When to book what in Japan: official sale dates and booking windows
12 booking windows read on official pages, ordered by how far ahead of your travel date they open. Checked on . Times are Japan Standard Time (JST).
How to read this page
Each row shows when sales open, where to buy and the caveats stated on the official page, with its source underneath. Items we could not confirm on an official page are listed by name at the end, without dates.
1 year before
The earliest window on this page: a tentative Shinkansen booking on smartEX.
| What | Opens | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokaido / Sanyo / Kyushu Shinkansen tickets on smartEX | 1 year before the travel date, 05:30 JST (tentative booking) | smartEX (smart-ex.jp) | Bookings made more than a month ahead pick a train from the tentative timetable; the train, time and seat are confirmed after 08:00 JST one month before the travel date. Sales close 4 minutes before departure. Payment is taken at booking. |
Tokaido / Sanyo / Kyushu Shinkansen tickets on smartEX
- Source: smartEX Service | Fare Overview | Tokaido Sanyo Kyushu Shinkansen Internet Reservation Service (JR Central / JR West / JR Kyushu (smart-ex.jp)) · Verified on · Quote: "From 5:30 am 1 year prior to boarding date, up to 4 minutes before the departure time shown in the timetable." and "we will confirm the train, time, and seats after 8:00 a.m. one month prior to your boarding date".
1 to 2 months before
Ghibli Park sells two months ahead; sumo tournaments go on sale on fixed Saturdays.
| What | Opens | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ghibli Park (Aichi) tickets bought from overseas | 10th of the month, 14:00 JST, two months ahead (January 2027 dates: 10 November 2026, 14:00 JST) | Lawson Ticket or Klook (official overseas sales) | No tickets are sold at the park and no phone sales. Sale dates are subject to change. |
| Grand Sumo Tournament (honbasho) tickets | Advance sale on a Saturday about 4-8 weeks before each tournament. Dates by tournament | Ticket Oosumo (official ticket service) | Nov 2026 Fukuoka went on sale 19 Sep 2026 at 10:00 and was sold out for all dates by 28 Oct 2026, with no same-day tickets. Advance-lottery purchases carry a separate fee. |
Ghibli Park (Aichi) tickets bought from overseas
- Source: Tickets (Overseas Purchase) | GHIBLI PARK (Ghibli Park) · Verified on · Quotes: "This pass goes on sale two months in advance, on the 10th at 2 p.m. (Japan time)"; "Reservations for January 2027 go on sale November 10th 2026 at 2 p.m. (Japan time)"; "park tickets cannot be purchased at any area of Ghibli Park." The page adds that sale dates are subject to change.
Grand Sumo Tournament (honbasho) tickets
- Source: Ticket Oosumo (English) (Ticket Oosumo (official ticket service linked from sumo.or.jp)) · Verified on · "Advanced Ticket Sales Starting Date" column: Jan 2027 Tokyo (Jan 10-24) "Sat. Dec. 5th, 2026"; Mar 2027 Osaka (Mar 14-28) "Sat. Feb. 6th, 2027"; May 2027 Tokyo (May 9-23) "Sat. Apr. 10th, 2027"; Jul 2027 Nagoya (Jul 11-25) "Sat. May. 15th, 2027"; Sep 2027 Tokyo (Sep 12-26) "Sat. Aug. 7th, 2027". Sale time for these is not shown in that column.
- Source: Ticket Oosumo | November Grand Tournament (Ticket Oosumo (official ticket service linked from sumo.or.jp)) · Verified on · Quote: "Goes on Sale：September 19th(Sat). 10:00". Linked as the official ticket service from https://www.sumo.or.jp/En/ (which on 2026-10-28 showed November tickets "sold out all dates").
Sumo: advance-sale dates by tournament
| Tournament | Advance sale opens |
|---|---|
| Jan 2027 Tokyo | 5 Dec 2026 |
| Mar 2027 Osaka | 6 Feb 2027 |
| May 2027 Tokyo | 10 Apr 2027 |
| Jul 2027 Nagoya | 15 May 2027 |
| Sep 2027 Tokyo | 7 Aug 2027 |
The official list does not show a sale time for these dates.
