Shinkansen Nozomi & Mizuho
Japan's fastest bullet trains. Learn why they're excluded from the JR Pass and whether the upgrade is worth it for your trip.
The Nozomi and Mizuho are the fastest and most frequent Shinkansen services in Japan. While not covered by the standard JR Pass, holders can now purchase special upgrade tickets to ride these premium trains.
What are Nozomi & Mizuho?
Nozomi operates on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines, connecting Tokyo with Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Hakata (Fukuoka). It's the fastest and most frequent service on these routes.
Mizuho beroperasi di laluan Sanyo dan Kyushu Shinkansen, menghubungkan Shin-Osaka dengan Kumamoto dan Kagoshima-Chuo. Ia adalah perkhidmatan terpantas untuk selatan Jepun.
Kedua-dua jenis kereta api berhenti lebih sedikit daripada kereta api Hikari, Sakura, atau Kodama, menghasilkan masa perjalanan yang lebih pantas. Kereta api itu sendiri bergerak pada kelajuan yang sama - ia hanya melangkau lebih banyak stesen.
Why excluded from JR Pass? Nozomi dan Mizuho ialah perkhidmatan premium yang digunakan terutamanya oleh pengembara perniagaan. JR mengecualikannya untuk mengurus kapasiti dan mengekalkan kualiti perkhidmatan.
How much faster is Nozomi?
Compare travel times between different Shinkansen services on popular routes.
| Route | Nozomi/Mizuho | Hikari/Sakura | Kodama |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo → Kyoto | 2h 15min | 2h 25min | 3h 50min |
| Tokyo → Shin-Osaka | 2h 30min | 2h 35min | 4h 00min |
| Kyoto → Hiroshima | 1h 35min | 2h 00min | - |
| Shin-Osaka → Hakata | 2h 20min | 2h 35min | - |
Hikari, Sakura, and Kodama trains are fully covered by the JR Pass at no extra cost.
The Nozomi Mizuho upgrade ticket
JR Pass holders can now purchase special upgrade tickets to ride Nozomi and Mizuho trains.
Where to purchase the upgrade
The "Only with Japan Rail Pass Nozomi Mizuho Ticket" can be purchased at:
Pejabat tiket JR
Kunjungi mana-mana pejabat tiket JR (Midori no Madoguchi) di stesen utama
Mesin tiket
Gunakan mesin tiket dengan sokongan JR Pass di stesen Shinkansen
Aplikasi Smart-EX
JR Travel Service Centers
Is the upgrade worth it?
For most travelers, the time savings don't justify the extra cost. Here's why.
Reasons to upgrade
Faster travel
Fewer stops means quicker arrival at your destination
More departures
Nozomi and Mizuho run more frequently than Hikari or Sakura
Direct routes
Some long-distance routes may require fewer transfers
Reasons to skip
Single ride only
Each upgrade ticket is valid for one train ride only
Expensive for time saved
15-25 minutes saved may not justify the cost
Pembelian di Jepun sahaja
Peningkatan hanya boleh dibeli di Jepun selepas pengaktifan JR Pass
Ketersediaan terhad
Tempat duduk berhaki mungkin habis dijual semasa musim puncak
Cadangan kami
Untuk majoriti pelancong, kami mengesyorkan menggunakan kereta api Hikari atau Sakura yang disertakan dengan JR Pass anda. Perbezaan masa 10-15 minit di kebanyakan laluan adalah minimum, dan anda akan menjimatkan ¥4,000-7,000 setiap perjalanan.
Pertimbangkan untuk membuat peningkatan hanya jika anda mempunyai jadual yang sangat padat, melancong semasa waktu puncak apabila Hikari ditempah sepenuhnya, atau jika penjimatan masa sememangnya kritikal untuk jadual perjalanan anda.
Pilihan Green car
Pilihan peningkatan bergantung pada jenis JR Pass anda:
- JR Pass biasa: Reserved and non-reserved standard seats only
- Green JR Pass: Can upgrade to Green car (except Gran Class)
Refunds & changes
- Refunds only at the purchase location
- Handling fee: ¥340 for reserved seats, ¥220 for non-reserved
- No refunds after travel has started
- Changes allowed before departure only
Get your Japan Rail Pass
The JR Pass gives you unlimited access to Hikari, Sakura, Kodama, and thousands of other JR trains. Start planning your trip today.