I'll also pin a message here just in case you guys didn't see the disclaimer in the video. There are many JR Passes/Area Passes issued by different branches of the Japan Rail Group. The Pass I used for demonstration in the video was the Setouchi Area Pass co-issued by JR-West and JR-Shikoku. Different JR passes, when used in different regions in Japan, can give you slightly different experiences, especially when using a ticket machine. For example, if you are a holder of the National JR Pass(i.e. 'Japan Rail Pass'), you might have to first touch the dedicated 'Japan Rail Pass' button(can be seen at 03:29) and scan the QR code on the pass to initiate the reservation process. What comes next should be more or less the same. Also remeber, if the ticket machine doesn't work, just go to a ticket counter. For 90% of the time, it works every time...just joking, the JR staff at ticket counters are polite and helpful and they'll help you with all your reservation needs.
Thank you for your videos Will San! 🙂 I have only a question regarding the seat reservation trough the Machine, so it is possible to insert 2 tickets (1 after an other) when traveling with an other person, meaning I want to reserve seats for 2 persons in 1 shot, so I do not have to do this 2 times though?😅 I suppose, as I could see on the screen (up to 4 tickets handled). I am asking because it was not mentioned in the video. I really appreciate your ability for details in all your videos as it is not so obvious as in other videos! Keep up the good work!
I'd highly recommend the JR Rail Cafe in Tokyo Station for help the the JR pass. You can grab a number for the queue, a coffee and then wait for the super helpful people behind the desk to help out. They were brilliant when we exchanged our vouchers there earlier in the month and couldn't do enough to help us. Plus the queue wasn't too long!
Excellent video! You explained the very things I was wondering about. . . like the insertion of two tickets into the gate, and what the differences are between the ticket (and one of them is a useless ticket). Thank you very much!
I'm on a train right now in Japan and found this out the hard way. Great video, can basically confirm everything you said. For me it was the hikoruku arch pass, which has no QR code, so you have to put it in just as you said, I got it from the jr ticket office, the machines just didn't work but the counter guy was very helpful. After that, I've been able to book trains using the green machines, it's not the easiest process sometimes but it's OK.
Great video with useful information and wonderful editing of sound effects! Just a tip, one actually do not require to insert 2 passes into the machine, since technically the machine will only read the JR Pass. The LTD Express reservation ticket is mainly for the staff to check when aboard the train ~
I know that you don't have to insert two tickets but I think inserting two tickets is still the officially recommended way to do it, but either way it does not matter so I guess it's all good!
@@ksrithan You won't be able to get through the ticket gate. You need to insert the JR Rail pass for the ticket gate to open. DO NOT insert the reserved ticket into the ticket gate. Ever.
Thank you for making this video guide. I was wondering how I would make seat reservations after I exchanged my voucher at the airport. Luckily for me I got your video here to explain before I visit Japan in a few weeks.
This is probably the best video on it, been to Japan a few times myself and it's pretty straight forward. I'd recommend just setting up your JR pass when you land in the country at the airport. We typically don't activate it till the bulk of the trip but like Will said the staff at the airports know English a little better.
Thank you for this video! I was overwhelmed with all the information I got online and from the JR brochure, your video made everything clean and simple. So thank you
I wish this had existed when I first went to Japan. I made SO many mistakes. The only ting this video needs is a section on how to engage with JR rail staff. They are very patient and helpful even if you don't know Japanese you can always get excellent help from them. Going over that would be a good idea.
Damn it, you saved me. I got confused with other videos where the jr pass has the qr code, but not mine! My thought is the ticket was wrongly printed. Found you video here before one day leaving. Thank God, many thanks to your video!
@@Will_Zhao To add more here, today I can't find the vending machine that can reserve the seat via my JR pass without QR in the Tokyo station. I was a bit rushing , so I just walked to the Jr counter and I managed to get the ticket. Many thanks to the JR staff! My next destination is the yamagata. I can find the machine here that can accept my reservation. Long story short, not all vending machine has the option to accept it.
