Over the New Year holidays, the Shinkansen is about as crowded as it gets. To keep from getting shut out of a seat, settle two things early: when tickets go on sale, and which Shinkansen you're taking.
Here's what to sort out: the one-month sale rule, the window when every Nozomi is all-reserved, and how to get a seat before the one-month mark, laid out by line. All dates below are for the 2026–27 New Year period.
For how to ride the Shinkansen in general, see our complete 2026 Shinkansen guide.
On Sale One Month Ahead, at 10:00 a.m.
Reserved Shinkansen tickets go on sale one month before your train leaves its origin station — the same date in the previous month — at 10:00 a.m., nationwide. If the previous month has no matching date, they go on sale on the 1st of the travel month.
So for the busiest travel days: tickets for December 25 go on sale November 25; for January 1, December 1; for January 5, December 5 — all at 10:00 a.m. Riding on New Year's Eve, December 31? Since November has no 31st, they go on sale December 1.
Popular trains can sell out as soon as tickets go on sale at 10:00 a.m. For year-end travel, aim for the morning one month before your ride.
The All-Reserved Nozomi Window (Dec 25–Jan 5)
From December 25, 2026 to January 5, 2027, every Nozomi between Tokyo and Hakata is all-reserved. There are no non-reserved cars on the Nozomi during this stretch.
A non-reserved ticket won't get you a Nozomi seat. You can ride standing in the vestibule by the doors, but when it's packed you may not make it onto the train you want. If you're taking a Nozomi over New Year, plan to reserve a seat.
The Hikari, Kodama, Mizuho, Sakura, and Tsubame keep their usual non-reserved cars during the same period.
From December 25 to January 5, the Nozomi has no non-reserved seats. To be sure of a seat in this window, you'll need a reservation.
Booking Before the One-Month Mark (by Line)
If you want a seat before tickets open (one month out, at 10:00 a.m.), the system you use depends on which line you're riding.
Line (main trains) | System | Booking opens | Seat |
|---|---|---|---|
Tokaido–Sanyo (Nozomi, Hikari, Kodama, etc. | Smart EX / EX | 5:30 a. | Assigned 8:00 a. |
Tohoku, Hokkaido, Joetsu, Hokuriku, etc. | Eki-net advance request | 2:00 p. | Not guaranteed |
The year-end Nozomi is not eligible for Eki-net's advance request. For the Tokaido–Sanyo lines, use Smart EX or EX.
For the Tokaido–Sanyo lines, most visitors can just use Smart EX, which is free to sign up for (you just need a credit card); EX is a paid annual membership aimed at frequent riders.
Either one lets you book a year ahead, but only on certain fares and for a limited number of seats.
The real advantage is that your seat is assigned at 8:00 a.m. one month before, two hours ahead of the 10:00 a.m. general sale. For Sanyo-line trains, JR-West's e5489 (for J-WEST members) also takes advance requests.
Eki-net's advance request can't be used for any train that includes a JR Central, Shikoku, or Kyushu segment, which is why the year-end Nozomi is excluded. There is also no special "earlier" year-end window; all of these are the usual year-round systems.
The 10 a.m. Scramble and Membership
Aiming for the exact 10:00 a.m. opening is known in Japan as "10-ji uchi," hitting the ten o'clock mark. At a station window or through Eki-net's advance request, your booking is handled when sales open at 10:00 a.m. The advance request, though, doesn't guarantee a seat.
You'll need a separate account for each service, and Eki-net and Smart EX are free to set up.
Extra Trains and Peak Days: Not Announced Yet
Every year, the JR companies add extra trains over the New Year holidays, and announce the busiest days for outbound and return travel along with any all-night services.
As of early October 2026, the 2026–27 year-end operating plan hasn't been announced. The companies usually release it in mid-to-late October; check the JR East and JR Central sites once it's out.
Three Things to Know When Booking a Year-End Seat
For a year-end seat, it really comes down to three things. Tickets open one month before your ride, at 10:00 a.m. sharp. From December 25 to January 5, every Nozomi is all-reserved, with no non-reserved cars at all.
If you want to book before the one-month mark, the right system depends on your line: Smart EX or EX for the Tokaido–Sanyo Shinkansen, Eki-net's advance request for the eastern lines. Nozomi bookings aren't available through Eki-net, so a year-end Nozomi means Smart EX or EX.
The extra trains and peak-day details are still to come, but the one move that reliably beats the crowds is reserving a month ahead.
This article was translated from the original Japanese with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team. The Japanese version is authoritative.