Choosing A Japan Rail Pass

Above, two JR Rail Passes I used during prior trips. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yesterday, I ordered my 7-day JR Rail Pass for next month's trip to Japan. I plan to visit several places west of Tokyo for work on the updated The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

The cities include Atami (where the end of King Kong vs. Godzilla took place at Atami Castle),

Nagoya (Mothra vs. Godzilla and Gamera The Brave), Osaka (Godzilla vs. Biollante and Godzilla Raids Again) and Kyoto (Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II and Gamera 3).

I purchased the JR Rail Pass as I plan to do a lot of shinkansen (bullet train) travel.

There are other options (and money-saving) with regional Rail Passes.

Tokyo Cheapo has a new article on the different types of Rail Passes to choose from.

They begin it with:

Japan Rail (JR) 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. To put some of the confusion to rest, we’ll try to explain the exact conditions of the main JR Pass and those of the two biggest regional companies: JR East and JR West.

I saved a lot of money when I bought the JR Rail Pass in 2007 for my trek down to Kyushu to see Kumamoto, Mount Aso, Nagasaki, Sasebo and Fukuoka and back to Tokyo. Along with the shinkansen rides to and from Tokyo, I made use of the JR Rail Pass for rides on regional JR trains while in Kyushu.

To see what types of Rail Passes, what they cover and their prices, go here. 

Kanto Area Pass

Above, this is the area the JR Kanto Area Pass covers. Map: JR East Railway Co.

Suppose you went on vacation to Japan, but didn't pick up a JR Rail Pass voucher (you have to buy them in your home country) to exchange for a JR Rail Pass in Japan. But, you want to venture out of Tokyo, but not too far and want to save some cash. What can you do?

Well, you're in luck! JR East has a rail pass you can purchase in Japan. All you'll need is your foreign passport.

Gaijinpot.com (via Tokyo Cheapo) has posted an article on the JR Kanto Area Rail Pass.

Here's some of what it says:

The JR Kanto Area Pass feels like the cheap rail pass that JR forgot about. While all the unlimited travel passes are only available to foreign tourists, this particular pass is open to anyone with a foreign passport – I even purchased one using an expired passport. 

So what’s the deal? Unlimited travel within the greater Kanto area for 3 consecutive days on ANY JR train – including the Shinkansen – for 8,300yen. Kids get the pass for 4,200yen. 

If you’re stuck in the sweltering heat island of Tokyo, this is the ideal pass for a weekend away or for a quick circuit of some of the slightly far flung (and cooler) points of interest in the Kanto region. 

Unlike the other rail passes, you won't need a voucher from your home country to get it. Just present your foreign passport and yen. Remember, it is only good for three consecutive days.

To read the rest, go here. 

JR Kanto Area Pass

Above, the Wako Department Store in Ginza. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Suppose you are in Japan for a few days and would like to have a pass that would give you the freedom to get off and on anywhere for a flat rate. You're now in luck!

There is now such a pass.

It is called the JR Kanto Area Pass. It is good for three consecutive days on JR lines in the Kanto Area.

According to the JR website:

The JR Kanto Area Pass is a discounted pass for unlimited rides in Tokyo and the surrounding Kanto area. Valid for three days, the pass is good for unlimited rides using reserved seats on ordinary cars on Shinkansen, limited express and other trains. The JR Kanto Area Pass makes it easy to visit popular tourist destinations such as Mount Fuji, Izu and Karuizawa.

The pass is valid starting January 1, 2012. It is for travelers from overseas visiting on a temporary visitor's visa.

The cost is 8,000 yen for adults (4,000 yen for children).

For more information, go here.