Shinkansen Sale 2026 (until Nov 25): EX Hayatoku Nozomi Fares, How to Book
Written by Mei · IKOKA JapanShinkansen sale for New Year: Nozomi seats from 10,000 yen for 2–6 people on smartEX. Dates, direction rules, deadlines Nov 15–25 and how to book.
This deal at a glance
Ongoing- Offered by
- JR Central & JR West (smartEX / Express Reservation)
- What you get
- Nozomi reserved seats from 10,000 yen one way (Nagoya–Tokyo) to 15,000 yen (Hiroshima–Tokyo), up to 4,960 yen off per adult, for 2–6 people; book by 40 days before travel (Nov 15–25, 2026).
- Booking period
- Nov 5 – 25, 2026
- Travel period
- Dec 25, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Conditions
- Nozomi ordinary-class reserved seats only, to or from Tokyo, Shinagawa or Shin-Yokohama.
- 2 to 6 passengers booked together; one person cannot book this fare.
- Toward Tokyo on Dec 25–31, 2026 or away from Tokyo on Jan 2–4, 2027 only; no fare on Jan 1.
- Seats per train are capped.
- No seat choice at booking; seats are assigned about one month before travel.
- The train may change when the provisional timetable is fixed (notice by email).
- Changes have conditions.
- Sale page is in Japanese only; check the fare name on the booking screen before paying.
How to apply
- Register for smartEX for free with a credit card in your own name (cardholder 18 or over).
- On the official JR Central sale page, check that your date and direction qualify: Dec 25–31 toward Tokyo, or Jan 2–4 away from Tokyo.
Updated Nov 11, 2026
Two to six people can ride a Nozomi from 10,000 yen one way this New Year with the EX Hayatoku sale. JR Central and JR West sell it from November 5. Fares run from 10,000 yen (Nagoya–Tokyo) to 15,000 yen (Hiroshima–Tokyo). The catch is direction: toward Tokyo only on Dec 25–31, 2026, and away from Tokyo only on Jan 2–4, 2027.
Hayatoku (早特) is Japanese shorthand for an early-booking deal, and this one is priced against the busiest-season fare. If you land in Osaka on Christmas week and want New Year's Eve in Tokyo, this is the cheapest Nozomi seat on offer.
Each travel date has its own booking deadline, 40 days before the ride. The first one is Nov 15 (for Dec 25) and the last is Nov 25 (for Jan 4).
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Sale name | EX Hayatoku sale (EX早特☆期間限定セール！) |
| Fare (adult, one way) | Nagoya 10,000 yen · Kyoto / Shin-Osaka 12,000 yen · Okayama 14,000 yen · Hiroshima 15,000 yen, to or from Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama |
| Saving example | Tokyo–Hiroshima: 4,960 yen less per adult than the regular smartEX Nozomi fare in the busiest season |
| Who | 2 to 6 passengers booked at the same time |
| Book on | smartEX or Express Reservation |
| Book until | 40 days before each travel date (Nov 15 to Nov 25) |
For a quick idea of the price in your currency, keep the yen converter open.
Sources
Facts in this article were checked against these official sources.
Photo credits
Photo: IKOKA · shutterstock shutterstock-unlimited
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