Local buses in 5 cities in Yamaguchi Prefecture
- In Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi City, Ube, and Iwakuni, residents aged 70 and over ride for ¥100 a trip with a city pass (on Tuesdays in Shimonoseki).
- Shunan gives residents aged 75 and over, and some others, 48 tickets a year worth ¥200 off each.
- You can pay the fare with an IC card on local buses in all five cities.
In Yamaguchi Prefecture, each city has a different local bus company: Sanden Kotsu in Shimonoseki, the city-run bus in Ube, Bocho Kotsu in Shunan, Iwakuni Bus and Bocho Kotsu in Iwakuni, and mainly Bocho Kotsu and JR Bus Chugoku in Yamaguchi City.
You can pay with an IC card on local buses in all five cities. Sanden Kotsu uses nimoca, while Bocho Kotsu, Ube City Bus and JR Bus Chugoku use ICOCA, and national transit IC cards such as Suica and SUGOCA work as they are.
Residents aged 70 and over ride for ¥100 a trip with a city pass in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi City, Ube and Iwakuni, but in Shimonoseki only on Tuesdays. Shunan instead gives residents aged 75 and over, and some others, 48 tickets a year worth ¥200 off each.
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Yamaguchi local buses: companies, IC cards and senior programs in 5 cities
Tap a city name to jump to its section. The senior programs are run by the city you live in, not by the bus companies, so you cannot apply at a bus company counter.
| City | Main bus companies | IC cards | Residents 70+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shimonoseki | Sanden Kotsu | nimoca and national transit IC cards | ¥100 a ride on Tuesdays |
| Yamaguchi City | Bocho Kotsu, JR Bus Chugoku | ICOCA and national transit IC cards | ¥100 a ride |
| Ube | Ube City Transportation Bureau | ICOCA and national transit IC cards | ¥100 a ride |
| Shunan | Bocho Kotsu | ICOCA and national transit IC cards | 75+ and others: 48 tickets, ¥200 off each |
| Iwakuni | Iwakuni Bus, Bocho Kotsu | IC cards | ¥100 a ride |
How to ride a local bus in Yamaguchi and pay the fare
Each company explains its own boarding rules; below is what Sanden Kotsu, Ube City Bus and Iwakuni Bus say on their pages.
On Sanden Kotsu and Ube City Bus, tap your IC card on the reader twice: when you get on and when you get off. (Sanden Kotsu: how to ride, Ube City Bus: using ICOCA, both in Japanese)
On Sanden Kotsu’s regular buses, you get on at the rear door, get off at the front door and pay when you get off. If you are paying for several people, or paying a disability fare, tell the driver before you tap your card.
On Iwakuni Bus with cash, take a numbered ticket (seiri-ken, 整理券) if you board at a stop along the route; IC card users do not need one. Put the exact fare in the fare box when you get off. The change machine on the bus takes only coins and ¥1,000 notes (Iwakuni Bus: tickets and passes, Japanese).
If your IC card balance is low, you can top up on the bus. Sanden Kotsu takes ¥1,000 units. Bocho Kotsu takes ¥1,000 notes only, from ¥1,000 to ¥10,000. Ube City Bus also takes ¥1,000 notes only, in ¥1,000 units.
Elementary school children pay half the adult fare. On Sanden Kotsu and Bocho Kotsu, one young child aged 1 and over (before elementary school on Sanden Kotsu, under 6 on Bocho Kotsu) rides free with each paying passenger; a second child pays the child fare (Sanden Kotsu: payment and discounts, Bocho Kotsu: discount fares, both in Japanese).
Shimonoseki buses: Sanden Kotsu
Sanden Kotsu in Shimonoseki accepts nimoca and national transit IC cards such as Suica, ICOCA and SUGOCA. Fares changed on August 23, 2025, and the fare for each section is in the fare table PDF (Sanden Kotsu: timetables and fares, Japanese).
Holders of a disability certificate (障害者手帳) pay half the regular fare. Holders of a Class 1 physical disability certificate, a Ryoiku Techo A, or a Grade 1 mental disability certificate can also bring one caregiver at half fare. A nimoca disability card applies the discount automatically. With a disability card issued by another company, tell the driver before you get off. The Mirairo ID app screen linked with Mynaportal is also accepted.
