No matter how many times you visit Japan, the land of Sakura never seems to run out of tourist destinations for travelers from various countries to visit. Stretching from Hokkaido to Okinawa, Japan presents a variety of natural and cultural treasures that display different charms as the seasons change. In the past, tourists had enough of Tokyo Tower, Shinjuku, and Asakusa, but now other destinations outside of Tokyo such as Shirakawa-go and Nara City are starting to attract tourists' attention.

However, it seems that transportation costs are still a concern for tourists visiting Japan. Despite being known for its advanced and convenient transportation system, many people think that transportation costs in Japan are more expensive than other tourist destinations such as Korea. Oftentimes, this makes travelers think twice about visiting places outside of major cities such as Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. Whereas in other cities, the real atmosphere of Japan will be better felt when compared to famous destinations such as Tokyo.

Therefore, Japan provides convenience for tourists to be able to save transportation costs when traveling around Japan by using the Japan Rail Pass or better known as the JR Pass. JR Pass is a pass that tourists can use to travel around Japan according to the planned travel itinerary. In addition to being more efficient, here are the things you must know if you use the JR Pass while traveling to Japan.

1. Plan the Right Route with the JR Pass

Before you buy a JR Pass, it is better if you plan your travel itinerary carefully. That way, you can choose the right JR Pass that can be maximized for your use while traveling in Japan. 

Unlike Indonesia, public transportation services, including trains and buses in Japan are served by several private service providers. JR Company is one of the largest. The coverage area of transportation services served by the JR company itself is divided into 6 depending on the respective service area. 

For example, if you want to travel around the Kanto region such as Tokyo, Chiba, Saitama, Gunma or Ibaraki Prefectures, you can use the JR East Pass. Meanwhile, if you want to travel around the Kansai area, you can use the Kansai Pass which serves routes such as Kansai airport (KIX), several tourist attractions in Kyoto-Osaka such as Arashiyama or Fushimi Inari Taisha, as well as Kobe and Nara Prefectures. 

Not only that, you can also use the JR Pass for cross-area transportation. One of the most popular is the Tokyo to Osaka route, you can use the Tokyo-Osaka Hokuriku Arch Pass which also passes through major cities such as Nagano, Kanazawa, and Toyama.

By having the right JR Pass, not only can you save on travel costs but you can also save time so that you can visit more tourist destinations.

2. Use JR Pass for Various Transportation Options 

You can use all types of trains operated by JR including Shinkansen trains, Limited Express trains, Narita Express airport trains, express trains and local trains with the JR Pass. 

Not only trains, the JR Pass can also be used in various transportation options such as the Monorail to and from Haneda Airport, JR Ferry if you want to travel to Miyajima Island from Hiroshima, as well as several local buses operated by JR. Some JR Buses that can be used include the Hiroshima sightseeing bus, local buses in Sapporo and Kyushu, and many more. With the JR Pass, you can also ride non-JR trains on certain routes such as Aomori Railway, Ishikawa Railway and Ainokaze Toyama Railway. 

In general, the Japan Rail Pass can be used on all JR-owned lines including the Shinkansen. However, please note that special trains such as sleeper trains and the Nozomi and Mizuho Shinkansen are not included in the transportation served by JR Pass.    

3. Already Have a JR Pass, So How do I Use it?

When purchasing the desired JR Pass, you will get an Exchange Order. Keep this document as proof of your purchase. Upon arrival in Japan, don't forget to remind the immigration officer to stamp your passport with a 'temporary visitor' stamp. Before using it, you must go to the JR Pass office branches to exchange the documents you have with the JR Pass.

If you already have your JR Pass in hand, you just need to look for the JR-only entrance. Usually, this entrance is differentiated from other entrances such as the automatic ticket gates for general passengers. If confused, you can simply show the JR Pass to the station attendant when going out or entering the door. 

4. Other Advantages of the JR Pass

The types of JR Pass are also served according to the desired duration of travel, ranging from 7 days, 14 days to 21 days. There are two seat options, namely Ordinary, Green and Green Car, where Green Car has more space than Ordinary Car. Green Car is the more exclusive seat option compared to both.

Another advantage of having a JR Pass is that you can make reservations for the desired seats for free, at least one month before the trip. In addition, if you are already in Japan, you can come to JR offices and show the JR Pass, then mention the destination and time to the officer who helps you to make the desired seat reservation. In addition to free seat reservations, you can also get discounts if you plan to stay at hotels managed by JR. 

5. Where to Buy the JR Pass?

While you can buy JR Passes at Narita, Haneda, Kansai airports, you can also buy them at stations such as Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Yokohama, Hiroshima and Hakata stations. But of course it will be easier if you already have a JR Pass before leaving for Japan so you only need to exchange it upon arrival in Japan. In addition, you do not need to queue and bother looking for JR Pass sales locations upon arrival in Japan.

Traveloka allows you to buy a JR Pass to complete your plan to travel around Japan. Besides being easy, you can also see details of the type and price of the JR Pass you want to buy so you can adjust it to your travel plans. Not to forget, you can also make purchase transactions using rupiah currency so you don't need to exchange money before getting the JR Pass. Make sure you have booked your JR Pass at Traveloka before leaving for Japan for a practical and comfortable trip!

The JR Pass can be used for train services operated by Japan Railways, local JR buses, ferries, and bicycle rentals in various regions in Japan. There are various JR Pass options that pass through certain routes in Japan. You can choose the JR Pass according to the destination you want to go to. 

The JR Pass is only valid for train services operated by JR (Japan Railways). However, there are some JR-operated trains that are not included in trains that can be used with the JR Pass such as the Nozomi bullet train on the Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka (Tokaido) line, the Mizhuo bullet train on the Kyushu Shinkansen line, JR trains that use non-JR lines, and the Tokyo-Okayama sleeper train.

After getting an Exchange Order from the JR Pass booking, you can exchange it into a JR Pass at JR Pass Exchange Offices located at several airports and stations in Japan. Check the list here. 

Exchange Order, also often called MCO, is a paper document that must be owned to be exchanged for a JR Pass after arriving in Japan. For every JR Pass purchase at Traveloka, you will receive a physical Exchange Order that can be sent to your address or picked up at the airport according to the JR Pass product purchased. While the JR Pass is a ticket used to ride JR trains and other transportation in Japan. The JR Pass is shown to the officer at the station counter.