Mizuho or Sakura: Which One Can You Ride With a JR Pass?
The times and fares for Hiroshima come from our routes database. It uses JR’s own search for Wednesday 14 October 2026, for one adult travelling one way with a reserved seat. The stops and the longer runs to Hakata and Kagoshima-Chuo come from JR West’s timetable for Tuesday 13 October 2026.
Both trains run between Shin-Osaka and Kagoshima-Chuo on the Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen. Both use the same 8-car N700 trains. The real differences are how many stations each train stops at, how many run each day, and what the Japan Rail Pass lets you do.
The photo shows a Sakura on the line. A Mizuho looks the same from the platform, so read the train name on the departure board before you board.
Mizuho and Sakura side by side
The table compares the two trains on three common trips from Shin-Osaka.
| Item | Mizuho | Sakura |
|---|---|---|
| Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima | 1 h 20 min (fastest) | 1 h 32 min (Sakura 751) |
| Reserved seat to Hiroshima | 10,950 yen | 10,420 yen |
| Shin-Osaka to Hakata, fastest | 2 h 24 min (Mizuho 615) | 2 h 33 min (Sakura 747) |
| Shin-Osaka to Hakata, typical | 2 h 28 min | 2 h 39 min |
| Shin-Osaka to Kagoshima-Chuo | 3 h 50 min (Mizuho 615) | 4 h 08 min (Sakura 747) |
| Stations stopped at | 8 (Mizuho 615) | 13 (Sakura 747) |
| Trains a day to Hiroshima | 8 | 17 |
| Non-reserved cars | Cars 1 to 3 | Cars 1 to 3 |
| Japan Rail Pass | Needs a NOZOMI MIZUHO Ticket | Covered, no extra |
Start with the Hiroshima rows. The fastest Mizuho takes 1 h 20 min and the Sakura 751 takes 1 h 32 min. A reserved seat costs 10,950 yen against 10,420 yen. On this trip the Mizuho is 12 min faster and costs 530 yen more one way.
The gap stays small on the longer runs. The JR West Sanyo Kyushu Shinkansen timetable 13 October 2026 lists 8 Mizuho and 17 Sakura to Hakata. The typical Mizuho takes 2 h 28 min, and the typical Sakura 2 h 39 min. The fastest ones are the Mizuho 615 at 2 h 24 min and the Sakura 747 at 2 h 33 min.
To Kagoshima-Chuo, the end of the line, the Mizuho 615 takes 3 h 50 min and the Sakura 747 takes 4 h 08 min. That day, 7 Mizuho and 14 Sakura ran all the way from Shin-Osaka to Kagoshima-Chuo.
The photo shows a Mizuho, and it is the same 8-car N700 train you see on the Sakura. JR West’s timetable lists both the Mizuho 615 and the Sakura 747 as N700 trains with 8 cars. Each has Green Car reserved seats and ordinary cars that are partly reserved.
So the choice does not come down to the train itself. It comes down to the stops, the number of trains, and your rail pass. The next three sections take those one at a time.
Trains a day, and the Nozomi
The Sakura runs about twice as often as the Mizuho on every route we checked. The chart counts the daily trains on JR Central’s timetable for Wednesday 14 October 2026.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| To Hiroshima: Mizuho | 8 trains |
| To Hiroshima: Sakura | 17 trains |
| To Okayama: Mizuho | 8 trains |
| To Okayama: Sakura | 17 trains |
| To Himeji: Mizuho | 3 trains |
| To Himeji: Sakura | 11 trains |
| Hakata–Hiroshima: Mizuho | 8 trains |
| Hakata–Hiroshima: Sakura | 18 trains |
From Shin-Osaka, 17 Sakura and 8 Mizuho run to Hiroshima, Okayama and Shin-Kobe each day. Himeji has fewer of both: 11 Sakura and 3 Mizuho. Going the other way along the line, from Hakata to Hiroshima, there are 18 Sakura and 8 Mizuho.
