A great way to explores off-the-beaten-path Japan this autumn.

You can make a strong argument that fall is the best time of year to travel in Japan. In summer you’ve got heat, humidity, rainstorms, and large crowds of both domestic and international tourists to contend with. In spring, you might also run into crowds and inflated hotel prices because of the cherry blossoms, and, while winter tends to be the least crowded season, that’s largely because many parts of Japan aren’t much fun to be in when it’s cold and snowy.

Autumn, though, comes with hardly any of those downsides, and now it’s looking like an even better season in which to explore the country thanks to the announcement by JR/Japan Railways Group of its new Unlimited Autumn Ride rail pass.

Called the Aki no Norihodai Pass in Japanese, this deal gives you three full days of unlimited rides on JR regular and rapid (kaisoku) trains. There aren’t any regional restrictions, either – the pass lets you ride regular and kaisoku trains on any JR line in Japan.

There is a catch, in that the pass doesn’t get you onto express and special express trains, so it can’t be used on the Shinkansen. With many of Japan’s standard-itinerary sightseeing attractions along the major bullet train routes dealing with overtourism these days, however, there’s a lot of value in taking the time to explore off-the-beaten-path parts of country via its more local lines, and the Unlimited Autumn Ride pass also gives you unlimited rides on JR-managed BRT highway buses.

The pass is priced at 7,850 yen (US$49) for adults and 3,920 yen for children, so it shouldn’t be hard to get your money’s worth out of it on an extended-weekend trip. For travelers headed up to Japan’s northernmost prefecture, Hokkaido, there’s also a Hokkaido Shinkansen Option ticket (4,650 yen for adults, 2,320 yen for kids) that can be used in tandem with the pass and allows for a one-time ride between Shin Aomori and Kikonai Stations on the Hokkaido Shinkansen line and one ride on the non-JR Donan Isaribi Tetsudo Line from Kikonai to Goryokaku Station, from which JR lines can be accessed.

The passes will be on sale from September 18 to October 16 at major JR stations, JR travel centers, and third-party travel agencies and can be used for a period of three consecutive days between October 3 and 18.

Source: PR Times
Top image: Pakutaso
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