- Source: Ticket Oosumo (English) (Ticket Oosumo (official ticket service linked from sumo.or.jp)) · Verified on · "Advanced Ticket Sales Starting Date" column: Jan 2027 Tokyo (Jan 10-24) "Sat. Dec. 5th, 2026"; Mar 2027 Osaka (Mar 14-28) "Sat. Feb. 6th, 2027"; May 2027 Tokyo (May 9-23) "Sat. Apr. 10th, 2027"; Jul 2027 Nagoya (Jul 11-25) "Sat. May. 15th, 2027"; Sep 2027 Tokyo (Sep 12-26) "Sat. Aug. 7th, 2027". Sale time for these is not shown in that column.
1 month before
JR reserved seats, the Nozomi / Mizuho ticket for pass holders and the Ghibli Museum.
| What | Opens | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| JR reserved seats (Shinkansen and limited express) on JR West's online reservation (e5489 / JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION) | 1 month before the travel date, 10:00 JST | JR West online reservation (e5489 / JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION) | Closes 6 minutes before departure on the travel day. On the Japanese e5489 site you can file an advance request from 05:30 one week before the sale date (until 07:59 on the sale date); seats are still assigned only from 10:00 on the sale date. Some discounted tickets have different periods. |
| JR reserved seats on JR-EAST Train Reservation (Tohoku, Hokkaido, Joetsu, Hokuriku Shinkansen and JR East limited expresses) | 1 month before the travel date, 10:00 JST | JR-EAST Train Reservation | Closes 6 minutes before departure. Read on JR Hokkaido's English page describing JR-EAST Train Reservation; JR East's own site could not be read (HTTP 403). |
| Nozomi / Mizuho ticket for Japan Rail Pass holders (the surcharge ticket) | 1 month before the travel date | JR stations (ticket machines / ticket offices) | Sold up to the day of travel at reserved-seat ticket machines, JR ticket offices, Travel Centers and some travel agencies. |
| Ghibli Museum, Mitaka (date-and-time tickets) | 10th of each month, 10:00 JST, for all of the following month | Lawson Ticket (official web ticket store) | Example on the official page: tickets for 1-28 February go on sale 10 January at 10:00 JST. No tickets are sold at the museum. |
JR reserved seats (Shinkansen and limited express) on JR West's online reservation (e5489 / JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION)
- Source: Reservation conditions (time period, area, train, etc.) (JR West) · Verified on · Quote: "From 10:00 a.m. (Japan Standard Time) 1 month before boarding the train" ... "up to 6 minutes before the scheduled departure time of the train on the day of boarding".
- Source: Yoyaku / oshiharai hoho, yoyaku joken | e5489 goriyo guide (JR Odekake Net) (JR West) · Verified on · Japanese page. Quote: "ご乗車1カ月前の10時から、ご乗車当日の時刻表に表示された列車発車時刻6分前まで"; advance requests "きっぷの発売開始日（乗車日1カ月前）のさらに1週間前の5:30～発売日当日の7:59".
JR reserved seats on JR-EAST Train Reservation (Tohoku, Hokkaido, Joetsu, Hokuriku Shinkansen and JR East limited expresses)
- Source: Train Reservation | Rail Passes & Tickets | HOKKAIDO RAILWAY COMPANY (JR Hokkaido) · Verified on · Describes JR-EAST Train Reservation (used for JR East/JR Hokkaido trains). Quote: "10 am (JST) one month before the boarding date until 6 minutes before departure time". JR East's own site returned HTTP 403 to our reader on 2026-10-28.
Nozomi / Mizuho ticket for Japan Rail Pass holders (the surcharge ticket)
- Source: Use of NOZOMI/MIZUHO trains | JAPAN RAIL PASS (JR Group (japanrailpass.net)) · Verified on · Quote (Sales period): "From one month prior to the day of boarding the train to the day of boarding the train".
Ghibli Museum, Mitaka (date-and-time tickets)
- Source: Tickets - Ghibli Museum, Mitaka (Ghibli Museum, Mitaka) · Verified on · Quote: "Tickets become available for purchase at 10 a.m. (JST) on the 10th of each month for the subsequent month." and "No reservation or ticket purchase can be made at the Museum."
After buying a JR Pass online
Seat reservations before pickup, for passes bought on the official website.
| What | Opens | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan Rail Pass seat reservations before pickup | Only for passes bought on the official website (JAPAN RAIL PASS Reservation); the official pages do not state how far ahead | JAPAN RAIL PASS Reservation (official website) | Online/machine booking stops once seats for more than 110 trains have been issued on one pass. Refunds of an unissued pass bought online are possible until 23:30 JST the day before the start date. |
Japan Rail Pass seat reservations before pickup
- Source: Traveling with a JAPAN RAIL PASS | JAPAN RAIL PASS (JR Group (japanrailpass.net)) · Verified on · Quote: "Only when purchasing a JAPAN RAIL PASS online from the official website can reserved seats be booked prior to picking up your ticket".
