Japan Rail Pass & Train Travel
Take time to learn about the Japan Rail Pass. It's all on the web site, so I won't copy it all here. Some of the most important points:- You must purchase them from outside of Japan before you arrive.- Upon arrival you have to get it validated. You can do this easily at Narita or at any major station.- If you are going from Tokyo to Kyoto and back, the price is almost the same, so you may as well get a pass, as they are easy to use.- The pass is not good for some local railway lines.- There are passes for 1 or 2 weeks, and covering the different main islands of Japan.- The pass is not valid for the Nozomi super-express between Tokyo and Kyoto.- You must go through a manned gate when using the pass, not an automatic one.- You can show up for a train and get on a "non-reserved" car, clearly marked, or you can reserve a seat a few days, hours, or minutes in advance at a Reservation Office...
