Hi, I’m planning to buy a 14-day JR Pass for our trip to Japan in April 2026. I intend to activate the pass on April 16, and one key journey will be from Kyoto to Tokyo on April 29 (during Golden Week). My concern is whether reserving seats only 14 days in advance will be too late, given that trains might be fully booked during this busy period. What would you recommend? Thank you in advance. Regards,
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Seat reservation - Golden Week - April 2026
Fabiana Mayumi Konishi
5 days ago
1 answer
mariko
326 posts
85 likes
about 11 hours ago
Hi there,
You are correct to be mindful of Golden Week, as it is one of the busiest travel periods in Japan.
Here is our recommendation: As soon as you arrive in Japan and activate your JR Pass on 16 April, go straight to a JR Ticket Office or a ticket machine to book your 29 April journey. Booking 14 days in advance should be sufficient, provided you do it the moment you arrive. If the mid-day trains are full, seats are often still available for very early morning or late evening departures.
I hope this helps!
Kind Regards,
Mariko
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