What is Japan Rail Pass?

The Japan Rail Pass is a special pass available only to travelers visiting Japan from foreign countries for sight-seeing.  One of following two conditions must be met in order to be eligible to purchase the Japan Rail Pass:

1. You are a foreign tourist visiting Japan from foreign countries for sight-seeing under the "Temporary Visitor" status.

 - You must apply as a "Temporary Visitor" which allows you to stay in Japan for 15 days or 90 days for sight-seeing when you enter Japan.

2. You are a Japanese national living in foreign country and:

 a. qualified to live permanently in that country

 b. married to a non-Japanese residing in a country other than Japan

* Persons meeting conditions a or b are required to show proof when redeeming an Exchange  Order to obtain the Japan Rail Pass.

* Passport must be present when redeeming an Exchange Order to show you are visiting Japan as a "Temporary Visitor."

Japan Rail Pass Validity

All JR Group Railways

- Shinkansen "bullet trains" (except any reserved or non-reserved seat on "NOZOMI" trains)

- Limited express trains, express trains, rapid and local trains (some exceptions do apply)

- Not valid on Tokyo monorail

Busses

- Local JR bus lines (JR Hokkaido, JR Tohoku, JR Kanto, JR tokai, JR West Japan, JR Chugoku, JR Shikoku, JR Kyushu)

- Some JR highway bus lines

Ferry

- JR Miyajima

*JR Hakata - Pusan (Korea) ferry is not covered