Buy rail passes in Japan

The Japan Rail Pass, available to foreign visitors only and previously available only outside of Japan from licensed sellers, can — between March 8, 2017, and March 31, 2018 — temporarily be purchased on site at many rail stations and airports in Japan. 

Passes can be purchased in 7-, 14- and 21-day durations for, respectively, ¥22,000 (near $193), ¥35,500 and ¥45,000. (Passes allowing access to “Green” cars cost twice as much.) They allow for unlimited rides on most train and bus routes operated by the six JR Group railways as well as on the JR-West ferry between Miyajima and Miyajimaguchi. 

To qualify for a rail pass, a traveler must hold a passport from a country other than Japan and have a “Temporary Visitor” stamp allowing for a stay of fewer than 90 days. Visit www.japanrailpass.net/en.