists, Japanese nationals and foreign residents.
The deal is simple, as the Japan-Guide Web site explains: “Five days of unlimited, nationwide travel on local and rapid JR (Japan Railways) trains for only 11,500 Yen, or 2,300 Yen per day!” It is only on sale for three periods of the year during school holidays.
The next sale period runs from July 1 through August 31, and the tickets are valid from July 20 through September 10.
The ticket is best suited for folks with some time on their hands, as (again from the Japan Guide) “the ticket is valid only on local trains (futsudensha/kakuekiteisha) and rapid trains (kaisoku). It cannot be used on express (kyuko), limited express (tokkyu) and bullet trains (shinkansen).”
Some overnight trains can be used. For example, it takes about nine hours to reach Kyoto from Tokyo (and typically one to four transfers) using only local and rapid trains, versus three hours via the bullet train. There is, however, at least a Y5000 savings in price for that one trip, still leaving four days left to travel.
The ticket is transferable and non-personal — meaning you could use the ticket for five days straight, or you and four friends could use it for one day if you are all travelling together.
Interested? Check out Japan-Guide.com’s in-depth guide to Seishun Juhachi Kippu travel. The site even offers sample itineraries to destinations such as Sapporo (in two days!) or Aomori. While not for the impatient or faint of heart, the Seishun Juhachi Kippu offers a fun and frugal way to get around Japan at a decidedly slower pace.
© 2004 Wendy J. Imura.