JR Pass = unlimited travel on all JR trains, available only to short-term visitors. Nationwide passes for 7/14/21 days cost ¥50,000/¥80,000/¥100,000. Worth buying when traveling far from Tokyo.
**7-day**: ¥50,000 for adults, ¥25,000 for children aged 6-11. **14-day**: ¥80,000. **21-day**: ¥100,000. Valid on all JR trains (Shinkansen except Nozomi/Mizuho), Narita Express, JR buses, and the JR ferry to Miyajima. Nozomi/Mizuho are NOT included — pay an additional fee or take Hikari/Sakura instead.
**JR East Tohoku Area Pass** 5 days ~¥20,000 (Tokyo + Tohoku). **JR West Kansai Area Pass** 4 days ~¥9,200 (Osaka, Kyoto, Himeji, Nara). **JR Kyushu Pass** 7 days ~¥20,000. **Tokyo Wide Pass** 3 days ~¥15,000 (Tokyo + Mt Fuji + Nikko). **Hokkaido Pass** 7 days ~¥24,000. Regional pass prices change from year to year—check the official website of the relevant JR company before purchasing.
**Before arriving in Japan** (about 5% cheaper): JRailPass.com, Agoda, HIS. Receive the Exchange Order by post → exchange it at Midori-no-madoguchi in Japan. **In Japan** (from 2023+): buy directly at major JR stations (Narita, Haneda, Tokyo, Shin-Osaka, Kansai) — 5-10% more expensive.
1) Go to the Midori-no-madoguchi at a JR station. 2) Present your Exchange Order + passport (with a short-term visit stamp). 3) Choose the start date — you can select any date within the next 30 days; it does NOT have to be the date you receive the pass. 4) The staff will print a personal pass with your name on it. 5) From the activation date, count 7/14/21 consecutive days (pausing is not possible).
Only getting around Tokyo: NOT worth it (a ¥600 1-day Metro pass is cheaper). Taking the Shinkansen: add up the single fare for each leg — check current fares in a route search (they vary by train, seat class and season) — then compare with the Pass price. A 7-day Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka trip usually isn't worth it; a 7-day Tokyo–Kyoto–Hiroshima–Fukuoka trip is usually close to the Pass price, so do the sum before you buy. Rule of thumb: the JR Pass pays off when you ride 3 or more long Shinkansen legs.
