Using Japan Rail (JR) questions

[user 6862]

I've read a bit about using Japan Rail, not everything but an introduction. Buying tickets is the obvious start point and see there are English language ticket machines in many stations but... apparently they don't cover all aspects of Shinkansen trains, just some.
Is my information out of date or does this still hold true?

The other options are to go to a station in advance of the journey (apparently 3 days before) and buy at the ticket counter, or use a ticket agency and collect from them or have them send tickets to your hotel, not my best option more a last resort. Sometimes post doesn't arrive in time (maybe it always does in Japan?).

Our journeys are from the Tokyo Haneda airport to downtown Tokyo, will buy those on the spot. Then 2 or 3 Shinkansen journeys from Tokyo to Japan's south west and maybe part way back again, itinerary not decided yet.

I've decided against a Japan rail Pass as it looks a bit messy with it's conditions, we'll have to keep it simple for Japan as we don't have any Japanese language at all.

Any updated or first hand advice on this please?

Thank you

 

[George Harris]

What looks messy about the Japan Rail Pass to you? Best I recall, it covers everything except sleepers and one class of Shinkansen service. You can save a significant amount of money with the rail pass. We did a six day visit to Japan in 2006, so my memory of some of the details are a little foggy, but we had no trouble at all. If you can read maps, get a Lonely Planet guide book for Japan and a Japanese Railway system timetable. Look up you planned origin/destination in the Lonely Planet, match the areas in the JR timetable, and match your plan location in the Lonely Planet with the position of the spot on the map in the JR timetable. Numbers are numbers, 24 hour clock of course. Choose train, go to machine or ticket counter, get ticket. Generally people are very helpful if you start off with an apology for being unable to read or speak their language. Any sign of arrogance will get you nowhere. Quite a lot of people know English in varying amounts for a few words to fluent. There is quite a bit of bilingual signage, and many of the recorded announcements are also bilingual, Japanese and English. (My general finding has been that, at least for most Asian countries, the most common second language either written or spoken is English. If you can't manage to somehow get along in one or the other of these, then you can truly find yourself lost.) I did have a certain advantage in that I can read a little Chinese. Not enough to consider myself at all literate, but enough to recognize quite a few place names and to be able to match up a character stroke by stroke. A lot of the Japanese place names are written in what is essentially Chinese characters. Knowing the sound in Chinese is of zero help in trying to say the name in Japanese as even though the same in meaning they are not the same in sound.

We did all our travels there on public transportation, train, subway, city bus. All works well. Again, the details of how and what came primarily from information in the Lonely Planet. Go with a right attitude, be flexible, and it should be a fascinating experience.

 

[jis]

If you plan to do extensive travel on Shinkansen and insist on doing so without a JR Pass, I am afraid you will land up paying a lot lot more than with a JR Pass. Not being able to travel on Nozhomis and Mizuhos is not really that big a deal since they are a bit faster than the next fasted Shinkansen and there are jillions of alternative Shinkansen trains throughout the day.

Whenever I have traveled extensively in Japan I have *always* used a JR Pass. Admittedly there are some odd exceptions beyond Sleepers and those Shinkansen. Those are on the Aoimori Railway between Aomori and Hachinche, JR Ishikawa Railway Line between Kanazawa and Tsubata and Ainokaza Toyoma Railway Line between Toyoma and Takaoka. But those aren't frequently used lines by typical JR Pass users. If you plan to use those you just buy a local ticket.

Oh, and also remember to get your Passport stamped (actually these days stickered) with the "Temporary Visitor" stamp/sticker, which requires using a manned entry station rather than an automatic gate at the Immigration checkpoint at the point of entry into Japan.

 

[user 6862]

Two superb and very helpful replies, thank you George and jis.

Just a couple points. George we travel using some of your methods, they come naturally to us too. I ask for information here as I prefer it 'from the horses mouth', this forum has never let me down.
We do have both the LP and Rough Guide Japan books, but my first stop is here.

Later this evening (I'm working at the moment, so much for retirement), I'll re-read both replies to take the maximum from them.

jis. I'm not sure if I miss-read the cost of a 1 week JR Travel Pass vs the cost of a single journey from Tokyo to Hiroshima, the single fare was about 1/2 the cost of a Pass. Add to that there are exceptions to it's use and I mistakenly? dismissed it.
Also not sure what you call extensive Shinkansen travel. We may make the journey above and one or two shorter journeys. Most of our time will be spent in central Tokyo and visiting Hiroshima or Nagasaki. As we don't have any Japanese language we may struggle to mix with locals, so wish to see on our first short visit what is important to us.

On a lighter note, our hotel in Tokyo is named 'Under The Railway Hotel', that's right, it's under the railway.

 

[jis]

I would not use a JR Pass for a single journey of course. Typically when I am there for a week I tend to take very many Shinkansen rides. I was perhaps, foolishly, assuming that you were planning extensive travel in Japan. If you are not then I agree, a JR Pass may be an overkill, as is true of any pass anywhere.

