Official JR Website

I am betting that Japan will open up to tourists in March next year for the Sakura season :-) Hopefully, crossing my fingers now. I read that those who purchase JR pass through the official JR website can also make online seat reservations on that website. This is important because as I was planning my itinerary, my first train starts in the morning after my arrival in Tokyo. But can anyone please point me to that official website? Thank you.

Here you go:
https://www.japanrailpass-reservation.net/

I thought you could only make reservations AFTER you had converted your exchange order to an actual JR Pass. This changes things, especially for berths on the sleeper trains departing from Tokyo.

That is a good point. I might have understood it wrongly.

I have interpreted it as, after the purchase, I am able to activate the pass online and make reservation online while I am still outside Japan. When I arrive in Japan, I will go to the JR office to collect the actual pass and seat reservation tickets.

Indeed, this is a "new" service that was introduced just before the start of the corona crisis, so, it is not very well known yet.

On earlier trips to Japan, I have tried, and failed, to get a Nobi Nobi seat on the Sunrise Izumi or Sunrise Seto from Tokyo. This might make this possible.

My problem now is that I have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, and will need a plug for my CPAP. I have already checked, and the berths have a plug. I will need to get a regular birth now. I know that with a JR pass, I will get to ride the sleeper train, but, I will have to pay extra for bed (Nobi Nobi is free). If I book a berth ahead of time, will I then have to pay the conductor once I have boarded the sleeper train?

Good question. I am not sure how - or if - the system handles reservations that are not free for pass holders. Their how-to page goes into details of seat types but does not mention berths, making me suspect that reserving berths may not be handled by the system:
https://www.japanrailpass-reservation.net/HowTo

Anything that requires extra fees cannot be booked on that website ahead of time. It is in the conditions section.

I wonder if anyone knows if I can activate the pass online and make seat reservation on Shinkansen while I am outside Japan?

So, routes with extra fees can�ft be booked early? I am just checking, again. The JR Limited Express Trains from Shinjuku(JR) station, and to Kawaguchiko station (Fuji Five Lakes) both run on sections of privately owned track. Both trains will have a surcharge, when booked on a JR Pass.

So�c These routes can also not be booked in advance?

I can go to the website, and figure this out myself, but I am hoping someone will respond to this question. I�fm probably going to bookmark this posting, because I feel that this question is going to come up again and again. This way, I can refer to this post, when this topic comes up again.

>>I wonder if anyone knows if I can activate the pass online and make seat reservation on Shinkansen while I am outside Japan?"<<

If you buy the pass online, you can only do so up to one month prior to the start date of the pass. I would assume that, once you've bought the pass, you can make online seat reservations. The fact that you can't buy the pass more than one month in advance of its start date effectively 'enforces' the general rule that you can't buy tickets/make seat reservations more than one month in advance.

Note that if you buy the pass online, it is more expensive than buying an exchange order in your home country and then exchanging that for the actual pass once you are in Japan.

@tate
Regarding activating pass online: don�ft believe you can do so.
Procedure is you need to present your passport and voucher in addition to nominating the start date, physically at the station.
Pre Covid, there�fs often long queues at NRT OR HND at the exchange offices so unless traveling immediately on arrival, best to exchange the voucher in the city.

Reservations online - you can reserve seats online while still overseas without activating your pass. You need to set up an account, insert personal details as well as credit card information.
However, you must nominate where you wish to collect the tickets ie the cities/towns in Japan. There�fs a list on JR stations that indicate available stations for ticket collection.

>>"Regarding activating pass online: don�ft believe you can do so.
Procedure is you need to present your passport and voucher in addition to nominating the start date, physically at the station."<<

If you buy the Pass online, you have to nominate the start date when you do so. You cannot buy the Pass online more than one month in advance so you have to set the start date when you buy it (otherwise there is no way to know when the one month period starts). This is different from the previous (and continuing) "exchange voucher" approach where you buy an exchange voucher from a reseller in your own country, up to three months before your intended start date. You must then exchange the voucher in Japan within three months and only then do you nominate the start date for the Pass.

When you buy a Pass online, you have to include your passport number and you will receive an online/email confirmation (which should include the Pass number, which is also visible in your account). When you collect the Pass in Japan (presumably based on the confirmation / Pass number), you must present your passport.


>>"Reservations online - you can reserve seats online while still overseas without activating your pass. You need to set up an account, insert personal details as well as credit card information."<<

If using the online Pass site, you have to buy the Pass first, before you can make seat reservations. When making seat reservations, there should be no need for credit card information as seat reservations are free (and you've already paid for the Pass). Seat reservations are tied to the Pass number. Note that if there is more than one person travelling, one person should act as the "authorised representative" for the group and purchase all the Passes (for up to 6 people). You can then make seat reservations as a 'group', with each one linked to a specific individual's Pass. If each person creates their own account and purchases their own Pass, then the seat reservations will have to be made separately and it will presumably be much harder to control getting seats together (assuming that's what you want!).