@@FirelsgYup, that's why I recommend receiving your ticket through the counter not the ticket machine, and also gave details on reserving tickets via the ticket counter. If you have to use the ticket machine, it must be a 'modori no kenbaiki' - a green ticket machine which is not green in all regions, and not all of them work for whatever reason. I was in Shikoku and the machine there didn't work for me either. So the thing is, if you are unsure about what to do, just go to the counter. The JR staff never once disappointed me during my trips.
thank you! They all say how to exchange the Jr Pass but not the details of what the machine looks like and how to insert the tickets. I already feel less stressed about the trip.
great Video, however, I travel quite often in Japan for 4-8 weeks, my experience is that the need for reservations is overrated and cumbersome, time consuming and not really necessary. the first three cars on a Shinkansen are non-reserved and there were lots of seats (car one my fav) even during busy times. Besides that, the frequency of trains allows to skip one and take the next one, I really like that flexibility. I like to point out that many Destinations are served by JR lines and other rail companies. So pick your trains carefully to avoid paying extra. one of my companions is the "Japan Railway Travel Atlas" a small but useful booklet showing all lines for exploring the not so common but interesting routes.
Thank you so much, I'm going next month and have a JR pass to pick up. I've been trying to find a good video like this the rest show just really how to pick up or how to reserve and none showed you needed to insert the pass into the machine.
One note tho, the pass I showed in the video is the Setouchi Area Pass, which you have to insert into the machine to do reservations. But if you are a holder of the National JR Pass(i.e. 'Japan Rail Pass'), you might have to first touch the dedicated 'Japan Rail Pass' button(can be seen at 03:29) and scan the QR code on the pass to initiate the reservation process. What comes next should be more or less the same.
great video. i never reserved a seat and was able to get onto the non-reserved sections at both tokyo and shin-osaka station when i did that route last week
Awesome video! The only thing Is that when I purchased and reserved my JR pass from the Official JAPAN RAIL PASS site, it did not ask me for an Identification Number. The email confirmation mentions the following "When picking up your pass, your passport (copies not accepted) must be presented to confirm that you are staying for a short period of time."
i also just started to panic and look though emails as I do not remember having or making a Identification number so that must be a different region thing? (i hope so. i leave for japan on Saturday)
@@steph_m i was reading on reddit and I believe its fine with your passport and the email confirmation. I leave for Japan in 5 hours!! I hope you have a great time
What a great and informative video! It clarified many of the confusions I had while researching on Setouchi Area Pass. Thank you so much! But I still have a few questions, hoping I can get some answers here. 1. What if I accidentally inserted my JR Pass at the starting station (covered by JR pass), and want to alight at another station that is not covered by JR Pass? 2. How do I reserve the tickets with oversized baggage compartment? And how much does it cost for the compartment? Thanks in advance for the replies!
Im in japan now. No 1 the gate will show red light. Probably you will be asked to pay. No 2 upu cannot book the compartment afaik. Its there at the last rows, if you sit nearer to it its easier for you to access it but you can still use it even if you sit far away.
Thank you very much for this extremely helpful video. When I used the JR Pass the last time (2010) thinga were completely different (we had a little booklet as the Pass). Thank you! Thank you!
Great stuff so easily explained which truly no one has explained till date .. i really appreciate and have subscribed to your channel to watch more useful videos thanks a lot
"one of those tickets is just there to confuse you" 🤣🤣 TRUEEEE!! We bought a oneway Shinkansen ride and i was so confused of the 'other ticket' but i think it's kind of a receipt.
i watched a guy film himself getting from the airport to tokyo to kyoto while trying to find the JR voucher exchange. and it was hilarious omg. the guy struggled so hard. very real. very terrifying.
Nice job with this! As far as I know, if you buy the nationwide pass from JR directly, your activation date is set in stone at time of purchase. Which means you don't get to choose when you pick up the pass. This is one of the remaining advantages of buying an exchange order. Also, you don't actually need to put the seat reservation ticket into the gate. Your pass is sufficient.
