Before You Buy a Japan Rail Pass

There are rail passes available for foreign tourists. To use the passes, you need to be a foreign tourist visiting Japan for sightseeing with temporary visitor status.

If you are visiting many places throughout Japan, consider getting a Japan Rail Pass. If you are not, consider getting a regional rail pass.
JR West Rail Pass
JR East Pass
JR Hokkaido Rail Pass
JR Kyushu Rail Pass

If you are traveling by trains, buses, and ferries in Japan, consider buying a Japan Rail Pass. Japan Rail Pass is valid for all JR (Japan Railways) Group Railways, including shinkansen train (except shinkansen Nozomi trains), JR local and highways buses, and JR ferries.

After you enter Japan, you can't buy a Japan Rail Pass, so make sure to purchase an exchange order before your trip to Japan.
Other regional JR passes can be purchased inside Japan.

Before you exchange your exchange order to a Japan Rail Pass, you can return it to the office where you purchased it for a refund within one year of the date of issue. (*handling fees will be charged.)
After you exchange your Exchange Order to a Japan Rail Pass, you can return the pass at any Japan Rail Pass exchange office for a refund if it's before the stamped starting date of the PASS. (*handling fee will be charged.)