Osaka to Kumamoto, best way to travel?

Hello, I will be flying to Japan to start working as an English teacher. My training is in Osaka, but my assignment is in Kumamoto (quite the distance!). What do you all recommend as the best way to travel there? I would really like to travel via shinkansen, but I don't know if it's worth it to get the JR pass since I wont be traveling during training, but only from Osaka to Kumamoto. Do I need to get a shinkansen ticket in advance?

(Also, if anyone lives in Kumamoto I would love to hear about it!)

Depending on how you enter Japan, you may not be able to get a JR Pass. If you are working , then it won't be a Temporary Visitor Status entry to Japan, ruling most, if not all, passes unavailable. Try JAL or ANA flights out of Itami to KMJ.

I would expect that youfll be in Japan on some work visa and not temporary visitor. As PP said this makes you ineligible for nearly all train passes. And donft think thatfshno one will check g. This is being checked accurately for each single pass!

So if you donft want to fly you can buy a Shinkansen ticket as all normal residents do. You could buy a few days before departure or , unless you travel on a day like around New Year , GW or Obon, when tickets do sell out, buy before departure.

Enjoy your life in Japan!