- Source: Conditions for use | JAPAN RAIL PASS (JR Group (japanrailpass.net)) · Verified on · Quotes: "Refunds are available until 11:30 p.m. (Japan time) on the day preceding the starting date of periods of use of the PASS." Seats cannot be booked on the JRPR or a reserved-seat ticket machine "if reserved-seat tickets for more than 110 trains have already been issued on the PASS."
2 weeks before
SHIBUYA SKY timed-entry tickets.
| What | Opens | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHIBUYA SKY observation deck (timed entry) | 2 weeks before the visit date, 00:00 JST | SHIBUYA SKY official web tickets | Elementary-school and preschool (3-5) tickets are sold only at the 14th-floor counter. Adult and junior/high-school tickets cannot be bought once sold out, so the official site recommends buying online in advance. |
SHIBUYA SKY observation deck (timed entry)
- Source: Yoku aru shitsumon & information | SHIBUYA SKY (SHIBUYA SKY (Shibuya Scramble Square)) · Verified on · Japanese FAQ (text is rendered by the page script). Quote: "SHIBUYA SKYの入場チケットは入場日の2週間前の日本時間午前0時から販売されます。" The ticket page also says elementary-school and preschool (3-5) tickets are sold only at the 14th-floor counter.
On the day / no published sale date
teamLab does not publish a sale-opening date; what differs is whether you can buy at the door.
| What | Opens | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| teamLab Planets TOKYO (Toyosu) | No sale-opening date is published on the official site | teamLab official ticket site | Tickets are not sold on-site, so buy on the official ticket site before you go. |
| teamLab Borderless TOKYO (Azabudai Hills) | No sale-opening date is published on the official site | teamLab official ticket site | Same-day tickets on the official ticket site if not sold out; on-site tickets exist but at different prices. |
teamLab Planets TOKYO (Toyosu)
- Source: [Official] teamLab Planets TOKYO, Toyosu (teamLab) · Verified on · FAQ quote: "Tickets are not sold on-site." No sale-opening date is published on the page.
teamLab Borderless TOKYO (Azabudai Hills)
- Source: [Official] teamLab Borderless TOKYO, Azabudai Hills (teamLab) · Verified on · FAQ quote: "If not sold out, tickets can be purchased on the day of the event through the official ticket website. They can also be purchased on site, but at different prices. Tickets may be sold out". No sale-opening date is published on the page.
Mt. Fuji
Climbing season, hiking fee and gate hours.
| What | Opens | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mt. Fuji climbing: hiking fee and trail reservation (all four trails) | Season runs early July to early September (2026 Yoshida Trail: 1 July - 10 September); exact dates are announced before the season. The official pages do not state when online reservations open. | Official web reservation/registration system (fujisan-climb.jp) | ¥4,000 per person per climb, paid in advance through the official web system; same-day registration spots are kept. Gates close 14:00-03:00 except for mountain-hut guests; Yoshida Trail caps climbers at 4,000 a day. |
Mt. Fuji climbing: hiking fee and trail reservation (all four trails)
- Source: Things you must know Before climbing Mt. Fuji (Official Web Site for Mt. Fuji Climbing) (Fujisan Climb official site (Ministry of the Environment / Yamanashi / Shizuoka)) · Verified on · Common rules for all trails: "User fee (Hiking Fee)" "¥4,000"; "Reservations and registrations can be made via the web system."; gate closed "2 PM to 3 AM the following day" except mountain-hut guests; "The next climbing season is scheduled for early July to early September." "The official dates will be announced before the season starts."
- Source: FAQ (Official Web Site for Mt. Fuji Climbing) (Fujisan Climb official site) · Verified on · Quotes: same-day booking "Yes, it is possible"; "We have reserved spots for same-day registration."; "Reservations cannot be made without prior payment."
- Source: Yamanashi-ken Fujisan Yoshidaguchi kenyu tozan-gesando no tsuko ni tsuite (Yamanashi Prefecture) · Verified on · Japanese page updated 2026-07-07. Quotes: "7月1日から9月10日までの間"; "通行料（施設使用料）1人あたり（1回）4,000円"; "登山者数の1日あたり上限4,000人". The 2026 reservation opening date is not stated on this page.
