The Japan Rail Pass is a special ticket that is available only to travelers visiting Japan from foreign countries for sight-seeing. To be eligible to purchase a Japan Rail Pass you must meet the following conditions: You are a foreign tourist visiting Japan from abroad for sight-seeing,under the entry status of "temporary visitor." "Temporary Visitor" entry status, according to Japanese Immigration Law, allows a stay in Japan of 15 days or 90 days for "sight-seeing, etc." If you apply for a "stay for sight-seeing" when you enter Japan, entry personnel will stamp your passport as "Temporary Visitor," as shown below. Only persons who have a passport bearing this stamp can use a Japan Rail Pass. Caution: Even if you visit Japan with an Exchange Order, to be turned in for a Japan Rail Pass, the exchange cannot be made unless you have "Temporary Visitor" status; if you enter Japan under any other official status, such as "Trainee," "Entertainer," or "Reentry Permit," you cannot change the Exchange Order for a JAPAN RAIL PASS. Please note that according to strict interpretation of the Japanese Immigration Law, "Temporary Visitor" status differs even from other types of stays that are also for only short time periods.

The Japan Rail Pass is valid for the railways, buses, and ferry boats below.

• Railways: All JR Group Railways--Shinkansen "bullet trains" (except on "Nozomi" trains), express trains and rapid or local trains. (With some exceptions)
• Buses: JR Bus Companies: Local lines of JR Hokkaido Bus, JR Bus Tohoku, JR Bus Kanto, JR Tokai Bus, West Japan JR Bus , Chugoku JR Bus, JR Shikoku Bus Company, and JR Kyushu Bus.
• JR Highway Bus Lines: Sapporo-Otaru; Morioka-Hirosaki/Aomori; Tokyo-Nagoya/Kyoto/Osaka/Tsukuba Center; Nagoya-Kyoto/Osaka; Osaka-Tsuyama/Kasai Flower Center (Not accepted on some lines)
• Ferry: JR Ferry (Miyajima - Miyajimaguchi), except "Beetle2" (Hakata - Pusan)

All JR trains have Ordinary Cars (coach class) while many long-distance trains also offer Green Cars (superior class). With a first class (green type) Japan Rail Pass you can use either class, while with an Ordinary-type Japan Rail Pass you can use only Ordinary Cars without paying an additional charge. There are no Green Cars on most Hikari and Kodama trains on the San?o Shinkansen line (Shin-Osaka •Hakata), or on Tsubame trains on the Kyushu Shinkansen line(Shin-Yatsushiro - Kagoshima- chuo ) Green private compartments are on certain limited express trains, such as "Narita Express" and "Super-view Odoriko." Use of "Home Liner" and other "liner" trains requires an additional charge.

The validity period of a Japan Rail Pass is the consecutive 7, 14, or 21 days beginning on the date the PASS is first used. Within three months from the date the Exchange Order was issued, you must turn in your Exchange Order to obtain your Japan Rail Pass. At that time, you have to specify the date that you want to start using the PASS. It can be any date within one month from the date the PASS is received. Once the PASS has a starting date written on it, the date cannot be changed.

You must purchase an Exchange Order before you come to Japan. You must turn in an exchange order to receive a Japan Rail Pass. You cannot use an Exchange Order when you travel on JR lines. Turn in your Exchange Order and obtain yourJapan Rail Pass at one of the Japan Rail Pass exchange offices. Your Exchange Order must be turned in for a Japan Rail Pass within three months of the date the Order was issued. At the time of the exchange you will be asked to fill in a short application form and to show your passport with the Temporary Visitor stamp that you received on entry into Japan. You must show your passport and this stamp to process the Rail Pass Exchange Order. Without your passport, the pass exchange will not be made. (A photocopy of your passport is also not acceptable because you must show the "Temporary Visitor" stamp in it.) The type of PASS described on the Exchange Order cannot be changed.

Shinkansen and most limited express and ordinary express trains have reserved Green car seats and both reserved and nonreserved ordinary car seats. *There are no Green Cars on most Hikari and Kodama trains on the San'yo Shinkansen line (Shin-Osaka - Hakata), or on Tsubame trains on the Kyushu Shinkansen line (Shin-Yatsushiro - Kagoshima- chuo ) A nonreserved seat can be used simply by showing your Japan Rail Pass. Seat reservations can be made without additional payment. To make a reservation, go to any Travel Service Center or a Reservation Office (Midori-no-madoguchi) at a JR station, or to the sales office of a JR-associated travel agency. There, show your PASS, and obtain your reserved-seat ticket before boarding.

Caution: Please note that during crowded periods you cannot be guaranteed a seat on a specific train. The periods when seat reservations are particularly difficult to secure are as follows: December 29 to January 5: The New Year holiday period is the most popular travel time for Japanese people, for vacations and returns to hometown areas; April 29 to May 5: Due to consecutive holidays in a comfortable travel season, there is large-scale travel throughout Japan for leisure and recreation; and August 13 to 15: Another time for traditional travel to home-town areas, called the Obon season.

Note: Do not use an automatic ticket-reading gate with a Japan Rail Pass or a reserved-seat ticket. Please show the PASS at a manned ticket gate.

Additional Terms and Conditions may apply