The Japan Rail Pass must be purchased outside Japan, as it is designed exclusively for tourists. This pass gives you unlimited travel on Japan Rail lines and affiliated buses and ferries. You can travel in one of two classes: Green (First Class) and Ordinary (Economy Class) for 7, 14, or 21 days of consecutive travel, beginning from your first day of travel. The Japanese Rail Pass is one of the most economical ways to travel, considering that the 7 day ordinary pass costs the same as one return ticket between Tokyo and Kyoto. The Pass also offers passengers a 10% discount on reservations made locally for hotels within the Japan Rail Hotel Group. You must show your pass upon checking in.

Japan Rail Pass at a Glance A comprehensive pass allowing unlimited travel on most JR trains, JR buses, and the JR ferry to Miyajima. 7, 14, or 21 consecutive days of travel. Not available to residents of Japan or individuals with a Japanese passport. click here for a detailed map

• You must purchase an Exchange Order prior to arriving in Japan. You must turn in an exchange order to receive a JAPAN RAIL PASS.  Exchange Orders cannot be used for travel on JR lines. Turn in your Exchange Order and obtain your JAPAN RAIL PASS at any of the JAPAN RAIL PASS exchange offices. Your Exchange Order must be turned in for a JAPAN RAIL PASS within three months of the date the Order was issued. At the time of the exchange you will be asked to fill in a short application form and to show your passport with the Temporary Visitor stamp that you received on entry into Japan. You must show your passport and this stamp to process the Rail Pass Exchange Order. Without your passport, the pass exchange will not be made. (A photocopy of your passport is also not acceptable because you must show the "Temporary Visitor" stamp in it.) The type of PASS described on the Exchange Order cannot be changed.
• Please note that during crowded periods you cannot be guaranteed a seat on a specific train. The periods when seat reservations are particularly difficult to secure are: December 29 to January 5: The New Year holiday period is the most popular travel time for Japanese people, for vacations and returns to hometown areas; April 29 to May 5: Due to consecutive holidays in a comfortable travel season, there is large-scale travel throughout Japan for leisure and recreation; and August 13 to 15: Another time for traditional travel to home-town areas, called the Obon season.
• Prices are subject to change without prior notice.

• A Japan Rail Pass cannot be purchased inside Japan.
• The Japan Rail Pass is a special ticket that is available only to travelers visiting Japan on a non-Japanese passport from foreign countries for sight-seeing. To be eligible to purchase a Japan Rail Pass you must be a foreign tourist visiting Japan from abroad, under the entry status of "temporary visitor". Please note that according to strict interpretation of the Japanese Immigration Law, "Temporary Visitor" status differs from other types of stays. Persons with specialty visas (such as working, student, trainee, entertainer, cultural or government visas) are not eligible. Additionally, Japanese nationals currently residing in a foreign country, married to a foreigner and living abroad can apply for the Japan National Railpass only (they cannot apply for any of the regional passes).
• At present, the Japan Rail Pass does not cover Nozomi-type Shinkansen “bullet trains” on the Tokaido/Sanyo lines connecting Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Hakata (Fukuoka) and other cities.