Is it smart to get a Japan Rail Pass

Hi everyone,

I will be in Japan from 23rd of July - 12th of August this summer. (flying to and from Tokyo)
I will be in Tokyo for 2 weeks to study at GenkiJacs, after that I will be in Kyoto for 1 week.
Of course I will use public transportation in the mean time. And I want to take the shinkansen to Kyoto and back to Tokyo.

Is it wise to get a Japan rail pass? Or is it cheaper to just buy tickets separately?

Thank you in advance :)

Usually, the JR seven day pass is more expensive than a pair of discount tickets. It depends on if you plan to go on any side trips, such as Hiroshima, Okayama, Amanohashidate, or Kanazawa.

If not, just get a pair of discount tickets to Kyoto.

Single tickets are cheaper, and there are discount options to make it cheaper too.

So, I can buy those tickets when I'm in Japan?

Don't know if it makes a difference in costs, and if tickets will sell out (shinkansen tickets).

There is JAPANiCAN, which is an advertisement on this screen to the right. It's probably the better value in terms of speed. Just click on the big red "Search" button, and when the JAPANiCAN link comes up select "Tickets and Transport" tab.

There is also the Purrato Kodama discount ticket, which includes a drink:
http://www.jrtours.co.jp/kodama/en/?scid=jtt_kepEng001

A unreserved ticket for Tokyo to Kyoto is about 13,000 yen each way. The discount tickets are about 11,000 each way. It does save you money. The better transport in Kyoto is usually the bus system, so the JR Pass just sits there for several days. Nara and Southern Kyoto is the exception. The Japan rail pass is 29,110 yen, so it is more than two tickets, and discounted tickets save you even more.

Most people can usually visit Kyoto in four days, so the question is what you plan to do the other three days? As far as the JR Pass goes, it is more expensive, but say, you decided to see the three best views in Japan on the three extra days.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2250.html

Each of these can be a day trip from either Tokyo or Kyoto. Matsushima bay from Tokyo is about a 2 and a half hour trip each way, but doable. Amanohashidate and Miyajima are both about two hours away from Kyoto. Each of these trips is about the same cost as the Tokyo to Kyoto trip, so adding this means that you are going to rack up over 80,000 yen in travel costs. The JR pass now works.

Tourism-wise, there is not much to see and do before 10 AM, and since the trains start running about 6 AM, this works. Many tourist attractions close around 4-5 PM, and you can commute at this time back.

You might just want to stay local, and say, go to Universal Studios in Osaka, which can also be done with the JR Pass, but this costs 800 yen each way. The Nara trip is 710 yen each way, so if you are doing only small side trips, then get the discounted tickets.

You will have to plan your trip a bit, to figure out what is best for you.

Maybe read the section about JR passes?
Alternatively, buy a 21 day green pass

Maybe read the section about JR passes?
Alternatively, buy a 21 day green pass

OP is studying for two weeks in Tokyo, so he definitely does not need a 21-day Japan Rail Pass, Winter Visitor.

Yes. Almost definitely doesn't.
15 minutes studying on this website will make that clear to OP.
If OP has an aversion to putting that simple effort in, then I assume money is no object, and recommend OP to contribute the maximum possible amount of cash to JR on the assumption that this will benefit the greatest number of other travellers by prolonging the viability of the highly-discounted passes that we know and love.

Got your intention, Winter Visitor.

I did my research, of course. But I assume it is not wrong to ask some advice from people who are more experienced with traveling to Japan. Since it is my first time.

Thank you for helping me ebaychucky311 and AK :)

Tourism-wise, there is not much to see and do before 10 AM, and since the trains start running about 6 AM, this works. Many tourist attractions close around 4-5 PM, and you can commute at this time back.


Really? Hmmm, I must be doing something wrong because I often have days that start hours before then and finish much later because there is so much to show visitors (yesterday was a simple 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. day). Sometimes we start earlier (8 p.m. for some trips), and my latest finish last year was 3:30 a.m.

As for day trips out of Tokyo - there are a lot (including places like Nagano, Matsushima, Nikko, Kamakura, Atami and a host more that I can think of) and I do from time to time. Adding those makes the 7-day pass very valuable.

There are exceptions to any rule. For instance, I believe the grand shrine at Ise is open 24 hours, but I my guess is that very few visitors come between 2-4 AM. There are night spots, and I would expect that the Gion district would be best scene at night.

And yes, I have walked the length of the sandbar at Amanohashidate at night, mainly because the festival was on the south end, and my ryoken was on the north side. It was still interesting, and much different than in the daytime.

And even things like cherry blossom viewing can be done at night. I know there is at least one temple In Kyoto that lights up the trees.

My best time at the bamboo forest on the western side of Kyoto was between 6 AM and 8 AM, when nobody else was there. It was very tranquil, and I didn't have other people around to interfere with photography.

In general, if you go to say Nikko, your time to visit the temples is limited, and a day trip from Tokyo, catching the early train, will probably get you there before the temples open.

That was my point. The tour boats at Matsushima bay, the cablecars at Amanohashidate, and many of the shops, the aquarium, and other things to visit on Miyajima will all fit into this general mold. There is probably a night cruise around Matsushima bay that is an exception, and may be a good way to see fireworks, if they do have bay fireworks.