But truth be told, there were trips when I was not sure what traveling I will be doing in Japan and yet I got a JR Pass simply for the convenience of never having to worry about buying a ticket for anything during my trip, and at the end of it I might or might not have come out monetarily ahead of buying individual tickets.

Incidentally, I know hardly any Japanese beyond Hello, Goodbye and Where is and such. I had no problem traveling even deep into the hinterland. You have to become good at pattern matching to read the signs and match them with pattern in your guidebook or such. Back when I traveled Romanji signs were less prevalent in the hinterland than they are now, so pattern matching is all I had.

 

[user 6862]

But truth be told, there were trips when I was not sure what traveling I will be doing in Japan and yet I got a JR Pass simply for conveience of never having to worry about buying a ticket for anything during my trip, nd at the end of it I might or might have come out monetarily ahead of buying individual tickets.

Yes, I see that now, thank you.

 

[George Harris]

As JIS said, unless your train riding is already settled and very limited, you would probably be better off with the pass. The Shinkansen exclusions are just for the few top trains, not for all the trains on that particular route, so to us that was a not issue. We did one night is a sleeper between Sapporo and a point on the east coast of Hokkaido just to ride the day train back through the mountains in the snow. I think that is the only ride we paid for outside the pass. Our first day in we paid directly for the trip from the airport into the city just to keep the clock on the pass from starting that day. One day my wife just wanted to veg for a while in the hotel so I just went out and rode trains. If you end up taking the ferry across to Korea, by the time you take the train to the Japanese side port, I suspect that buying the pass would keep you ahead in the game.

 

[xzperu42]

If you only plan on taking the Shinkansen one way between Tokyo and Hiroshima and a couple of short journeys then I agree you are better off buying the tickets in Japan And NOT purchasing a JR Pass. it will cost less and while the JR pass restriction on not being able to take Nozomi trains may not be critical on a Tokyo to Kyoto Journey… it becomes more of a hassle and time loss when traveling all the way to Hiroshima as a change of train will also be required when you are limited to Hikari trains.

I also personally do not buy a JR Pass when traveling to Japan with my wife. since I am a rail fan and my wife is not… it keeps my desire to ride trains in check. Also worth noting in the past it was also possible to buy a ticket in Japan with stopovers. This can be cheaper than point to point tickets and force the rail fan to keep train riding impulses in check. Note i do also go on trips to Japan by myself, buy a JR pass, and ride trains into the ground.

 

[CaptPete 43]

Get a Green Car JR Rail pass. The extra cost is insignificant and gets larger seats that accommodate western size people. These cars are also less crowed usually.
Sit back in the Green Car, have a sake, and a snack. My go to snack is little packets of cuttle fish.
I have been to Japan > 50 times for a week at a time, so my recommendations are well based.

 

[xzperu42]

If you want to enjoy a Green Car, I agree it is much nicer… especially on a Shinkansen where seating is 2-2 rather than 2-3. But if you are traveling only one way from Tokyo to Hiroshima it still makes no sense to buy a JR pass. Especially when you consider it will require a change of train and take about an hour longer using a JR pass than purchasing a one-way, one train, Nozomi Shinkansen ticket.

 

[CaptPete 43]

You are correct, but almost any round trip from Tokyo to Kyoto or further pays off. To go one way Green Car Tokyo to Hiroshima is JPY 26,700.

 

[xzperu42]

Note that the JR prices listed in the chart above are for ordinary (2nd class) passes purchased in advance. You get an exchange voucher which must be exchanged for the JR Pass once in Japan.

 

[CaptPete 43]

Correct and the price for a Green Car JR Pass is about 25% higher.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

What looks messy about the Japan Rail Pass to you?

The choosing, exchanging, validating, and activating parts can be a little messy for new users. If you make a mistake or lose or damage anything the rail pass is not designed to be fixable. After the first use it's easy to understand but before that it can be kind of tedious for first time buyers on a short trip. I wish the rail pass was more automated like Suica/Passmo rather than an antiquated manual inspection card.

Get a Green Car JR Rail pass. The extra cost is insignificant and gets larger seats that accommodate western size people. These cars are also less crowed usually.

I never bothered with the Green Car in the past but I'm more inclined after realizing regular pass inventory can be exhausted leaving you delayed or stranded. There's also a risk of boarding with a sea of Western teens crawling over seats and making an exhausting racket.

 

[CaptPete 43]

A Green Car Pass is great. Trust me I have travelled > 50,000 rail miles in Japan with them. And remember sake plus cuttle fish

 

[user 6862]

Does the Shinkansen routing for Tokyo ~> Hiroshima only travel via Yokohama and Nagoya,? It appears that way on google maps.

 

[xzperu42]

Does the Shinkansen routing for Tokyo ~> Hiroshima only travel via Yokohama and Nagoya,? It appears that way on google maps.

That is correct.

 

[diesteldorf]

Just got back from Japan and wanted to add.....

If you do decide to purchase a Japan Rail Pass, I would recommend purchasing direct from JAPAN RAIL PASS | ジャパン・レール・パス

It'll be slightly more than buying from a reseller in your local country, but buying online will allow you to book your trips prior to arriving in Japan, and I also found the online website to be more convenient than using the ticket machines.