I purchased with JR directly, as of 2 weeks ago you could set a start date. edit: i just checked, the limit is you have to set the start date to within 1 calendar month.
I bought the JR pass in the manner where I specified my activation date. But one thing has remained unclear to me and maybe you can answer that question. Will I be able to claim my JR pass the day before the activation date? Or do I have to get it the same day? It'd be convenient for me to get it ahead of time as I'm traveling out early in the morning on the activation day, would be nice to have tickets sorted ahead of time if possible.
@@Frag-ileyou should be able to claim your pass beforehand, but it will not be active until the day you have specified. Also, if you ordered online, directly from JR, you can also make online seat reservations from the moment you have purchased your JR pass, so if you already know about trains you will be taking, you can already reserve those seats and get the seat you want, especially handy if you'll be taking the Shinkansen and want/need the extra luggage space behind the last row.
Wonderful video, @Will_Zhao I have a question which I hope you could answer. I'm preparing for my trip to Japan in October. I'm planning to buy 7 days Japan Rail Pass (national) via official website where I can reserve my seats one month ahead of my planned train travel date. I have planned 9 shinkansen rides (with specific routes, dates, & time) and I will proceed to reserve seats for all 9 of them. Therefore, I will have 9 "seat reservation" tickets. My question: When I land in Narita and go over to the JR East Travel Service centre to collect my national JR Pass, would they also provide me with all 9 seat reservation tickets? Thank you.
You buy the pass from the official site and you reserve your seats through the official site. When you arrive, you'll get seat reservations tickets for each ride you've booked.
@@Will_Zhao Thanks. If I understand you correctly, they'll give me my Japan rail pass (national) together with all 9 "seat reservation" tickets at the JR East Travel Service centre. Right?
@@MrVijaiananth I'm not too familiar with said service center at Narita, but it's most likely that they can print out the ticket for you after giving you the pass if you ask for it. Worst case scenario is that you have to take your pass to a ticket machine/office to get your tickets, but even that is not very hard to do.
Thanks for the information and instruction that you share in the video. I have a question and hope that you would please help me with. I'm going to have a 9-hour layover in Tokyo from Haneda Airport. So I would like to take the chance to visit the Tokyo Skytree and Tokyo Tower. So my question are: 1. Do I need a JR pass to go on monorail to these two towers? What is a better transportation from Haneda Airport to Skytree? 2. Could you please please please indicate how to get to Tokyo Skytree from Haneda Airport? As what I've been searching, firstly, I need to get on the monorail from Haneda Airport. But after that I don't really know where I should get off and how to get to the Skytree. 3. About the carry-on luggage. I heard about lockers/ coin lockers but where is the most convenient way to get it? Because after 6 hours I will return the Haneda Airport to catch another International flight. Looking forward to your response. Really appreciate
Thanks a lot for this clear info. One doubt: to go from Kyoto to Nara I saw that Nara Line is covered by JR Pass, but do I need to make a reservation before in the green ticket machine or can I feed in my JR Pass into the gate machine to enter and take the next train directly?
I think there is and it's worse than what I've shown in the video. The setouch pass would still allow you to reserve seats at a counter after you reach the limit. The national JR pass simple won't allow for more seat reservations.
very thanks and informative. What if I have purchased a JR 7 days hokuriku pass through JR west website, can I go to JR ticket counter to redeem my JR pass or I still need to goto JR office while in Narita airport?
Thank you for this amazing video!🤩 We're leaving to Japan next week, already got our JR Pass...do you think the JR pass is sufficient to move around or do you think we'll also need to get an IC card OR buy train passes to use on the lines not covered by the JR pass like Oedo line or Chiyoda line?Can these metro tickets be bought as needed or if needed?