Look at the full picture for Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima. JR Central’s timetable lists 96 trains a day: 57 Nozomi, 17 Sakura, 10 Kodama, 8 Mizuho and 4 Hikari. So the Mizuho makes up 8% of the trains, and the Sakura 18%.
That is why the Nozomi belongs in this comparison too. It runs far more often than either train on the Sanyo Shinkansen. From Shin-Osaka to Hakata, the fastest Nozomi takes 2 h 28 min for 16,020 yen. The Sakura 751 takes 2 h 39 min for 15,280 yen. The Nozomi is 11 min faster and costs 740 yen more one way.
From Hakata to Hiroshima, the fastest Nozomi takes 1 h 1 min for 9,630 yen. The Sakura 746 takes 1 h 9 min for 9,100 yen. That is 8 min faster for 530 yen more.
The Nozomi stays on the Sanyo Shinkansen, while the Mizuho and the Sakura carry on through Hakata onto the Kyushu Shinkansen. If you are going to Kumamoto or Kagoshima-Chuo, these two trains take you there with no change at Hakata. The Nozomi suits trips that end at Hakata or earlier. For the Nozomi and the Hikari on the Tokaido Shinkansen, see our comparison of Nozomi vs Hikari.
Where the Mizuho and Sakura stop
The Sakura stops at more stations than the Mizuho, and that is where most of the extra time goes. Both trains change their stops from one train to the next. The examples below are the two fastest trains to Kagoshima-Chuo on JR West’s timetable for 13 October 2026.
The illustration sums up the two trains. The JR West Mizuho 615 timetable 13 October 2026 lists 8 stations: Shin-Osaka, Shin-Kobe, Okayama, Hiroshima, Kokura, Hakata, Kumamoto and Kagoshima-Chuo. It leaves Shin-Osaka at 19:54 and reaches Kagoshima-Chuo at 23:44, in 3 h 50 min.
The JR West Sakura 747 timetable 13 October 2026 lists 13 stations. It adds Nishi-Akashi, Fukuyama, Shin-Tosu, Kurume and Sendai to the Mizuho’s list. It leaves Shin-Osaka at 08:53 and reaches Kagoshima-Chuo at 13:01, in 4 h 08 min.
The Sendai here is the station in Kagoshima Prefecture on the Kyushu Shinkansen. The Mizuho 615 runs straight through Fukuyama, Shin-Tosu, Kurume and Sendai. If one of these is your stop, look up a Sakura that stops there.
Not every Sakura stops at the same stations either. The Sakura 747 runs through Himeji, for example. Check the timetable for the train you plan to take, and look at the stop list on the station board before you board.
Kagoshima-Chuo Station, in the photo, is the end of the line for both trains. The Sakura 747 arrives on track 14 and the Mizuho 615 on track 12. Both left Shin-Osaka from track 20 that day.
For Nagasaki, the Sakura is the train our database uses. Shin-Osaka to Nagasaki takes 3 h 59 min at the fastest for 21,030 yen with a reserved seat. You ride the Sakura, change to the Limited Express Relay Kamome, then change again to the Kamome.
For short hops, the Sakura also covers the stations near Osaka. Shin-Osaka to Himeji takes 28 min at the fastest on the Sakura for 3,750 yen. Shin-Osaka to Shin-Kobe takes 12 min on the Sakura for 1,530 yen.
Seats and non-reserved cars
The seats are the same on the Mizuho and the Sakura. On the 8-car N700, cars 1 to 3 are non-reserved and cars 4 to 8 are reserved. Car 6 is half Green Car.
The Smart EX N700 car layout for Mizuho and Sakura says the seats in cars 4 to 8 are in two rows of two seats. The JR West 8-car N700 Shinkansen seating guide says the same. The JR Kyushu Kagoshima-Chuo to Shin-Osaka Shinkansen guide puts it simply: 真ん中の席がない (mannaka no seki ga nai), “there is no middle seat”.