Not yet verified on this site
We could not read a current value on an official page for these, so no dates are shown here. Check the operator's own site before you plan around them.
- Tokyo Disney Resort tickets
- Universal Studios Japan tickets
- Japan Rail Pass exchange order: how long it stays valid
- Mt. Fuji: the date online trail reservations open
FAQ
When do Shinkansen reserved seats go on sale?
On JR West's online reservation: 1 month before the travel date, 10:00 JST. On JR-EAST Train Reservation: 1 month before the travel date, 10:00 JST. On smartEX (Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen): 1 year before the travel date, 05:30 JST (tentative booking). Bookings made more than a month ahead pick a train from the tentative timetable; the train, time and seat are confirmed after 08:00 JST one month before the travel date. Sales close 4 minutes before departure. Payment is taken at booking.
When do Ghibli Museum tickets go on sale?
10th of each month, 10:00 JST, for all of the following month, through Lawson Ticket (official web ticket store). Example on the official page: tickets for 1-28 February go on sale 10 January at 10:00 JST. No tickets are sold at the museum.
Can I buy teamLab tickets at the door?
teamLab Planets TOKYO: Tickets are not sold on-site, so buy on the official ticket site before you go. teamLab Borderless TOKYO: Same-day tickets on the official ticket site if not sold out; on-site tickets exist but at different prices. Neither official page publishes a sale-opening date.
Do I need to pre-register to climb Mt. Fuji?
Reservation or registration is made through the official web reservation/registration system (fujisan-climb.jp), for all four trails. ¥4,000 per person per climb, paid in advance through the official web system; same-day registration spots are kept. Gates close 14:00-03:00 except for mountain-hut guests; Yoshida Trail caps climbers at 4,000 a day. Season runs early July to early September (2026 Yoshida Trail: 1 July - 10 September); exact dates are announced before the season. The official pages do not state when online reservations open.
Plan the rest of your trip
The same checklist on every page: tours, insurance, mobile data and the JR Pass.
Tours and tickets
Travel insurance
SafetyWing(affiliate link) — read what it covers in our guide before you buy, and compare it with any cover you already have.
eSIM and mobile data
JR Pass
Check whether the pass pays off for your legs before buying one.
Official JAPAN RAIL PASS purchase site — 7-day Ordinary ¥50,000; ¥53,000 through overseas agents.
Prices from JAPAN RAIL PASS (JR Group), checked 26 Oct 2026.
Japan Trip Math has been approved for the affiliate programmes of Viator and SafetyWing and may earn a commission if you book through links marked "affiliate link". It does not change the price you pay. Other links here are not paid. Affiliate disclosure
All sources on this page
- Source: Reservation conditions (time period, area, train, etc.) (JR West) · Verified on · Quote: "From 10:00 a.m. (Japan Standard Time) 1 month before boarding the train" ... "up to 6 minutes before the scheduled departure time of the train on the day of boarding".
- Source: Yoyaku / oshiharai hoho, yoyaku joken | e5489 goriyo guide (JR Odekake Net) (JR West) · Verified on · Japanese page. Quote: "ご乗車1カ月前の10時から、ご乗車当日の時刻表に表示された列車発車時刻6分前まで"; advance requests "きっぷの発売開始日（乗車日1カ月前）のさらに1週間前の5:30～発売日当日の7:59".
- Source: Train Reservation | Rail Passes & Tickets | HOKKAIDO RAILWAY COMPANY (JR Hokkaido) · Verified on · Describes JR-EAST Train Reservation (used for JR East/JR Hokkaido trains). Quote: "10 am (JST) one month before the boarding date until 6 minutes before departure time". JR East's own site returned HTTP 403 to our reader on 2026-10-28.
- Source: smartEX Service | Fare Overview | Tokaido Sanyo Kyushu Shinkansen Internet Reservation Service (JR Central / JR West / JR Kyushu (smart-ex.jp)) · Verified on · Quote: "From 5:30 am 1 year prior to boarding date, up to 4 minutes before the departure time shown in the timetable." and "we will confirm the train, time, and seats after 8:00 a.m. one month prior to your boarding date".
- Source: Use of NOZOMI/MIZUHO trains | JAPAN RAIL PASS (JR Group (japanrailpass.net)) · Verified on · Quote (Sales period): "From one month prior to the day of boarding the train to the day of boarding the train".
