Which Japan Rail Pass To Choose?

Above, a shinkansen arrives at Atami Station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you are heading to Japan and are planning on extensive excursions outside of Tokyo, and want to purchase a Rail Pass but don't know which one to get, Tokyo Cheapo has an article that will assist in helping you to made a decision.

They start with:

Japan Rail Passes are available to anyone visiting Japan on a short-term tourist visa. They provide a fantastic discount on regular rail travel, but if you don’t have any experience with Japan’s rail transport system, it’s difficult to know if you need one and which pass you should get.  To add to the confusion, the various regional companies that constitute JR (JR East, JR West, JR Central, JR Hokkaido, JR Shikoku and JR Kyushu) all have their own passes! Each is priced differently and has different conditions. 

Japan Rail (JR) Pass Online Reservation: If you know you want to buy the main JR pass for the whole of Japan, then you can order it online here. 

However if you’re not sure, we put some of the confusion to rest, and try to explain the exact conditions of the main JR Pass and those of the two biggest regional companies: JR East and JR West.

To read more, go here.