I think the IC cards are a must, it doesn't cost a thing and you don't want having to queue for a ticket each time you are taking the subway and bus rides are made so much easier. As for the other train passes it really depends on your itinerary, does the pass give you more than what you pay? Unfortunately you will have to do some calculations since it will be different for everyone😘
Fantastic and concise video, thank you! I've been to Japan before but never had to buy a JR pass until my upcoming trip, and the online written guides aren't very clear with how to use them or do ticket reservation with them. For regular trains (Ordinary Car) though, do you just insert your JR pass (only) into the ticket gate? Or do you have to show it to a station staff so they'll let you through?
Can I reserve a seat before arriving in Japan with the exchange order without activation? And how do you insert the actual pass and seat ticket into the machine? What happens if you only insert the pass?
Great vid. I think the hardest part of the JR passes was trying to remember where/when to use them for local (non-Shinkansen) trains to maximize the value. By the 2nd week visiting Japan, I was switching between Suica and JR, but it took awhile.
Great vid . I got it down to a science when my son and I were there last year . Funny thing was , unlike what you said in the vid , I never put my reserve seat ticket through . When I went through all I did was put my pass through and it never set anything amiss . Is that way for something different ? I had the green pass last year , might as well go for it all for the first trip ..lol, did that mean anything ? This summer just getting the reg pass and I assume that reserving the seats is the same but only not choosing the green car as the option . Thanks for your vids , they are great !!
Thank you! Yeah, you don't have to, doesn't change anything whatsoever. It's what JR says you should do, But some say it increases the chance multiple tickets get stuck inside.
4:02 I see you used a Setouchi area pass, did you go over the six reservations and have to make further reservations at a counter, and were you successful? I ask bc I used a Sanyo-San’in Area Pass sometime in 2021 or 2022. I went over the six reservations and had to go to the counter for further ones. One time I was at the Kyoto station ticket office near the west exit and the staff there said I couldn’t make any more reservations, so I insisted he check on it further, before he finally reneged and issued the reserved seat ticket. I ended up emailing JR West with the details of the incident, and they apologized profusely, and they said that they’d strive to prevent a recurrence. I’m curious if they actually improved things. Also one more thing, you mention that the reservations can only be done at the green ticket vending machine, but it should be noted that the color of the vending machine and what they call it depends on the region.
I didn't, I reserved a few seats at the ticket counter so I never had more than 6 stars stamped onto my pass and unfortunately cannot confirm what'll happen if i go past that. And you are right that it's not always the green ticket machine or the midori no kenbaiki, it should be the 'reserved seat rocket machine' to be more precise. But it's just the ones in the JR-west and JR-shikoku region have this catchy name and unique appearance I just took it for granted. Thank you for the correction!
nice and easy to understand video! question, can you also reserve seats directly if you buy from jr website? would you then be able to reserve for multiple travel at that time? I’d like to buy via jr site instead of agency. but you also mentioned reserving seat is only possible when pass is activated (when received in japan), or did I misunderstood something.. thanks!
For the national JR Pass, it is stated that you can reserve seat prior to pickup only if you buy it throught the official JR site. Not sure about third party tho. The activation before reservation part in the video is mainly for regional passes.
Different JR branches have different recommendations, JR west will tell you to insert both, JR east tells you to insert the pass only. But despite what they say, as long as you insert a valid JR pass, with or without the ticket, the gates will open.
I'm currently looking into buying the Sapporo-Noboribetsu JR pass. I was under the impression that I would need an exchange voucher mailed to me, along with my passport, in order to get my JR pass in Japan. However it seems that in the video, there isn't any exchange voucher? Have things changed as of recently?
Hi! I will be traveling to japan next month and i plan on buying the nationwide Japan Rail Pass, could you please provide more details on this since it allows me to reserve seats online. i don’t think i’ll be given a separate reserved ticket if i book it online and i was confused as to how it works. Thank you!
