Search "Japan toll pass" and you'll find years of blogs praising the all-you-can-drive Japan Expressway Pass. The problem: it's gone, and so is the Central Nippon version. If you plan a rental-car trip around a pass that no longer exists, you'll either overpay per toll or scrap the plan at the counter. Here's what actually exists in 2026.
| Pass | Region | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Japan Expressway Pass (JEP) | nationwide | discontinued |
| Central Nippon Pass (CEP) | central Japan | discontinued |
| Hokkaido Expressway Pass (HEP) | Hokkaido | available |
| Tohoku Expressway Pass (TEP) | Tohoku | ends 30 Sep 2026 |
| Kyushu Expressway Pass (KEP) | Kyushu | available |
| San'in-Setouchi-Shikoku Pass (SEP) | W. Honshu / Shikoku | available |
Statuses/prices as published for 2026 — confirm before you book. Regional passes give unlimited expressway tolls in that region for a set number of days at a flat price, added on top of your car rental; they use an ETC card issued by the rental company (~¥330–550), so you glide through toll gates without stopping. Apply when you reserve the car.
Get the regional pass if you're doing a genuine road trip in Hokkaido, Kyushu, Tohoku or the San'in-Setouchi-Shikoku area — places where a car unlocks the countryside and tolls add up fast. Skip the car in the Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka corridor: there's no toll pass, parking is pricey, and the Shinkansen/trains are faster and cheaper. Either way, always take the rental's ETC card — it's cheap, avoids cash at toll gates, and unlocks the passes and time-based toll discounts.
Don't plan around the Japan Expressway Pass — it's discontinued. For a Hokkaido/Kyushu/Tohoku/San'in road trip, get that region's Expressway Pass; for central Japan, take the train. Add the ETC card to any rental, and if you're eyeing Tohoku, note its pass closes 30 Sep 2026. Put the toll savings toward the road-trip ramen.
Mio