Last Updated on July 29, 2022 by Rose Morah
You can buy a Japan rail pass online, at a JR designated sales office or overseas agent, or at a ticket office in Japan.
Before we dive deeper into the places where you can purchase a Japan rail pass, it is essential to note that:
- The Japan Rail Pass cannot be used when traveling between the Central Japan Airport and the nearest JR Stations.
- The Central Japan Airport does not have a JR Station.
1. Where to purchase a Japan rail pass online
Visit their official website. You will need to log in or create a new account.
Here are the main requirements when buying Japan rail pass online
- You will need to enter your email address, user’s name, and passport number.
- The website’s business hours are from 4. am to 11.30 pm (Japan Local Time UTC+9:00).
- You are only allowed to purchase the Japan rail pass online but through a Credit card. Find more detail here.
2. Where to buy a Japan rail pass at a JR designated sales office or overseas agent
JR designated sales offices can be found all around the world, no matter where you are from.
Here is a list of places where you can find JR designated sales office agents. Note that if you don’t find your state in this list, you can visit their official page here to get the complete list, including the address.
LOCATION | AGENT | PHONE |
Atlanta | JTB Corp.’s authorized, travel agents | TEL 1-800-223-6104 |
Chicago | JTB Corp.’s authorized, travel agents | TEL 1-800-223-6104 |
Kintetsu International Express (U.S.A.) | TEL (800) 654-4090 | |
Los Angeles | JTB Corp.’s authorized, travel agents | TEL 1-800-223-6104 |
KNT-CT Holdings (kintetsu international) | TEL (800) 843-6403 | |
New York | KNT-CT Holdings (kintetsu international) | TEL (800) 422-3481 |
Nippon Express Travel USA,Inc. | TEL (212) 319-9021 | |
TOBU TOP TOURS’s authorized, travel agents | TEL 808-923-0400 | |
New Jersey | KNT-CT Holdings (kintetsu international) | TEL (800) 422-3481 |
Nippon Travel Agency’s authorized, travel agents | TEL 310-630-0898 | |
Hawai | KNT-CT Holdings (kintetsu international) | TEL (808) 922-4447 |
” “ | TEL (808) 983-3373 | |
” ” | TEL (808) 526-2266 | |
Boston | KNT-CT Holdings (kintetsu international) | TEL (617) 247-6373 |
Las Vegas | KNT-CT Holdings (kintetsu international) | TEL (702)-798-4210 |
San Francisco | Nippon Travel Agency’s authorized, travel agents | TEL 310-630-0898 |
Florida | TOBU TOP TOURS’s authorized, travel agents | TEL 1-877-489-4223 |
Seattle | TOBU TOP TOURS’s authorized, travel agents | TEL 1-877-489-4223 |
Click on the continents below to get JR designated sales office or overseas agent:
- Europe
- Central & South America
- North America
- Africa
- Southeast Asia
- South Asia
- East Asia
- Middle East
- Oceania
Related: The best Japan rail pass to get.
3. Where to buy JR Rail Pass at a ticket office in Japan
There are many different locations where travelers can easily purchase JR Rail Pass in Japan. The following is a list of JR Rail pass ticket sales offices, pick-up locations, and exchange locations in Japan.
Station | Pick-up locations/Exchange locations/Sales offices | Service Hours/Holidays |
Mon- Fri | Sat, Sun & Hols | |
Asahikawa | JR Ticket Counter | 9:30-17:30 |
Aomori | Travel Service Center | 10:00-17:30 (Mon-Sat) / Closed on Sundays and national holidays |
Akita | JR EAST Travel Service Center Akita | 9:30-17:30 |
Central JapanInternationalAirport ※ | Central Japan Travel Center | 9:00-19:00 |
Obihiro | JR Ticket Counter | 9:00-17:00 |
Sapporo | JR Information Desk | 8:30-19:00 |
New Chitose Airport | JR Information Desk | 8:30-19:00 |
Hakodate | JR Ticket Counter for rail pass | 10:00-12:30, 13:30-18:00 |
Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto | JR Ticket Counter | 9:00-19:00 |
Morioka | Travel Service Center | 10:00-18:30 |
Sendai | Travel Service Center | 8:30-19:00 (Mon-Sat)8:30-18:00 (Sun & Hols) |
Fukushima | Travel Service Center | 10:00-18:00(Mon-Sat)Closed on Sundays and national holidays |
Niigata | Travel Service Center | 10:00-17:00 |
Nagano | Travel Service Center | 10:00-19:00 |
Narita AirportTerminal 1 | JR EAST Travel Service Center | 8:15-19:00 |
Ticket Office | 6:30-8:15, 19:00-21:45 | |
NARITA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TERMINAL1 TRAVEL CENTER | 10:00-18:00 | |
Narita AirportTerminal 2・3 | JR EAST Travel Service Center | 8:15-20:00 |
Ticket Office | 6:30-8:15, 20:00-21:45 | |
Tokyo | JR EAST Travel Service Center (JAPAN RAIL CAFE) | 8:00-16:00 |
