Nozomi Shinkansen Goes Fully Reserved for Peak Travel Periods in 2025
Planning to travel on the Nozomi Shinkansen in 2025? Here's an important update for your trip!
JR Central and JR West have announced that during major holiday seasons in 2025, all seats on the Nozomi Shinkansen will be reservation-only.
This follows the same approach introduced in 2024, covering three key periods:
- Golden Week: April 25 – May 6, 2025
- Obon: August 8 – August 17, 2025
- Year-End/New Year Holidays: December 26, 2025 – January 4, 2026
During these peak travel times, the Nozomi will not offer non-reserved seating.
Instead, all cars will operate with reserved seating only, ensuring a more organized and comfortable travel experience during the busiest times of the year.
The fully reserved policy applies to the Tokyo - Hakata route on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines.
However, other services like Hikari, Kodama, Mizuho, and Sakura will continue to offer non-reserved seating as usual.
For those planning to travel during these periods, we highly recommend booking your tickets early from our collections to secure your preferred seats and avoid any last-minute hassle.
Enjoy smooth and stress-free travel with the Nozomi Shinkansen—your best choice for high-speed rail in Japan!
© 2025 Shinkansen-Ticket.com.
Seat guide
Reserved Seat (Ordinary Reserved Seat)
Your seat is reserved and secured when you book your tickets, allowing you to head to the station with peace of mind.
Think of it as "economy class" seating.
Green Reserved Seat
Enjoy better seats and free blankets. Popular among Japanese business people, executives, and those who prefer a comfortable travel experience.
Consider it "business class" seating.
GranClass
Known as the "First Class" of Shinkansen seats.
Available only on the Hokuriku and Tohoku Shinkansen lines, these seats offer airline-like amenities and meals (only on select trains).
They are the most expensive option.
Unreserved Seat
You can take any open seat in the unreserved cars on the departure date (no departure time will be indicated on your ticket).
This is the best option if cost is your priority and you are traveling during less crowded seasons or times.