The Japan Rail Pass can be a great way to get around Japan, but most people don?t realize that it?s not always the best option.
Depending on your Japan itinerary, the JR Pass could save you a fair amount of money and be fantastically convenient. On the other hand, in some cases the Rail Pass is actually more expensive – and less convenient.
Read more about getting around in our comprehensive guide to train travel in Japan.
So how do you figure out whether or not the Rail Pass will be your best bet" Before we delve into the details, let’s begin with a little background about the Japan Rail Pass for those unfamiliar with it.
Originally written in 2014, this post was updated and republished on August 14, 2020.

Japan Rail Pass Basics The Japan Rail Pass is a discounted train pass offered by the Japan Railways (JR) Group for tourists, designed to help travelers explore Japan more affordably.
JR has an extensive network of trains and bullet trains (shinkansen) throughout the country, and when you have the JR Pass you have access to nearly all of it – making it a great value in many cases.
The JR Pass is available in denominations of 7, 14 and 21 days, and when purchasing it you can select between standard class (known as Ordinary) or first class (known as Green Car).
The prices of the various Japan Rail Passes are as follows (find currency exchange rates):

Â¥29,650 for the 7-day JR Pass (Â¥39,600 for Green Car)
Â¥47,250 for the 14-day JR Pass (Â¥64,120 fo...