Long Life Pass for people 65 and over
Sanden Kotsu’s Long Life Pass gives people aged 65 and over unlimited rides on “Area A” routes. It costs ¥8,700 for 1 month, ¥19,300 for 3 months and ¥36,700 for 6 months, and is loaded on a nimoca card. Which routes are in Area A is shown on Sanden Kotsu’s route map (路線図) page, linked from the commuter passes and Long Life Pass page (Japanese).
To buy one, show an official ID that shows your age, such as a driver’s license, My Number Card or health insurance eligibility certificate (a copy is fine). People who have returned their driver’s license get ¥1,000 off with a driving history certificate or a “driving graduate support booklet”, within one year of issue or return. The pass does not work as a commuter pass on the Shimonoseki–Fukuoka route.
Shimonoseki City’s Iki-iki Silver 100
Residents aged 70 and over who are registered in Shimonoseki can ride Sanden Kotsu and Blue Line Kotsu local buses within Shimonoseki for ¥100 a ride every Tuesday, under the city’s Iki-iki Silver 100 (いきいきシルバー100). When you get off, show your user card to the driver and put ¥100 in cash in the fare box. You cannot pay this fare with an IC card (Shimonoseki City: Iki-iki Silver 100, Japanese).
It does not work on the Shimonoseki–Fukuoka highway bus, or on trips where both the boarding and getting-off stops are outside Shimonoseki (Sanden Kotsu notice, Japanese). You can apply at any time online through the Yamaguchi e-application service, at the city’s Longevity Support Division (長寿支援課), branch offices, or by post or fax. People turning 70 are advised to apply about two weeks before their birthday. Contact: Longevity Support Division, 083-231-1340.
| Company | Sanden Kotsu |
|---|---|
| Phone | 083-232-7775 (head office, bus department) |
| Hours | Inquiries: weekdays 8:30–17:30 |
| Website | sandenkotsu.co.jp |
| Name | Sanden Kotsu |
|---|---|
| Hours / Closed | Inquiries: Weekdays 8:30–17:30 |
| Phone | 083-232-7775 (head office, motor vehicle department) |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Yamaguchi City buses: Bocho Kotsu and JR Bus Chugoku
Both Bocho Kotsu and JR Bus Chugoku in Yamaguchi City accept ICOCA and national transit IC cards. On Bocho Kotsu this covers all regular routes and the Yamaguchi City community bus. PiTaPa’s post-pay service cannot be used (Bocho Kotsu: IC cards, Japanese).
On Bocho Kotsu, if you change to another of its local buses within one hour and pay by IC card, the fare is ¥20 lower (¥10 for children and disability fares). Community buses and the Shunan city loop are not included. Paying with ICOCA earns WESTER points worth 3% of the fare (registration needed); the points are used by adding them to your ICOCA balance. Bocho Kotsu does not sell bus ICOCA commuter passes; buy passes at its counters or in the QUICK RIDE app (Bocho Kotsu: commuter passes, Japanese).
JR Bus Chugoku runs the Bocho and Akiyoshi lines in Yamaguchi City, toward Youme Town Yamaguchi and Hofu, Akiyoshido Cave and Hagi. Ten types of transit IC card work, including ICOCA, Suica, PASMO, SUGOCA and nimoca, and its commuter pass is the bus ICOCA pass (JR Bus Chugoku: IC cards, Yamaguchi area, both in Japanese).
Yamaguchi City’s senior bus pass
Yamaguchi City mails a senior bus pass (敬老福祉優待バス乗車証) to residents aged 70 and over. Show it and ride local buses for ¥100 a trip in cash. It works on Bocho buses, JR Bus Chugoku, Ube City Bus (not express buses), Ube’s community transport buses, the Yamaguchi City community bus, and the Tokuji and Ato community buses, among others (Yamaguchi City: senior bus pass, Japanese).