It differs from place to place but this is usually how it works: after you reserve a seat online, you have to pick up a reserved seat ticket at a ticket machine/counter. You then pass through the ticket gate by inserting both the JR pass and the ticket.
Not sure which special rapid you are talking about, but for trains that require buying tickets, you'll usually have to buy a ticket with your JR pass and pass through the gates with both your pass and your tickets.
@Will_Zhao thanks! And is it true that an IC card will work instead of tickets at subways? And that an IC card bought in Tokyo will work in Nagoya for example?
i have purchased the jr pass from a third party website. so technically i should bring the printed voucher delivered to my address. but i might start my travel before it is delivered. is there any way that i can still get the pass at the airport, without the actual voucher? any digital voucher could be a possibility?
I am spending 1 week in Tokyo then 1 week in Kansai area. I bought a 5 day Kansai-Hiroshima area pass from a travel agency. According to your video, I will be able to exchange my Kansai voucher when I arrive in Tokyo and have them set an activation date to 1 week later, and I should be able to reserve Shinkansen and limited express train seats as well? Thank you for any help!
I'm not 100% sure if you can do everything in Tokyo, since Tokyo's JR-East territory and the Kansai-Hiroshima Pass is from JR-West. But the worst that can happen is that you'll wait until you are in Kansai to do all that, so shouldn't be a huge problem. Also, did you get an exchange order(most likely) from the agency or did you get the pass itself? If you get the exchange order, you'll set the activation date when you redeem the physical pass in Japan, which will then be printed onto the pass itself. If you've received a physical pass from the agency, the activation date should already be set and I don't think it can be changed.
Thanks for the info! The one question I have yet to get answered is, Am I able to reserve multiple JR group reservations at the JR office at Narita airport or is it only for JR East train reservations? For example Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima, or the Takayama Limited Express from Nagoya to Takayama?
I highly doubt you can reserve ticket cross-region. What you can do tho, is using the JR-west website to do an online reservation ahead of time, and receive your ticket when you arrive at Shin-Osaka.
I had the JR pass for the entire japan and did not insert my seat reservation each time I road on the shinkansen. I only inserted the JR pass. I heard some people jammed the machine when they did 2 at a time. ( I did not want to trouble the staff) If you sit at your assigned seat and the staff ask you something, just show them your reservation ticket, and it is fine too.
Thank you for this awesome video! We are going to Japan next week and already got our JR Pass, do you think we'll also need an IC card or a Tokyo train pass to use on train lines not included in JR pass or can we buy metro passes as needed as we go exploring?
I wonder is Switzerland ticket system is better than Japan? No need to insert the tickets as there isnt turnstile but need to show the tickets when asked for. Its that simple there.
Thanks for this useful content! quick question though, does the JR nationwide pass also have limited number of seat reservation from the Green machine i.e. after number of reservation I will have to go to the ticket office?
I recently bought a JR pass however, i was looking to upgrade the individual tickets to green car. Since i can't upgrade my pass, i read that its possible to use the green car with an ordinary JR pass however, i just have to pay the difference. With that, is it possible to reserve and pay the difference for the green car using the ticket machine or do i have to go to the counter to do this?
I am going to Hokkaido soon and I found out when I reach there, the JR exchange counter is close. Can I exchange the actual pass outside of Japan? or the green machine really able to exchange it (i couldn't find any info regarding this)?
I hate this new system. The old passes were laminated and hard to lose. I'm so worried about losing the pass as it looks identical to regular tickets and you have to take the pass out each time. Ugh. Thanks for the tips and demos
Hello there.. What you mentioned the 4 things to present to get the JR pass at the office is all received via email??? I thought they would have to physically mail a voucher to an address or am I not right?? I am traveling before I get to Japan and I don't have a physical address to receive a voucher once I buy on their website.. Am I confused or can it be all done via email?
How many trips can you book at once. I heard that you can sometimes only book 2 trips at one time. As the booking ticket office gets busy. So if it’s just my wife and myself. Would that count as 2 trips for the one booking. Or would we have to go back each day if we wanted to make like 5 trips on different days.