That matters on a long ride. The two-and-two layout is in the reserved cars 4 to 8, so book a reserved seat if you want the wider seat. On JR West’s car guide, 自由席 (jiyu-seki) marks non-reserved seats and 指定席 (shitei-seki) reserved seats.
Every seat in the Green Car has a power outlet. In the ordinary cars, the window seats and the seats in the front and back rows have one.
Car numbers show on the platform at stations such as Hakata, in the photo. Stand by the number for your car before the train comes in.
Large suitcases
The same baggage rule covers both trains. A bag up to 160 cm in total length, width and height goes on the overhead rack, with no booking. A bag from 161 to 250 cm needs a seat with an oversized baggage area, booked when you buy the ticket. Bags over 250 cm cannot come on board. If you board with an oversized bag and no booking, you pay a 1,000 yen fee.
On both trains, the seats with an oversized baggage area are in the last row of the reserved cars and the Green Car. Car 7 has none.
The Nozomi and busy dates
The 16-car Nozomi on the Tokaido Shinkansen works differently. The JR Central Tokaido Shinkansen guide for visitors lists Nozomi non-reserved seats in cars 1 and 2. JR Tokai Tours adds that every Nozomi seat is reserved in peak periods, such as Golden Week, Obon, the New Year holidays and three-day weekends. In those periods, JR Central’s page on the all-reserved Nozomi still lists the Mizuho and the Sakura among the trains with non-reserved seats.
If you travel over the New Year holidays in Japan, book your seat early on any train.
The Kyushu Shinkansen also runs older Series 800 trains. The JAPAN RAIL PASS train cars and Green Car notes say some Series 800 Sakura and Tsubame trains have no Green Car.
With a Japan Rail Pass
With a Japan Rail Pass, the Sakura is free and the Mizuho is not. The JAPAN RAIL PASS valid routes and Nozomi Mizuho rule page says the pass “is not valid for any seats, reserved or non-reserved, on NOZOMI and MIZUHO trains”. It tells pass holders to “use HIKARI, SAKURA, KODAMA and TSUBAME trains.”
To ride the Mizuho with a pass, buy a NOZOMI MIZUHO Ticket for your section before you board. It goes on sale one month before the day of travel. Buy it at a reserved seat ticket machine or a JR ticket office. One ticket price covers the Green Car, a reserved ordinary seat and a non-reserved seat.
| Route | Fastest train | Sakura 751 | JR Pass extra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima | Mizuho, 10,950 yen | 10,420 yen | Sakura 0 yen; Mizuho 4,170 yen |
| Shin-Osaka to Okayama | Nozomi, 6,460 yen | 6,140 yen | Sakura 0 yen; Nozomi 2,530 yen |
| Shin-Osaka to Hakata | Nozomi, 16,020 yen | 15,280 yen | Sakura 0 yen; Nozomi 4,960 yen |
The table shows what each trip costs with and without a pass, for one adult with a reserved seat. Take Shin-Osaka to Okayama: the Nozomi costs 6,460 yen and the Sakura 751 costs 6,140 yen. With a pass, the Sakura costs nothing more, and the Nozomi needs a 2,530 yen ticket.
On the Kyushu side, the ticket for Hakata to Kagoshima-Chuo costs 5,150 yen. For Hiroshima to Hakata it costs 3,400 yen. Children aged 6 to 11 pay about half: 2,080 yen for Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima and 2,570 yen for Hakata to Kagoshima-Chuo.
The illustration sums up the extra charge on each train. For pass holders, the sums are easy. The Sakura is 12 min slower to Hiroshima, but the Mizuho ticket costs 4,170 yen. If you are not in a hurry, take the Sakura.
The Japan Rail Pass costs 50,000 yen for 7 days in the Ordinary Car on the official website. From an overseas agency it costs 53,000 yen. Whether it pays off depends on your whole trip, so see is the JR Pass worth it before you buy.
Regional passes are different products. The JR-WEST All Area Pass covers reserved and non-reserved seats on the Sanyo Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Hakata, at 26,000 yen for 7 days. For trips south of Hakata, look at the JR Kyushu Rail Pass. Check each pass page for which trains it covers before you plan a Mizuho ride.
