A pass makes moving simple.

Which one depends on how you want to travel. Two are worth looking at first.

Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass

¥19,000 · 7 consecutive days

Kyoto, Osaka, Kanazawa, Toyama, Fukui, and west as far as Okayama. Reserved seats included. Doesn't reach Tokyo.

Hokuriku Arch Pass

¥35,000 · 7 consecutive days

Tokyo, Kanazawa, Toyama, Fukui, Kyoto, Osaka, plus airport access at both ends — Narita, Haneda and Kansai. Reserved seats included. Doesn't go west of Osaka.

Official details →

Neither covers the Tokaido Shinkansen. You may not need either one.

Seven nights is eight days.

Arrive on day one, stay seven nights, and you leave on day eight. A seven-day pass can't cover both ends.

Count the whole trip.

It's easy to count only the days you go out from Tsuruga. Getting to your base and leaving it are part of the trip too.

A pass doesn't guarantee you a seat.

Reserved seats are included, but availability still depends on the train.