I'm not sure if I've seen an official limited on how many reservations you can make at once. If the staff doesn't help, you can always use the ticket machine. Sorry for not having a better answer.
I'll also pin a message here just in case you guys didn't see the disclaimer in the video.
There are many JR Passes/Area Passes issued by different branches of the Japan Rail Group. The Pass I used for demonstration in the video was the Setouchi Area Pass co-issued by JR-West and JR-Shikoku. Different JR passes, when used in different regions in Japan, can give you slightly different experiences, especially when using a ticket machine.
For example, if you are a holder of the National JR Pass(i.e. 'Japan Rail Pass'), you might have to first touch the dedicated 'Japan Rail Pass' button(can be seen at 03:29) and scan the QR code on the pass to initiate the reservation process. What comes next should be more or less the same.
Also remeber, if the ticket machine doesn't work, just go to a ticket counter. For 90% of the time, it works every time...just joking, the JR staff at ticket counters are polite and helpful and they'll help you with all your reservation needs.
Thank you for your videos Will San! 🙂 I have only a question regarding the seat reservation trough the Machine, so it is possible to insert 2 tickets (1 after an other) when traveling with an other person, meaning I want to reserve seats for 2 persons in 1 shot, so I do not have to do this 2 times though?😅 I suppose, as I could see on the screen (up to 4 tickets handled). I am asking because it was not mentioned in the video. I really appreciate your ability for details in all your videos as it is not so obvious as in other videos! Keep up the good work!
I'd highly recommend the JR Rail Cafe in Tokyo Station for help the the JR pass. You can grab a number for the queue, a coffee and then wait for the super helpful people behind the desk to help out. They were brilliant when we exchanged our vouchers there earlier in the month and couldn't do enough to help us. Plus the queue wasn't too long!
Short and sweet. I couldn't find anyone else who talks about how to actually use the reserved ticket. Very helpful!!
Excellent video! You explained the very things I was wondering about. . . like the insertion of two tickets into the gate, and what the differences are between the ticket (and one of them is a useless ticket). Thank you very much!
You don't know how VERY useful this is to me 😅 I've been searching on the net for weeks
Someone give this 🤴 his 👑
Never visited Japan before, flying in 2 month's time and boy did this video come in the nick of time. 👍
Not only this video is easy to follow, but it funny as hell as well LOL.
The simplest explanation ever! Thank you for the video
Got my first Japan trip coming up next week so this is really useful, thanks!
Awesome vid man! No fat, straight to the point! You’ve explained me more useful stuff in 5 minutes than all the other vids ive watched…combined!!
I am so glad i found your video. This was the question i had that no one seem to be able to answer. Thank you so much.
I'm on a train right now in Japan and found this out the hard way. Great video, can basically confirm everything you said. For me it was the hikoruku arch pass, which has no QR code, so you have to put it in just as you said, I got it from the jr ticket office, the machines just didn't work but the counter guy was very helpful. After that, I've been able to book trains using the green machines, it's not the easiest process sometimes but it's OK.
Nowadays less people buy JR PASS (justified) so I was looking for a video like this, thank you very much.
Very helpful for my preparations before journey, thx bro :)
Great video with useful information and wonderful editing of sound effects!
Just a tip, one actually do not require to insert 2 passes into the machine, since technically the machine will only read the JR Pass. The LTD Express reservation ticket is mainly for the staff to check when aboard the train ~
I know that you don't have to insert two tickets but I think inserting two tickets is still the officially recommended way to do it, but either way it does not matter so I guess it's all good!
How about if I put only the reserved ticket, but not the JR pass?
@@ksrithan You won't be able to get through the ticket gate. You need to insert the JR Rail pass for the ticket gate to open. DO NOT insert the reserved ticket into the ticket gate. Ever.
@@TheSeanBampton Thank you!
You save my live! I was very confused with the first time with Shinkansen OMG!
