The Japan Railway West Co., better known as JR West, debuted a Hello Kitty bullet train service on its Sanyo Shinkansen line on June 2018. At the moment, like other special shinkansen trains before, it seems that this train will run for a limited time, for now it’s not known until when but, according to JR West, it will be announced 4-months a time.

This exciting train boasts Hello Kitty’s iconic red ribbon as the main theme, as a way to represent the strengthening of the ties between the Shinkansen services and the western part of the country. The best part? It’s included in your JR Pass!

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The Japan Rail Pass, a popular and cost-effective way for foreign tourists to explore Japan by train, is set to experience a significant price increase starting October 2023.

Below, we explain the reasons for why Japan Railways is increasing the price of the JR Pass. We also provide a comparison table of current and new prices, and offer tips on how to secure passes at the current price before October.

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It will soon be optional to wear a mask on public trains in Japan. The previous mandatory requirement to wear a mask on trains and indoors is set to be removed.

Instead, you will be able to judge for yourself when to put on a facemask for COVID-19.

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