JR EAST Travel Service Center | 7:30-20:30 | |
JR-CENTRAL Ticket Office (Yaesu Central) | 7:30-20:30 | |
JR-CENTRAL Ticket Office (Yaesu North) | 9:00-19:00 | |
JR Tokai Tours Tokyo Office | 8:00-20:00 | |
Ueno | JR EAST Travel Service Center | 8:30-19:00 |
Shinjuku | JR EAST Travel Service Center (New South Gate) | 8:00-19:00 |
JR EAST Travel Service Center (East Gate) | 9:00-19:00 | 9:00-18:00 |
Shibuya | JR EAST Travel Service Center | 10:00-18:30 |
Ikebukuro | JR EAST Travel Service Center | 9:00-19:00 |
Hamamatsucho | JR EAST Travel Service Center | 8:00-15:30 |
Shinagawa | JR EAST Travel Service Center | 9:00-19:00 |
JR-CENTRAL Ticket Office | 9:00-19:00 | |
JR Tokai Tours Shinagawa Office | 8:00-20:00 | 8:30-18:00 |
Haneda Airport Terminal 3 Station | JR EAST Travel Service Center(Tokyo Monorail 2F Ticket Gate/Arrival lobby) | 6:45-20:00 |
Kawasaki | JR EAST Travel Service Center Kawasaki | 10:00-17:00 |
Kagoshima-Chūō | Travel Service Center | 10:00-18:00 (Except Thu) |
Ticket Office | 10:00-18:00 (Thu) | |
Kanazawa | Ticket Office (Central) | 7:00-21:00 |
Nippon Travel Agency TiS Kanazawa Branch | 11:00-19:00 | 10:30-18:30 |
Kyoto | Ticket Office (JR-WEST Central) | 6:30-21:00 |
Ticket Office (JR-WEST Central)※Available only at the overseas customer counter. | 8:00-20:00 | |
Hamamatsu | Ticket Office | 8:00-20:30 |
JR Tokai Tours Hamamatsu Office | 9:30-18:30(Mon-Fri)9:30-18:00(Sat)10:00-18:00 (Sun & Hols) | |
Nagoya | JAPAN RAIL PASS Exchange Office | 10:00-19:00 |
Ticket Office | 6:00-10:00, 19:00-23:00 | |
JR Tokai Tours Nagoya Office | 8:00-20:00 | |
JR Tokai Tours Nagoya Station Hirokoji Entrance Office | 7:30-20:00 | 8:00-18:00 |
Toyama | Ticket Office (Central) | 7:00-21:30 |
Ticket Office (JR-CENTRAL Hachijo Shinkansen) | 8:30-23:00 | |
JR Tokai Tours Kyoto Office | 8:00-20:00 | |
JR Tokai Tours Kyoto Station Shinkansen Central Entrance Office | 9:30-19:00 | 9:30-18:00 |
Nippon Travel Agency TiS Kyoto Branch | 11:00-19:00 | |
Higashi-Maizuru | Ticket Office | 8:00-19:00 |
Shin-Osaka | Travel Service Center SHIN-OSAKA | 8:00-22:00 |
Ticket Office (JR-WEST East) | 6:00-22:00 | |
Ticket Office (JR-CENTRAL Central) | 5:30-23:00 | |
Nippon Travel Agency TiS Shin-Osaka Branch | 7:00-20:30 | 7:00-20:00 |
JR Tokai Tours Shin-Osaka Office | 6:00-20:30 | 6:00-19:00 |
Osaka | Ticket Office (Central NO.12,13) | 6:00-22:00 |
Nippon Travel Agency TiS Osaka Branch (Travel Service Center OSAKA) | 8:00-20:00 | |
Kansai Airport | Ticket Office | 5:30-23:00 |
Nara | Ticket Office | 9:00-20:00 |
Sannomiya | Ticket Office (Central) | 5:30-23:00 |
Nippon Travel Agency TiS Sannomiya Branch | 10:30-19:30(Mon-Fri)10:30-19:00(Sat)10:30-18:30(Sun & Hols) | |
Okayama | Ticket Office | 8:00-20:00 |
Nippon Travel Agency TiS Okayama Branch | 10:30-18:30 (Mon-Sat)10:00-18:00 (Sun & Hols) | |
Tottori | Ticket Office | 6:00-21:00 |
Matsue | Ticket Office | 7:00-19:00 |
Hiroshima | Ticket Office | 5:30-23:00 |
Sakaiminato | Ticket Office | 8:00-18:30 |
Shin-Yamaguchi | Ticket Office | 5:30-23:00 |
Shimonoseki | Ticket Office | 7:00-11:00, 15:00-19:00 |
Saga | Travel Service Center | 10:30-18:00 |
Ticket Office | 10:30-18:00(Sun & Hols) | |
Matsuyama | Travel Service Center | 10:00-18:00 |
Tokushima | Travel Service Center | 10:00-18:00 |
Kokura | Ticket Office | 10:30-18:00 |
Hakata | JR-KYUSHU Ticket Office | 7:00-22:00 |
Nagasaki | Ticket Office | 10:00-17:30 |
Kumamoto | Ticket Office | 11:00-18:00 |
Oita | Ticket Office | 10:00-18:00 |
Miyazaki | Ticket Office | 10:30-18:00 |
Yamagata | Travel Service Center | 10:00-17:30 / Closed on Sundays, Mondays, & national holidays |
Yonago | Ticket Office | 6:00-21:30 |
Yokohama | Travel Service Center | 10:00-19:00 |
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Is the Japan Rail Pass worth it?
Yes. Not only is it the best when you want to see the country, but it is also a bucket list experience.
And well, apart from that, if you plan on touring more than one city in Japan, then the JR rail pass will help you save a lot on transport.
However, JR Rail Pass is not worthwhile if:
- Your trip to Japan covers mostly the remote parts of the country.
- Your Japan itinerary includes spending several days in only one area. For instance, let’s say you’re planning on going on a hike. This is because the pass will only be used for consecutive days.
- You are visiting cities that are close to each other on your Japan itinerary (for example Osaka and Kyoto). It would be cheaper to use other means of transportation.