- Source: Traveling with a JAPAN RAIL PASS | JAPAN RAIL PASS (JR Group (japanrailpass.net)) · Verified on · Quote: "Only when purchasing a JAPAN RAIL PASS online from the official website can reserved seats be booked prior to picking up your ticket".
- Source: Conditions for use | JAPAN RAIL PASS (JR Group (japanrailpass.net)) · Verified on · Quotes: "Refunds are available until 11:30 p.m. (Japan time) on the day preceding the starting date of periods of use of the PASS." Seats cannot be booked on the JRPR or a reserved-seat ticket machine "if reserved-seat tickets for more than 110 trains have already been issued on the PASS."
- Source: Tickets - Ghibli Museum, Mitaka (Ghibli Museum, Mitaka) · Verified on · Quote: "Tickets become available for purchase at 10 a.m. (JST) on the 10th of each month for the subsequent month." and "No reservation or ticket purchase can be made at the Museum."
- Source: Tickets (Overseas Purchase) | GHIBLI PARK (Ghibli Park) · Verified on · Quotes: "This pass goes on sale two months in advance, on the 10th at 2 p.m. (Japan time)"; "Reservations for January 2027 go on sale November 10th 2026 at 2 p.m. (Japan time)"; "park tickets cannot be purchased at any area of Ghibli Park." The page adds that sale dates are subject to change.
- Source: Yoku aru shitsumon & information | SHIBUYA SKY (SHIBUYA SKY (Shibuya Scramble Square)) · Verified on · Japanese FAQ (text is rendered by the page script). Quote: "SHIBUYA SKYの入場チケットは入場日の2週間前の日本時間午前0時から販売されます。" The ticket page also says elementary-school and preschool (3-5) tickets are sold only at the 14th-floor counter.
- Source: [Official] teamLab Planets TOKYO, Toyosu (teamLab) · Verified on · FAQ quote: "Tickets are not sold on-site." No sale-opening date is published on the page.
- Source: [Official] teamLab Borderless TOKYO, Azabudai Hills (teamLab) · Verified on · FAQ quote: "If not sold out, tickets can be purchased on the day of the event through the official ticket website. They can also be purchased on site, but at different prices. Tickets may be sold out". No sale-opening date is published on the page.
- Source: Ticket Oosumo (English) (Ticket Oosumo (official ticket service linked from sumo.or.jp)) · Verified on · "Advanced Ticket Sales Starting Date" column: Jan 2027 Tokyo (Jan 10-24) "Sat. Dec. 5th, 2026"; Mar 2027 Osaka (Mar 14-28) "Sat. Feb. 6th, 2027"; May 2027 Tokyo (May 9-23) "Sat. Apr. 10th, 2027"; Jul 2027 Nagoya (Jul 11-25) "Sat. May. 15th, 2027"; Sep 2027 Tokyo (Sep 12-26) "Sat. Aug. 7th, 2027". Sale time for these is not shown in that column.
- Source: Ticket Oosumo | November Grand Tournament (Ticket Oosumo (official ticket service linked from sumo.or.jp)) · Verified on · Quote: "Goes on Sale：September 19th(Sat). 10:00". Linked as the official ticket service from https://www.sumo.or.jp/En/ (which on 2026-10-28 showed November tickets "sold out all dates").
- Source: Things you must know Before climbing Mt. Fuji (Official Web Site for Mt. Fuji Climbing) (Fujisan Climb official site (Ministry of the Environment / Yamanashi / Shizuoka)) · Verified on · Common rules for all trails: "User fee (Hiking Fee)" "¥4,000"; "Reservations and registrations can be made via the web system."; gate closed "2 PM to 3 AM the following day" except mountain-hut guests; "The next climbing season is scheduled for early July to early September." "The official dates will be announced before the season starts."
- Source: FAQ (Official Web Site for Mt. Fuji Climbing) (Fujisan Climb official site) · Verified on · Quotes: same-day booking "Yes, it is possible"; "We have reserved spots for same-day registration."; "Reservations cannot be made without prior payment."
- Source: Yamanashi-ken Fujisan Yoshidaguchi kenyu tozan-gesando no tsuko ni tsuite (Yamanashi Prefecture) · Verified on · Japanese page updated 2026-07-07. Quotes: "7月1日から9月10日までの間"; "通行料（施設使用料）1人あたり（1回）4,000円"; "登山者数の1日あたり上限4,000人". The 2026 reservation opening date is not stated on this page.