It cannot be used for trips entirely outside the city, or on highway, express or airport buses. If you move into the city, it arrives in the first part of the month after you move in. To replace a lost pass, apply at the welfare counter of the Yamaguchi General Branch Office or another general branch office. Contact: Elderly Welfare Division, 083-934-2793.
| Company | JR Bus Chugoku |
|---|---|
| Website | chugoku-jrbus.co.jp |
| Name | JR Bus Chugoku |
|---|---|
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Ube buses: Ube City Transportation Bureau
Ube City Bus accepts ICOCA and national transit IC cards on all routes. If you change buses within two hours using an IC card, the second fare is ¥50 lower (¥30 with a child or disability ICOCA) (Ube City Bus: using ICOCA, Japanese).
The city-center loop line is a flat ¥150 (Ube City Bus: fare table, Japanese). The “Sabasuku” pass gives unlimited rides on all city bus routes, including express buses. There is also “Sabasuku mini” for one fixed day of the week, and “Sabasuku Gakuwari” for students. All are ICOCA-only and sold at the ICOCA counters (Ube City Bus: Sabasuku passes, Japanese).
Disability discounts are 50% off regular fares and 30% off commuter passes. Holders of a Class 1 physical disability certificate, a Ryoiku Techo A or a Grade 1 mental disability certificate also get the discount for one caregiver who boards and gets off at the same stops (Ube City Bus: disability discount, Japanese).
Ube City’s senior bus pass
Ube residents aged 70 and over receive a Senior Bus Pass (高齢者バス優待乗車証) by the end of the month before their 70th birthday month, and ride for ¥100 a trip from the first day of the birthday month. It works on all city bus routes, the Ono Kizuna-go (regular route service), and some Funatetsu Bus routes marked “優” (Ube City: senior bus pass, Japanese).
If you add the pass to an ICOCA card at an Ube City Bus ICOCA counter, ¥100 is taken from the balance when you tap on and off (not on Funatetsu Bus). Take your pass to the counter to do this. A pass issued by Yamaguchi City cannot be added. Contact: Ube City Elderly Welfare Division, 0836-34-8302.
| Company | Ube City Transportation Bureau |
|---|---|
| Phone | 0836-31-1133 |
| Hours | ICOCA counter: Mon–Fri 8:30–17:15 (closed holidays and Dec 29–Jan 3) |
| Website | ubebus.jp |
| Name | Ube City Transportation Bureau |
|---|---|
| Hours / Closed | ICOCA counter (Ube City Transportation Bureau): Monday–Friday 8:30–17:15 (closed public holidays and December 29–January 3) |
| Phone | 0836-31-1133 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Shunan buses: Bocho Kotsu
Bocho Kotsu in Shunan accepts ICOCA and national transit IC cards, including on the “Choi-nori 100-yen Bus” city-center loop. The “city free pass” for set sections inside Shunan is ¥14,600 a month, and the “all-line free pass” is ¥36,700 a month (Bocho Kotsu: commuter passes, Japanese).
Disability fares are 50% off one-way fares for holders of a Class 1 physical disability certificate, a Ryoiku Techo Class 1 or A, or a Grade 1 mental disability certificate (or under 12), and for a caregiver riding with them. With an IC card, tap when you board; when you get off, show your certificate, wait for the driver to set the machine, then tap (Bocho Kotsu: discount fares, Japanese).
Shunan City’s bus and taxi fare tickets for seniors
Shunan gives residents aged 75 and over, and residents aged 65 to 74 without a driver’s license, 48 tickets per fiscal year worth ¥200 off each (¥9,600 in total). On local buses, use one ticket per ride, as long as either the boarding or getting-off stop is in Shunan. They cannot be used on highway buses, and no change is given if the fare is under ¥200 (Shunan City: fare tickets for fiscal 2026, Japanese).
If you received tickets last fiscal year, they come by mail. First-time users apply at any time at the Elderly Support Division (高齢者支援課), the citizen welfare section of each general branch office, or a branch office. Bring the original of an ID such as a My Number Card or driver’s license. Contact: Elderly Support Division, 0834-22-8461.
| Company | Bocho Kotsu |
|---|---|
| Phone | 0834-22-7801 |
| Website | bochobus.co.jp |
| Name | Bocho Kotsu |
|---|---|
| Phone | 0834-22-7801 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Iwakuni buses: Iwakuni Bus and Bocho Kotsu
Iwakuni Bus charges by distance from ¥130, and Iwakuni Station to Kintaikyo Bridge is ¥300. A one-day pass for all local routes in the city is ¥1,000 for adults and ¥500 for children, sold at counters and in the RYDE PASS app as a 24-hour ticket (Iwakuni Bus: fare table, tickets and passes, both in Japanese).
