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| Above, Kyoto's Kinkaku-ji. The rail pass price hike will solve Kyoto's over-tourism. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
The planned JR Rail Pass price hikes set for October will effectively kill the convenient and affordable means of travel throughout Japan for many. Paying nearly $500 for a 7-day rail pass would not be cost-effective for foreign travelers unless they take more than two round-trips from Tokyo to Osaka.
The Japanese government had been clamoring for years that they'd like to see foreign visitors travel to other places in Japan besides Tokyo. This will effectively kill that. Is this supposed to encourage the tourism industry? How idiotic!
Prior to the pandemic, Kyoto had been complaining about over-tourism to the city by foreigners, some of which were ill-mannered. Well, this will certainly solve that problem! Who wants to pay sky-high prices to go to Kyoto or Osaka? I went to both cities in 2015 with the JR Rail Pass. It appears that that will be my last time visiting them.
This will also hurt the merchants in Japan. Instead of spending money in shops, restaurants and hotels in areas outside of Tokyo, people will pay for the higher rail pass prices instead or just not travel around the country as they once did. Is this going to aid the Japanese economy?
I could understand a more moderate price increase, but to hike rail pass prices by 70% is ridiculous. It won't be worth getting anymore. If the price hikes as announced goes through, this will land on the list of Japan's biggest blunders. R.I.P. Japan Rail Pass!
Between now and October, people should be raising holy hell over this!
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