Using JR East for Nagano -> Kyoto?

Hi Claire,

The JR East pass is valid in the JR East region which is mostly north of Tokyo and can't be used to travel to Kyoto or Nagoya. People generally use a limited express train to Nagoya and then the Shinkansen to Kyoto or travel all the way to Kyoto with the Shinkansen via Tokyo. If you have the possibility I would recommend buying a JR Pass (instead of a JR East pass) as it is valid on the Shinkansen between Nagano - Kyoto and can save a lot of money.

Alternatively you could return to Tokyo and maybe take a night bus from there, which is generally cheaper than travel by rail. However this is something I would try to avoid if you can't sleep on this bus.

I hope this helps!
Daniel