Disability certificate holders pay half the one-way fare. Show the certificate to the driver when you get off and pay into the fare box (Iwakuni Bus: FAQ, Japanese).
Iwakuni City’s senior pass and the Silver Pass
Residents aged 70 and over ride Iwakuni Bus and Bocho Kotsu buses within Iwakuni for ¥100 a trip with the city’s senior pass (敬老優待乗車証). Highway buses are not included. You do not need to apply: it is mailed at the end of the month before your 70th birthday month. To replace a lost pass, contact the Elderly Support Division, 0827-29-2588 (Iwakuni City: senior passes, Japanese).
Frequent riders can also buy Iwakuni Bus’s Silver Pass, only for senior pass holders: ¥3,980 a month for unlimited rides on all local routes in the city (raised from ¥3,900 on April 1, 2026). A book of 21 senior tickets costs ¥2,000 (Iwakuni Bus: fare changes from April 1, Japanese).
| Company | Iwakuni Bus |
|---|---|
| Website | iwakuni-bus.com |
| Name | Iwakuni Bus |
|---|---|
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Checking bus times and routes in Yamaguchi
Sanden Kotsu points to the PINA app, which shows buses on a map, and “Mokuiku” (also on the web) for times and transfers. The QR code on each stop’s timetable also shows approaching buses (Sanden Kotsu: bus location system, Japanese).
Bocho Kotsu and Iwakuni Bus work with BUSit, which shows approaching buses and fares (BUSit). Bocho Kotsu and JR Bus Chugoku times are on each company’s NAVITIME search page (Bocho Kotsu timetable search, JR Bus Chugoku times and approach). For Ube City Bus, use Ube Bus Navi, which has an English language setting.
Sanden Kotsu and Iwakuni Bus say Google Maps also shows their routes and fares.
In English: Sanden Kotsu says the Jorudan “Norikae Annai” app shows Japanese and English, and its web ticket page shows English, Korean and Chinese (Sanden Kotsu: digital tickets, Japanese). Iwakuni Bus lists the “Visit Hiroshima Tourist Pass, 3-day Middle Area” (広島たびパス), for visitors from abroad, as a ticket for its buses; it is sold on the MOBIRY TRAVEL digital ticket site. The bus companies’ own websites are in Japanese.
What to know about buses across Yamaguchi’s cities
Passes and discounts belong to each company, not the prefecture. Any national transit IC card pays the fare on all of them, but commuter and unlimited-ride passes are loaded on that company’s own card: nimoca for Sanden Kotsu, ICOCA for Ube City Bus.
Senior passes come from the city you live in, and each covers set companies and sections (see each city above). With the Shimonoseki and Yamaguchi City passes, you pay ¥100 in cash when you get off. In Ube, the ¥100 comes off your ICOCA balance once the pass is added. For people who have returned their license, there is ¥1,000 off Sanden Kotsu’s Long Life Pass, and Shunan’s tickets also cover people aged 65 to 74 without a license.
Senior passes after moving to Yamaguchi
I just moved here. Can I get a senior pass? Yamaguchi City mails it in the first part of the month after you move in, and Iwakuni from the month after you move in. For Shimonoseki’s Iki-iki Silver 100 and Shunan’s tickets, first-time users need to apply.
Do foreign residents qualify? The city pages set the conditions by age and by living in the city, such as being registered in the resident register, and none of them mentions nationality. Foreign nationals who live in Japan for more than three months with a status of residence (and some other groups, such as Special Permanent Residents) have resident records in the same system as Japanese nationals, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (English).
Sources (checked October 2026)
- Bus companies (Japanese): Sanden Kotsu, Bocho Kotsu, JR Bus Chugoku, Ube City Transportation Bureau, Iwakuni Bus
- City senior programs (Japanese): Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi City, Ube, Shunan, Iwakuni
