A follow up to our first video about the Japan Railways system, this video explains how to use the JR Pass and how to travel on the Shinkansen high speed train. NOTE: this video details how to use the “Green” JR Pass which allows you to make seat reservations. There is a less expensive option which does not allow reservations, but I think the extra money is worth it.

32 Comments

  1. Thank u for the very well made video! I started to answer questions on the JR pass forum and I would like to give this link.

  2. hello thanks for the video. just one question…do you need to go to the shinkansen ticket office with your jr pass or can you just walk through the gates with an unreserved seat. i am a bit confused .there

  3. hi there, is the pass really worth it? how far does it go in giving you fare discount compared to not having one? thanks

  4. Your videos are quite helpful! I do have a dumb question — once you use the Green Car JR Rail Pass to obtain the seat reservations/tickets, do you then put those through the ticket machines, or do you still use the attendant/walkway as shown early in this video? Also, when exiting the station with the rail pass, do you also exit through the same walkway?

  5. Is there room for luggage? I am traveling to Misawa with my family and we will have airline type carry-ons and and a couple suitcases.

  6. How do you get Reserved Shinkansen Tickets with the JR-Pass; do you have to go to a ticket office, or how can you use the ticket machine? And with the machine I noticed you have to pay at the end when you get a Reserved Ticket. For JR-Pass how do you get a Reserved Ticket with the Machine? Is there a slot on the machine that accepts JR Passes or do you simply wave it by a magnet? Or do you have to get Reserved Tickets at the Office using a JR-Pass? Thank you

  7. just to update those who are confused, you can as of today buy JR pass in Japan as a foreigner. You can buy one from major airports when you land. You just need to be able to prove your citizenship belonging outside Japan and time of staying can not exceed to a current point of 3 months, I believe was the magic number. Could be wrong on that one, but one thing is for sure: you can buy JR pass in Japan nowadays.

  8. I'm going to visit Kyoto, Osaka, Nara and Kobe after staying 1 week in Tokyo. Is it better and cheaper to just get a JR Pass, versus getting Shinkansen and other train tickets independently without a JR Pass?

    So basically, I can use the JR Pass infinitely for my purchased timeframe, or to get my 4 Shinkansen/JR tickets (to Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kobe) without paying extra later, what I bought the JR Pass for, correct??

  9. My understanding is there are more than one type of JR Pass, as JR is splitting between East and West, if not some other, lines.  Check and make sure the JR Pass you have covers the part of the lines and services of your travel.

    Then, private railway services, such as Kintetsu Railway in the Kansai area, generally doesn't accept JR Pass.

  10. This was much more informative than other peoples videos… especially with how the schedule works, where to look in the station and even the platform, which tells you what car number you are using.

  11. Excellent videos.  Very helpful.  What website do I use to purchase the JR order?  We are also going to need seats on the Shinkansen to Kyoto.

  12. You showed that with a JR Pass they just let yo through. Do you go to another office to get your ticket?

  13. Are those time tables always the same?? I am going to Japan in November and I need to plan my schedule

  14. Thank you for the info. On hyperdia it shows hikari Shinkansen, from shin-osaka to Tokyo as a jrpass option, but it's not on the schedule? Still confused

  15. Thank you for the info. On hyperdia it shows hikari Shinkansen, from shin-osaka to Tokyo as a jrpass option, but it's not on the schedule? Still confused

  16. Great, your speech is very clear and very easy to understand. your information is helpful to me. I am searching for how to find right track for Subway train.

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