Uff, im going japan in a few days, and you just saved my life XD
For realz 🗾 👏🏼 lol good luck on your trip🤟🏼 I'm going in like 2wks, excitedly nervous & This video helps a ton, ty!
Thank you for making this video guide. I was wondering how I would make seat reservations after I exchanged my voucher at the airport. Luckily for me I got your video here to explain before I visit Japan in a few weeks.
True. Thank you. I will be traveling in couple of weeks . This is very helpful
This is probably the best video on it, been to Japan a few times myself and it's pretty straight forward. I'd recommend just setting up your JR pass when you land in the country at the airport. We typically don't activate it till the bulk of the trip but like Will said the staff at the airports know English a little better.
Thank you for this video! I was overwhelmed with all the information I got online and from the JR brochure, your video made everything clean and simple. So thank you
I wish this had existed when I first went to Japan. I made SO many mistakes.
The only ting this video needs is a section on how to engage with JR rail staff. They are very patient and helpful even if you don't know Japanese you can always get excellent help from them. Going over that would be a good idea.
I have been trying to find a video that actually explains this!! Thank you so much!! 🎉
Damn it, you saved me. I got confused with other videos where the jr pass has the qr code, but not mine! My thought is the ticket was wrongly printed. Found you video here before one day leaving. Thank God, many thanks to your video!
Yup, tons of different passes under the umbrella term 'JR Pass'. Glad to help😆
@@Will_Zhao To add more here, today I can't find the vending machine that can reserve the seat via my JR pass without QR in the Tokyo station. I was a bit rushing , so I just walked to the Jr counter and I managed to get the ticket. Many thanks to the JR staff! My next destination is the yamagata. I can find the machine here that can accept my reservation. Long story short, not all vending machine has the option to accept it.
@@FirelsgYup, that's why I recommend receiving your ticket through the counter not the ticket machine, and also gave details on reserving tickets via the ticket counter. If you have to use the ticket machine, it must be a 'modori no kenbaiki' - a green ticket machine which is not green in all regions, and not all of them work for whatever reason. I was in Shikoku and the machine there didn't work for me either. So the thing is, if you are unsure about what to do, just go to the counter. The JR staff never once disappointed me during my trips.
The format of this video was straight forward, entertaining, and educational. Great job! Subbed.
thank you! They all say how to exchange the Jr Pass but not the details of what the machine looks like and how to insert the tickets. I already feel less stressed about the trip.
great Video, however, I travel quite often in Japan for 4-8 weeks, my experience is that the need for reservations is overrated and cumbersome, time consuming and not really necessary. the first three cars on a Shinkansen are non-reserved and there were lots of seats (car one my fav) even during busy times. Besides that, the frequency of trains allows to skip one and take the next one, I really like that flexibility. I like to point out that many Destinations are served by JR lines and other rail companies. So pick your trains carefully to avoid paying extra. one of my companions is the "Japan Railway Travel Atlas" a small but useful booklet showing all lines for exploring the not so common but interesting routes.
Essential video. Thank you for uploading.
Exactly what i've been looking for. Thanks!
Short, sweet, and informative! Love it.
Ah memories of that JR ticket room at Kansai Airport shown in the video....a big line the night we got there.
Thank you. You just saved my butt in Kanazawa.
Amazing visual effects! Thanks for the info :)
Thanks! It's good to know that I can set a later activation date from when I pick the pass up
Thank you so much, I'm going next month and have a JR pass to pick up. I've been trying to find a good video like this the rest show just really how to pick up or how to reserve and none showed you needed to insert the pass into the machine.
One note tho, the pass I showed in the video is the Setouchi Area Pass, which you have to insert into the machine to do reservations. But if you are a holder of the National JR Pass(i.e. 'Japan Rail Pass'), you might have to first touch the dedicated 'Japan Rail Pass' button(can be seen at 03:29) and scan the QR code on the pass to initiate the reservation process. What comes next should be more or less the same.
