Mistakes to avoid with the JR Pass: our best advice
Shinkansen arriving in Kyushu
© Rikku Sama, Unsplash
The Japan Rail Pass (or JR Pass) is one of the best ways to visit any city in Japan with ease.
It is available in 7, 14 and 21-day passes, and is compatible with all JR lines in the country (from Kyushu to Hokkaido), including Japan's famous high-speed trains, the Shinkansen! Even though this pass is practical and easy to use, here are a few mistakes to avoid if you want to get the most out of it.
Buying your JR Pass while traveling
Some travelers think that they can buy their JR Pass at station or airport ticket offices directly in Japan, but this has not been possible (since October 2023). As this pass is reserved for foreign tourists, you'll need to order it online, which means you'll have to wait a certain amount of time for delivery. You can order it from Japan, but there's no guarantee that it will arrive on time! Our advice is to make this reservation before you leave. By ordering it before you leave, you're sure to have it for the travel dates you want.
Use the JR Pass only for short journeys
The JR pass allows you to travel anywhere in Japan on the lines of Japan's main railway company, Japan Railway (JR), including the Shinkansen! Don't just use the pass for short intramural journeys (only in Tokyo or Osaka), travel to other parts of the country on the high-speed Shinkansen lines. This pass is not cost-effective if you don't use it for long-distance travel. The JR Pass is a national pass, so make the most of it! Take the Tokyo Metro Pass, for example, to enjoy all the transport facilities in Tokyo, Japan's largest city.
Shinkansen in Tokyo station
© Kenny Kuo, Unsplash
Planning your JR Pass itinerary on lines not operated by JR
The Japanese train system can be difficult to understand. Although Japan Railway (JR) operates around 70% of Japan' s train lines, many private companies also have their own train and subway lines, especially locally (Odakyu in Hakone, Kintetsu in Kyoto, Keihan in Osaka...). Our advice is to check that the lines you use are JR lines. Likewise, most city buses do not belong to JR, so check that all your journeys work with the JR Pass. Don't worry, most of the time, the letters JR are in the name of the line (JR Yamanote, JR Bus Kyushu...), or are inscribed on the means of transport you'll be using. This is also one of the reasons why it's best to book your JR Pass before you leave, so you can plan your itinerary, thanks to sites like Japan Travel by Navitime. This site allows you to select a pass and see if your journeys work with it.
Taking too much luggage
When you travel to a country as far away as Japan, your stay can be long, and you may be tempted to take a lot of luggage, or very large luggage, to bring back souvenirs. This is entirely possible, although we always advise you to travel light for greater convenience when traveling by train. Another solution is to buy a suitcase at the end of your stay ! Just bear in mind that you'll need to notify and reserve a certain amount of space for Shinkansen journeys if your luggage exceeds 160 cm in volume (larger than a hold bag). This reservation is free with the JR Pass and can be made at JR ticket offices and counters.
8 days instead of 7!
The JR Pass can be used for seven, fourteen and twenty-one full days. This means that if you use the 7-day pass, for example, it will be valid from Wednesday June 11 to Tuesday June 17. The first day of activation counts towards the pass, so be careful not to count from Wednesday to Wednesday. The pass is activated at midnight on the first day and ends at midnight on the last day. So if you take the last train of your last JR Pass day and arrive at your destination the next day, that journey will be valid with the JR Pass.
Boarding a reserved-seat carriage with JR Pass only
Most trains in Japan have two types of carriages: those with free seats and those with reserved seats. For cars with reserved seats, you'll need another ticket (for a fee, but you can reserve it free of charge with your JR Pass before departure, at a ticket machine or JR counter) in addition to your Japan Rail Pass. For free cars, all you need is your JR Pass, and you can sit on any seat in these cars! Reserved and free car numbers will be clearly indicated either on the car itself, or on station signs and screens, so don't worry!
Some JR local trains and limited expresses require reservations (Narita Express to the airport, for example), so make sure you have reserved a seat at JR counters and ticket offices. This is also the case for the Nozomi and Mizuho Shinkansen in high season, and the Kagayaki Shinkansen (between Tokyo and Kanazawa) in all seasons. Once again, with the JR Pass, there's no reservation fee! All you have to do is pick up a ticket from the automatic ticket machines or JR counters.
Shinkansen billboard in Osaka station
© Andy Holmes, Unsplash
Ride a Nozomi and Mizuho Shinkansen without paying a supplement
The Shinkansen Mizuho and Nozomi are the fastest trains (Tokyo → Kyoto in 2 hrs. 20 min. with the Nozomi vs. 3 hrs. 30 min. with the Kodama) and are designed for Japanese passengers who commute between two cities on a daily basis. Unlike the classic Shinkansen (Hikari, for example), you'll have to pay a small supplement depending on the distance you travel. The price is around 5,000 yen. You can do this easily at JR ticket machines or counters. If you don't want to pay this supplement, make sure you don't book a Mizuho or Nozomi or get on one of these trains by looking at the signs and indications on the trains. What's more, they make fewer stops than the Hikari or Kodama, so always check that the train you're taking is actually going to your destination!
Display on a Kodama shinkansen in the Shin-Osaka direction
© Tore F, Unsplash
Shinkansen ticket machines in Kagoshima
© Christian Chen, Unsplash
Waiting until the last moment to take your Shinkansen seat
Even though there are a huge number of Shinkansen trips every day (120 trains a day between Tokyo and Kyoto), trains can fill up quickly (up to 200,000 passengers a day), especially during peak seasons! For example, spring is a very popular season for cherry blossom tourists. It's also the time of year for a series of public holidays, also known as Golden Week, when the Japanese also go on vacation! The end-of-year festivities and the Obon period in summer (celebration of ancestral spirits) are also peak traffic periods. Trains therefore fill up quickly, so remember to book your journeys in advance to make sure you can leave when you want!
Redeem your JR Pass on arrival at the airport
There are JR counters at Japan's three main airports (Haneda, Narita and Kansai), so it's tempting to exchange your JR Pass as soon as you arrive in Japan. Many other travelers have the same idea as you, so it's often crowded at these counters! You can exchange your JR Pass at any JR station, such as Shibuya, Shinjuku or Ueno! Our advice is to do this after one of your visits to one of these stations in the city, to avoid waiting at the airport.