Also, if you are traveling with large luggage, you may need to book a separate reservation in the oversized baggage car for your luggage.
It won't cost anymore, but it is a new policy to prevent everyone from rushing to the back or front of the car to claim the oversized baggage space.

Good Luck.

 

[user 6862]

And remember sake plus cuttle fish

Just a tad off topic but never having eaten Cuttle fish what do they taste like without the Sake?

Also off topic but very relevant to the travel project:

What sort of weather can we expect in Mid February in Tokyo and the Hiroshima area? Our intention was to travel very light but have since research average temps in Japan, brrr. It's the opposite to our first and last countries.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

It'll be slightly more than buying from a reseller in your local country, but buying online will allow you to book your trips prior to arriving in Japan, and I also found the online website to be more convenient than using the ticket machines.

For me the main benefit of the rail pass is that I can travel when and where it's convenient without a lot of advance booking.

What sort of weather can we expect in Mid February in Tokyo and the Hiroshima area? Our intention was to travel very light but have since research average temps in Japan, brrr. It's the opposite to our first and last countries.

Winter in Tokyo can be bitterly cold while the trains will often be very warm so bring several layers of clothing. I've found Patagonia style outerwear and knit caps to be both thin and warm so you might look into something like that.

 

[west point]

As I understand south and west of Tokkyp is 50 Hz and north and west is 60 Hz. What are the CAT voltages? Realize that there is some DC CAT ?? Does HSR and HrSR rail trains that runs on AC able to run on both 50 & 60 Hz ? They would need the heavier transformers that can handle 50 Hz. What about commercial power to homes and business ?

 

[George Harris]

I think the 50/60 Hz is for everything, and the trains are using both because they are following the house Hz, not the other way around. Not certain, because we had no electronics with us. The Shinkansen trainsets in Taiwan are 60 Hz because the country is. Remember, the through trains on the NEC are 25Hz south of New York and 60 Hz north thereof.

Yes, Japanese winters are COLD. When we went it was during the Chinese New Year, which is usually in January or February, and our only trip where the train did not do what it scheduled to do was on our last full day. We were going to ride to the Sea of Japan side of Honshu mainly just to do it, to see more mountains and snow. The train, Nagoya to Kanazawa, I think it was but not sure, got about half way there, stopped, then a little further and stopped, and finally about 2/3 the way there stopped and an announcement was made - in Japanese only - that said we were going no further because the wires were down further up the line due to heavy snow and ice. I asked in an apologetic way, what did they say, and that was the answer I got from someone in the car that could speak a certain amount of English. Ran into the station, grabbed a couple of lunch boxes, got back on the train and shortly after that the train started moving and we went back to Nagoya, getting there just before midnight and after the last train of the day to Tokyo had gone. I thought we were likely to spend the night on station benches, but there was a plaque on the wall with local hotel information. Found a pay phone and started calling, and with about the fourth one found one that both had someone that could speed English and a room available, so we were able to sleep in a bed and catch an early morning Shinkansen to get ourselves back to Tokyo and Narita in time to catch our flight. This gets around to what can happen when things do not go as planned. Most standard recorded announcements are bilingual, but those that are one off frequently are not. When we were waiting for the train in Nagoya, there was a length announcement in Japanese only, and about half the people waiting walked away from the gate. They were probably announcing what we later found out. I am standing there thinking, it might really be good if I understood that, but since a lot of people stayed, I did not even ask for help. Later learned a couple of trainloads of people spent the night before in cold trains in the affected area. This also gets around to people making helpful suggestions that may not really be helpful. One man on the train suggested that since the place where we were when the train made its final pause had an airport we might want to see if we could get a flight to Tokyo. I said in essence, thank you very much but I think we are going to stay here and see what happens with the train. Actually, my thinking was, if the train can't make it, chances are even less that there will be a flight operating, even if we could get on it.

 

[George Harris]

Just got back from Japan and wanted to add.....

If you do decide to purchase a Japan Rail Pass, I would recommend purchasing direct from JAPAN RAIL PASS | ジャパン・レール・パス

We got ours through what passes for the Japanese embassy in Taipei, which I think was effectively the same thing as getting it directly from their web site.

Warning, in case you did not already know: The pass must be purchased before you get to Japan, and I think is not available to citizens or legal residents.

 

[user 6862]

We have now decided to use the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Hiroshima, then a couple of days later another to the end of the line at Kagoshima... to catch the islands ferry.

Change in this part of the plan is due to possible weather conditions that we didn't pick up on until a day or two ago. We are also travelling in the tropics in the same journey and intend to travel light so wont have our regular winter clothes with.

Will also write on the Japan ferry thread a little later.

Thank you George

 

[user 6862]

As an additional note on the post above. In a day or two I'll look at the individual costs of the journeys vs a rail pass. The intent is to take the green car for the first leg and the normal type of car for the second.

I am registered to buy directly now so as we are only buying 2 tickets the individual ones may be the better bet?