To check train times and routes in Japan, use the excellent Hyperdia website, which makes getting around Japan’s rail network simple.
Japan Rail Pass – best for foreign visitors

Regional Rail Passes – best for travelling in a single region

Seishun 18-kippu – best for budget travellers without a JR pass

Sleeper Trains – best for time-efficient travel and an unforgettable experience

Other rail passes and offers
One of the many trains that knit Japan together

Japan Rail Pass
If you?re going to Japan as a tourist, and you plan on travelling around the country, get a Japan Rail Pass. You get unlimited use of the entire JR (Japan Rail) network. If you are not in Japan on a tourist visa, check Other Rail Deals and the other modes of transport below. The cost is small for what you get; the one-week pass (29110 yen) is around the same as a single return journey from Tokyo to Osaka (28900 yen). The three-week pass is only twice the price of the one-week (59350 yen), representing even better value. They give you absolute freedom to go essentially wherever you like, as there are not many corners of the country that the trains don?t serve. The official website is here, with information about the rail pass and where you can buy them.
So, for most trips this will be the best option. However, in the following cases there may be better options;

You live in Japan, or for any other reason do not have a ?temporary visitor? stamp in your passport; you won?t b...