Best IC to complement our JR Rail Pass

Hi!

What IC card will best complement our JR Pass? My family of 4 (husband + 2 kids ages 6yo and 10yo) itinerary are as follow:

* March 28-30 -- Tokyo , staying near Hatagaya station area (Shinjuku Gyoen, Odaiba Miraikan, Meguro River, Ueno Park, Asakusa Imahan, Tokyo Edo Museum, Omotesando)

* March 31 -- Osaka , staying near Nagahoribashi subway station area (Dotonbori)

* April 1-3 -- Kyoto , staying near Shichijo subway station area (Ginkakuji, Philosopher's Path, Nishiki market, Gion, Pontocho Alley, Kiyomizudera, Arashiyama bamboo forest, Keage Incline, Miyako Odori at Kyoto Art Theater “Shunjuza”

* April 3 just for the night -- Urayasu

* April 4-8 -- Tokyo Disneyland/Disneyland (staying at TDL hotel/Miracosta)

It doesn't really matter, since they're all pretty much compatible with each other now. Since you arrive in Tokyo, get the Suica.

Probably a Japan Rail Pass would not greatly save your railroad cost for this itinerary, though it may depend on which airport(s) you will fly into and/or fly out from.

Will the 6-year-old kid’s next birthday be on April 2 or later?
If so, until March 31 in this journey, he/she highly likely can travel free of railroad fees when he/she does not rely on a rail pass, unless he/she solely uses a seat which should be reserved.

In a case where he/she can do so, I recommend that you check the cost and time on canceling his/her Japan Rail Pass (including that for the transportation to and back from the Exchange Order sales office) and judge whether it should be better to choose the pass for him/her.

Your days in Tokyo and in Kyoto sound packed; your two kids, I suppose, might get very tired before enjoying their time in Tokyo Disneyland.
It seems to be better to sort the sites to visit into two groups, of what you must see and of what you can skip.

I agree you should consider refunding the 6yo's pass. I also agree that it doesn't really matter which one you use SUICA or PASIMO. They all will store Y on the card and can be used on any train. The only advantage with one over the other is when it comes to commuter passes which won't effect you.

Thanks everyone! You were right, our itin will probably wear out the kids. I will cancel Kiyomizudera & Arashiyama bamboo forest from our Kyoto itin.

@omotenashi 1) We are arriving at Haneda airport.
2) My 6yo daughter will turn 7 on July 5.
3) We haven't purchased JR rail pass yet. Will buy it anytime this week.
4) Im confused. If she could ride the shinkansen with us for free then it would be great. Her older brother or I could share a seat with her. But then, she is already 6 years old. JR Rail pass site said kids 6 years over, should pay a child fee for a pass.
5) If we get a Suica card, does it mean she could also ride free of charge around Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto?

Dont buy a rail pass. You shinkansen trips tokyo to kyoto and back dont equal the cost of the pass. And the places you wish to visit in Kyoto are not accessed by JR lines.

I would just "fudge" her age a little and then she could ride for free. Yes she could also ride free with the Suica.

This is true you can't use the JR pass in Kyoto, but you can everywhere else and you are only staying two days.

I would just "fudge" her age a little and then she could ride for free.

We don't usually adovcate illegal activities (which is what fare escape is) here.

I'm not advocating, I'm simply describing what I might do.

Child 6 or above will need to pay child prices or use a child suica, only child 5 or under will have to pay if require a reserve seat, otherwise it's free.

I’m confused.

This issue is indeed confusing, I should say.


My 6yo daughter will turn 7 on July 5.
Her older brother or I could share a seat with her.

Oh, in that particular case, she until March 31 can take a Shinkansen train free of regular fees at her seat which cannot be reserved or, on the lap of her brother / you at his / your reserved seat.

Miyako Odori begins on April 1, so according to your itinerary planned now at present, child rate fees should apply to her Shinkansen ride back from Kyoto; but still the cost is around 7000 yen, about 50 percent of the price in Japanese yen of a child 7-day (Ordinary-Class) Japan Rail Pass.

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In Japan, there are two age standards of passengers’ age brackets by which rates of rail fees are decided.

(A) Child rate fees should apply to passengers who have reached 6 but have not reached 12; adult rate fees should apply to passengers who have reached 12.

(B) Child rate fees should apply to passengers who are at the primary school ages; adult rate fees should apply to passengers who are at the junior high school ages and who are older.

(Under the Japanese school system, one who is 6 years old when March ends should be admitted to a primary school in the following April.
For example, in April 2017, kids whose legal date of birth is during the one year from April 2, 2010 to April 1, 2011 should become primary school pupils.)


The six JR regional companies and some other major rail operators are in theory adopting the standard (A), but concerning regular fees, they are practically using the standard (B).
Also, the standard (B) is clearly adopted in the rules concerning IC transportation cards of major brands such as Suica and PASMO.

On the other hand, concerning Japan Rail Passes, which are offered jointly by the six JR regional companies, the standard (A) is used.

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To your daughter, coincidentally these two age standards will make a difference until March 31.
She will be under the Japanese primary school ages until March 31, so she can travel by JR rail lines free of regular fees until that day, in accordance with the standard (B).
However, when it comes to Japan Rail Passes, she will need a child pass because she has reached 6, in accordance with the standard (A).


Anyway, a Japan Rail Pass never seems to pay off for her in this journey, unless you greatly change your itinerary.

From JR East web site, it explains differently.

Adult 12 and over
Child 6-11
Infant 1-5
Baby under 1

https://www.jreast.co.jp/e/ticket/types.html

@kms899


Can your communication device (e.g. a personal computer) read the Japanese language?
Please understand that Japanese rail operators cannot always give enough information in a foreign language to passengers.


The JR companies explain in the Japanese language
that an elementary school pupil [ 小学生 ] which is 12 years old is regarded as a Child
and that one who is 6 years old and before entering elementary school [ 小学校入学前 ] is regarded as an Infant.
From a JR-East webpage
: 12歳でも小学生は「こども」です
: 6歳でも小学校入学前は「幼児」です

On the contrary, at sales of Japan Rail Passes, a passenger's age bracket is judged by his/her age counted by years.
Maybe it is for the purpose that the staff of travel agencies outside Japan can issue Exchange Orders smoothly without knowledge of the Japanese school system.

Here is a link to the JR-East webpage which I mention in my previous message.
http://www.jreast.co.jp/kippu/06.html

Did that clarify anything?

I don't understand the disagreement. The child is six turning seven. So yes the child would need a child's rail pass "if" you choose to buy one.

"If" you choose to not buy one and misquote the child's age. Then enjoy a six turning seven child sitting on your lap for 3 hours.

Agreed.