Sendai Area Pass

If you intend to visit Miyagi's capital city of Sendai, consider purchasing the Sendai Area Pass to save money on getting around. The Sendai Area Pass is a rail pass exclusively available to foreign tourists, which allows visitors to enjoy unlimited travel in and around Sendai for a day.

Where to buy

To buy the Sendai Area Pass, you'll need a valid non-Japanese passport — be sure to bring it, as you'll be asked to show it at the time of purchase. The pass is available at the JR East Travel Service Center on the 3rd floor of JR Sendai Station, or at the Reserved Seat Ticket Vending Machines with passport readers at Sendai Station. You can purchase the pass up to a month before the usage date. The date can be changed once at the JR East Travel Service Center as long as the pass is unused and not expired, but lost passes will not be reissued.

How to use

Using the pass is straightforward. For JR lines, the Sendai Subway, or the Sendai Airport Access Line, simply insert your pass into the automated ticket gates. For buses, show it to the driver when you get off. For the Abukuma Express Line, show it when you both board and alight.

Pass coverage area

The pass works within a fairly wide area, which includes: JR lines between Sendai, Matsushima, Matsushima-kaigan, Yamadera, and Shiroishi stations; all lines of Sendai Airport Access Line; all lines of Loople Sendai, Sendai City Buses, and the Sendai Subway (excluding the Rakuten Shuttle Bus); Miyagi Kotsu Bus between Sendai Station and Akiu Otaki; and the Abukuma Express Line between Tsukinoki and Abukuma.

Attraction discounts

This pass is especially useful as beside transport savings, you also receive discounts at a sizeable number of Sendai's top attractions such as the Sendai City Museum, Sendai City Museum of History and Folklore, HOKUSHU Sendai City Science Museum, Akiu Otaki Botanical Garden (closed Dec–Mar), Sendai City War Reconstruction Memorial Hall, Yagiyama Zoological Park, and Zuihoden Mausoleum.

The Sendai Area Pass also comes with a descriptive leaflet containing a map showing the pass usage area and tourist attraction information near each train or bus stop.

Staying longer? Consider the 2-day pass

If you're spending more than a day in Sendai, the Sendai Marugoto Pass offers the same transport and discount benefits across two days, giving you even more time to explore at your leisure.

With all these advantages offered by the pass, don’t hesitate to buy one if you intend to stop by Sendai.