Use Japan Rail Pass on Hayabusa

Good news for anyone heading north: the Hayabusa — the fastest bullet train in Japan — is fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass. It opens up the Tōhoku region and, continuing through the undersea Seikan Tunnel, southern Hokkaido. There's just one thing to remember: the Hayabusa is a fully reserved train, so you'll need to make a seat reservation before boarding (it's free with your pass).

What is the Hayabusa?

The Hayabusa is the flagship service on the Tōhoku Shinkansen, operated by JR East (and, on Hokkaido-bound runs, jointly with JR Hokkaido). It's the fastest train in Japan, reaching 320 km/h (about 200 mph) on the high-speed section between Utsunomiya and Morioka. Sleek and green, it runs on the E5 series (and the H5 series on Hokkaido services).

Making only a handful of stops, the Hayabusa covers Tokyo to Shin-Aomori in around three hours, and continues right through to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto in Hokkaido in around four hours — without changing trains. Between Tokyo and Morioka, some Hayabusa services run coupled to the Komachi (the Akita Shinkansen), splitting at Morioka: watching the two trains separate on the platform is a small spectacle in itself.

Using the JR Pass on the Hayabusa

The Japan Rail Pass is valid on the Hayabusa — unlike the Nozomi and Mizuho (on the Tokaido/Sanyo/Kyushu lines), the Hayabusa is included at no extra cost with an Ordinary or Green pass. There's one important condition:

The Hayabusa has no non-reserved seats — a seat reservation is mandatory. The reservation is free with your JR Pass. Make it before you board, at any JR ticket office (midori-no-madoguchi) or a green ticket-reservation machine. If a train is fully booked, only standing tickets remain, so it's worth reserving early during busy periods.

Several JR East regional passes (such as the JR East Tōhoku Area Pass and the JR East–South Hokkaido Pass) also cover the Hayabusa; see our Regional Passes page. To weigh up whether a nationwide or regional pass suits your trip, try the JR Fare Calculator.

Seat classes: Ordinary, Green and GranClass

The Hayabusa offers three classes:

• Ordinary Class — comfortable, spacious standard seating with power sockets. Included with a standard JR Pass (free reservation).
  
  
• Green Class — the first-class equivalent, with a 2×2 layout, more space and recline, and a calmer cabin. On some services you'll get complimentary oshibori (hand towels). Included with a Green JR Pass (free reservation). On a long run up to Aomori or Hokkaido, it's a lovely upgrade.
  
  
• GranClass — the ultra-premium top tier, with large leather seats and (on some services) attendant service and a light meal. GranClass is not free with any JR Pass: you'd need to pay the applicable GranClass charge on top of your pass. Check current prices before you travel, as fares change.

Yamabiko vs Hayabusa: what's the difference?

Both the Hayabusa and the Yamabiko run on the Tōhoku Shinkansen and are fully covered by the JR Pass — but they suit different journeys. In short: the Hayabusa is the fast, long-distance service that races to Aomori and Hokkaido, while the Yamabiko is the slower, more frequent-stopping service covering the southern half of the line (Tokyo to Sendai or Morioka).

A practical way to choose: if you're travelling all the way to Aomori or Hokkaido, take the Hayabusa (and reserve). If you're going only as far as Sendai or Morioka, or you want the flexibility of a non-reserved seat, the Yamabiko is often the more convenient choice. (The Yamabiko is also frequently coupled to the Tsubasa, the Yamagata Shinkansen, splitting at Fukushima.)

Where the Hayabusa can take you

• Sendai — the largest city in Tōhoku, gateway to Matsushima Bay.
  
  
• Morioka — famous for its noodles and as the junction where the Komachi splits off for Akita.
  
  
• Aomori (Shin-Aomori) — home of the spectacular Nebuta Festival each August.
  
  
• Hakodate (Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto) — in Hokkaido, reached via the Seikan Tunnel; from there a short connecting local train (the Hakodate Liner) takes you into the city. For the full picture, see our JR Pass and the Hokkaido Shinkansen guide.

For now, the Shinkansen ends at Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto; an extension onward to Sapporo has been delayed and, at the time of writing, is expected around 2038–2039 (later than the original ~2030–31 target). As this timeline has shifted before, it's worth checking the latest before planning around it.

Whichever direction you're heading, staying connected makes travel easier — consider a Pocket WiFi device to check reservations and timetables on the move.