What is a Japan Rail Pass?

A Japan Rail Pass is a personal train ticket specifically designed for foreign travelers who wish to visit Japan.

WHAT DOES IT GIVE ACCESS TO?

It provides unlimited access to all train lines operated by Japan Railways (JR) throughout Japan (with the exception of some high-speed trains including the 'Nozomi' Shinkansen) for a period of 1, 2 or 3 weeks.

WHERE TO USE IT?

The Japanese railway network consists in more than 20,000 km of tracks. With this pass, you can access the main attractions on the 4 main islands of Japan.

WHEN TO USE IT?

The Japan Rail Pass can be used 24/7, all year long, although it is sometimes difficult to get a seat on trains during the holiday periods:

From December 28th to January 6th: New Year is the biggest and most important holiday in Japan, during which most Japanese travel back to their hometowns.

From April 27th to May 6th: 'Golden Week', a string of national holidays means a lot of Japanese people take the opportunity to travel around the country during this time

Around August 15th: 'O-bon Festival', when many Japanese people travel back to their hometown to celebrate.

The JR Pass allows unlimited use of JR trains, including bullet trains, for a set period of time, and can save you money if you plan on taking multiple long-distance train journeys. If you are traveling to multiple cities in Japan and plan on using the bullet train (Shinkansen) or other long-distance trains (local, express or limited-express trains), then the JR Pass can be a cost-effective option.

In addition to the National Japan Rail Pass, other regional passes can be bought (JR Hokkaido Rail Pass, JR East Pass, JR Kansai Area Pass, JR Sanyo-Sanin Area Pass and JR Kyushu Rail Pass) but these are only valid for a specific region.