Hokuriku Shinkansen celebrates anniversary with discounted Onsen visits

A shinkansen train and a series of onsen admission tickets

The Hokuriku Shinkansen is offering discounted onsen experiences as part of plans to celebrate two significant anniversaries in March 2025.

March 14th will be the 10th anniversary of the inauguration of the Nagano-Kanazawa segment of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line, while March 16th is the first anniversary of the extension connecting Kanazawa to Tsuruga.

To mark these occasions, a special promotion has been developed focusing on the region’s rich onsen (hot spring) culture, in conjunction with local hot spring organizations and regional governments.

The Hokuriku Shinkansen route features three stations named after onsen destinations, Kurobe-Unazukionsen Station, Kagaonsen Station, and Awaraonsen Station.

Route map for the Hokuriku SHinkansen — The Hokuriku Shinkansen connects Tsuruga to Tokyo via Kanazawa and Nagano

The promotion has been titled “There are hot springs on the Hokuriku Shinkansen” and is styled as HOKURIKUSHINKANSENにはONSENがある in a combination of English and Japanese, with the overall aim being to promote hot spring tourism along the Shinkansen line.

This promotion is designed to capitalize on the popularity of onsen culture in Japan, and to draw attention to the ease of access to these locations provided by the Hokuriku Shinkansen.

The Hokuriku Shinkansen travels through areas known for their hot springs

Onsen are a major draw for both domestic and international tourists, and this campaign aims to integrate the travel experience with the unique cultural aspect of Japanese onsen.

Special onsen admission tickets have been designed to offer visitors to the region discounted access to six onsens in the area.

Visitors can purchase a set containing 6 onsen admission tickets for each of the onsens, a drawstring bag, towel and set of discount coupons.

Individual onsen admission tickets can also be purchased for each of the onsens individually.

Hokuriku Railway Tour – Hokuriku Shinkansen Hot Springs Tour 6 Ticket Set

Six onsen admission tickets, a drawstring bag and a towel — Visitors can purchase a set including tickets to all six onsens

Price: 1,980 yen ($13.36 USD / £10.37 GBP)
Quantity: 1,000 sets
Set contents:
- 6 x Onsen Admission Tickets: One each for Kurobe Unazuki no Onsen, Awazu no Onsen, Katayamazu no Onsen, Yamashiro no Onsen, Yamanaka no Onsen, Awara no Onsen.
- 1 x Drawstring bag
- 1 x Hot spring towel
- 1 x Hot spring resort flyer with discount and gift coupons for use at hot spring resorts.
The bath and hot spring towels are packaged in a drawstring bag.
The drawstring bag, hot spring towel, and flyer with coupons are exclusive to this set.

Hokuriku Railway Tour – Hokuriku Shinkansen Hot Springs Tour – Single Ticket

Six onsen admission tickets — 3,000 individual tickets for each onsen are also available to purchase

Price: 220 yen ($1.48 USD / £1.15 GBP)
Quantity: 3,000 of each type
1 Onsen Admission Ticket from a choice of Kurobe Unazuki no Onsen, Awazu no Onsen, Katayamazu no Onsen, Yamashiro no Onsen, Yamanaka no Onsen, Awara no Onsen.

The discounted tickets will be available to purchase from Saturday, March 15th at JR West Hokuriku area station stores and other select locations.

Source: PR Times