Without any pass, an online fare can cut the cost on the long run. JR Kyushu lists 24,360 yen for a normal ticket with a reserved Mizuho seat between Kagoshima-Chuo and Shin-Osaka. The EX Hayatoku 21 fare costs 18,400 yen if you book online 21 days ahead. You need to register with Smart EX for free, and a credit card.
Which one should you take?
Pick the train by your pass, your stop and your timing. Both trains share the seats and the baggage rule, so these are the only things that change the answer.
The illustration shows the two questions. Here is the same choice in more detail:
- You have a Japan Rail Pass: take the Sakura, at no extra cost. For the Mizuho, buy the section ticket first, such as 4,170 yen for Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima.
- No pass, and you are in a hurry: take the Mizuho. It is 12 min faster to Hiroshima for 530 yen more. Only 8 Mizuho a day run from Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima, so check that one fits your plans.
- A smaller station: for Fukuyama, Shin-Tosu, Kurume or Sendai, find a Sakura that stops there on the timetable.
- The lowest fare: take the Sakura. It is 530 yen cheaper from Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima.
- Going only as far as Hakata: the Nozomi is also an option. It is 11 min faster than the Sakura 751 and costs 740 yen more.
- Going to Nagasaki: take the Sakura to the Limited Express Relay Kamome, then the Kamome.
- A large suitcase: the same rule applies on both trains, so book a seat with an oversized baggage area for a bag over 160 cm.
The Sakura also wins on choice. With 17 trains a day from Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima against 8, you wait less for the next one. If you miss a Mizuho, the next Sakura may get you there sooner than the next Mizuho.
On a run of 3 h 50 min or more to Kagoshima-Chuo, bring something to eat. Our guide to ekiben in Japan covers the station lunch boxes you can buy before you board.
Mizuho or Sakura: what 98 people in Japan chose
On 13–14 October 2026, japan-japan.com ran an online survey of people living in Japan about 32 travel choices. 130 people answered. We removed answers that looked machine-written, one from outside Japan and most of those that contradicted themselves, which left 98. Shares below are of the 98 respondents unless a smaller group is named; they describe these people, not all travellers in Japan. See all 32 comparisons and how we asked.
20.4% (20 people) have taken a Mizuho, Sakura or Tsubame: 16.3% (16 people) the Sakura, 7.1% (7 people) the Mizuho and 7.1% (7 people) the Tsubame.
Asked which they would take from Shin-Osaka to Hakata, 54.1% (53 people) had no preference and 21.4% (21 people) chose the Nozomi. Between the two trains on this page, 2 people chose the Sakura and no one chose the Mizuho; 22.4% (22 people) did not know. Few people in Japan pick between them by name, so the times and stops above are the better guide.
Mizuho vs Sakura FAQ
Can I ride the Mizuho with a Japan Rail Pass?
Not on the pass alone. The Japan Rail Pass does not cover any seat on the Mizuho. Buy a NOZOMI MIZUHO Ticket for your section before you board. It costs 4,170 yen for Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima and 5,150 yen for Hakata to Kagoshima-Chuo.
How much faster is the Mizuho than the Sakura?
The Mizuho is 12 min faster from Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima. The fastest Mizuho takes 1 h 20 min and the Sakura 751 takes 1 h 32 min. To Kagoshima-Chuo, the Mizuho 615 takes 3 h 50 min and the Sakura 747 takes 4 h 08 min.
Is the Sakura cheaper than the Mizuho?
Yes, a little. A reserved seat from Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima costs 10,420 yen on the Sakura 751 and 10,950 yen on the Mizuho, a 530 yen difference. With a Japan Rail Pass, the Sakura costs nothing extra.
Do the Mizuho and Sakura have non-reserved cars?
Yes. On the 8-car N700 Mizuho and Sakura, cars 1 to 3 are non-reserved. Cars 4 to 8 are reserved, with two seats on each side of the aisle, and car 6 is half Green Car.
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