Information about Japan Rail Pass

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The Japan Rail Pass (called JR pass) is a special rail pass for foreign tourists that enable the holders to use almost all JR services untill its expiry date. The holders can apply this rail pass to not only usual trains but limited express trains and Shinkansen and use them freely. There are 2 types of pass; for ordinary cars and green car. If you have Japan Rail Pass for green cars, you can use green seats by making seat reservations (free).

The Price of Japan Rail Pass in 2014

Types	For Green Cars		For Ordinary Cars
Division	Adult	Child	Adult	Child
7-days	38,880 yen	19,440 yen	29,110 yen	14,550 yen
14-days	62,950 yen	31,470 yen	46,390 yen	23,190 yen
21-days	81,870 yen	40,930 yen	59,350 yen	29,670 yen

(Only children who are 6-11 years old can use child prices.)

The Japan Rail Pass cannot be purchased in Japan. If you want to buy this pass, you need to pay the cost and recieve a voucher from an office or agent in your country firstly. After coming to Japan, you can exchange the voucher for the Japan Rail Pass at a Japan Rail Pass exchange office. Japan Rail Pass offices are located in international airports and major stations. The detailed information is written in an official site.

Who Can Use The Japan Rail Pass?

(1) Foreign tourists visiting Japan as a temporary visitor (短期滞在) Japan Rail Pass can be used by temporary visitors who can stay Japan for 90 days at most. The visitors as a worker, a student, or a trainee cannot use the Japan Rail Pass. When you exchange the voucher for the Japan Rail Pass, staffs ascertain that you fulfill the qualification by inspecting stamps or seals on your passport. Therefore, you need to bring your passport when exhanging it.

(2) Japanese nationals living outside of Japan who have permanent residency of the country or who married someone living in outside of Japan
All such people can also use the Japan Rail Pass but they need to have bring not only their passport but materials that show the fulfillment of the other qualifications. The rquired materials are showed at an official site.

What Services Can The Japan Rail Pass Apply to?

JR groupes operates not only train services but bus and ferry services. Of course, Japan Rail Pass holders can apply the pass them, but please notice that there is limitation.

Applicable Trains

Names of Trains	Types of Seats	Pass for Green Car	Pass for Ordinary Car
Shinkansen "Nozomi (のぞみ)" and Shinkansen"Mizuho (みずほ)"	Green Car	Unavailable	Unavailable
	Ordinary Car	Unavailable	Unavailable
Other Shinkansen	Glan Class	Additional charge is needed	Additional charge is needed
	Green Car	Available	Additional charge is needed
	Ordinary Car	Available	Available
	Ordinary Compartment Seats	Additional charge is needed	Additional charge is needed
Limited Express and Express	Green Car	Available	Additional charge is needed
	Ordinary Car	Available	Available
	Green Compartment Seats	Additional charge is needed	Additional charge is needed
	Ordinary Compartment Seats	Additional charge is needed	Additional charge is needed
	Sleeping Car	Additional charge is needed	Additional charge is needed
Usual Trains (Local and Rapid Trains)	Green Car	Available	Additional charge is needed
	Ordinary Car	Available	Available
Tokyo Monorail and Aoimori Railway Line	Ordinary Car	Available	Available

Applicable Buses

Applicable Ferry

JR Miyahuma ferry can be applied. JR Miyajima ferry operates between Honsyū (main island of Japan) and Miyajima. In Miuajima, one of the world cultual heritages, "Itsukushima shrine (厳島神社)", is located.

How to Use My Japan Rail Pass?

When you use the Japan Rail Pass, you must have not only it but your passport. Sometimes, JR staffs require you to show your passport when you use your pass.
If you use trains without seat reservations, there is nothing what you have to do. You can use trains by only showing your Japan Rail Pass to JR staffs who is at ticket gates.
If you use Shinkansen with seat reservations, you have to visit a ticket office for seat reservations. The ticket offices called Midori-no-Madoguchi (みどりの窓口) are located at almost all stations. Please visit there, and tell staff

1. Name of Shinkansen
2. Departure Station
3. Destination Station
4. Date and time of departure
5. Class of seats

If you don't know the accurate time of departure or arrive, please tell the roughly time. Then, the staffs search trains what meet your requirement. If you cannot speak and understand Japanese, please use this form. Please fulfil the form and show it staffs. Staffs understand the ticket what you want and issue it.