Exactly the video I was looking for, thank you!
great video. i never reserved a seat and was able to get onto the non-reserved sections at both tokyo and shin-osaka station when i did that route last week
Thanks for the information, super helpful. We are looking foward to our first trip to Japan in a few weeks 😸
Awesome video! The only thing Is that when I purchased and reserved my JR pass from the Official JAPAN RAIL PASS site, it did not ask me for an Identification Number. The email confirmation mentions the following "When picking up your pass, your passport (copies not accepted) must be presented to confirm that you are staying for a short period of time."
Yes, different passes can be different, but your passport is almost always a must.
i also just started to panic and look though emails as I do not remember having or making a Identification number so that must be a different region thing? (i hope so. i leave for japan on Saturday)
@@steph_m Yes, it's JR-west only
@@steph_m i was reading on reddit and I believe its fine with your passport and the email confirmation. I leave for Japan in 5 hours!! I hope you have a great time
awesome thanks @@Will_Zhao
What a great and informative video! It clarified many of the confusions I had while researching on Setouchi Area Pass. Thank you so much!
But I still have a few questions, hoping I can get some answers here.
1. What if I accidentally inserted my JR Pass at the starting station (covered by JR pass), and want to alight at another station that is not covered by JR Pass?
2. How do I reserve the tickets with oversized baggage compartment? And how much does it cost for the compartment?
Thanks in advance for the replies!
Im in japan now. No 1 the gate will show red light. Probably you will be asked to pay.
No 2 upu cannot book the compartment afaik. Its there at the last rows, if you sit nearer to it its easier for you to access it but you can still use it even if you sit far away.
Thank you very much for this extremely helpful video. When I used the JR Pass the last time (2010) thinga were completely different (we had a little booklet as the Pass). Thank you! Thank you!
i'd rather have the booklet 😮💨 it also makes a great souvenir at the end of your trip
@@crimsonskyfc2681 yes 😪
Thanks, you are doing a great job! I am going to Fukuoka next month and it helps a lot. 😊
Great stuff so easily explained which truly no one has explained till date .. i really appreciate and have subscribed to your channel to watch more useful videos thanks a lot
"one of those tickets is just there to confuse you" 🤣🤣 TRUEEEE!! We bought a oneway Shinkansen ride and i was so confused of the 'other ticket' but i think it's kind of a receipt.
This was extremely helpful. Thank you
i watched a guy film himself getting from the airport to tokyo to kyoto while trying to find the JR voucher exchange. and it was hilarious omg. the guy struggled so hard. very real. very terrifying.
Yooo. Your video is helpful. Thank you!!!
Nice job with this!
As far as I know, if you buy the nationwide pass from JR directly, your activation date is set in stone at time of purchase. Which means you don't get to choose when you pick up the pass. This is one of the remaining advantages of buying an exchange order.
Also, you don't actually need to put the seat reservation ticket into the gate. Your pass is sufficient.
I purchased with JR directly, as of 2 weeks ago you could set a start date.
edit: i just checked, the limit is you have to set the start date to within 1 calendar month.
I bought the JR pass in the manner where I specified my activation date. But one thing has remained unclear to me and maybe you can answer that question. Will I be able to claim my JR pass the day before the activation date? Or do I have to get it the same day? It'd be convenient for me to get it ahead of time as I'm traveling out early in the morning on the activation day, would be nice to have tickets sorted ahead of time if possible.
@@Frag-ileyou should be able to claim your pass beforehand, but it will not be active until the day you have specified. Also, if you ordered online, directly from JR, you can also make online seat reservations from the moment you have purchased your JR pass, so if you already know about trains you will be taking, you can already reserve those seats and get the seat you want, especially handy if you'll be taking the Shinkansen and want/need the extra luggage space behind the last row.
That is what I was also told - JR Pass only needs to be inserted into the ticket gates.
You are talking nonsense, in the official site you can set your desired start date (within a 1 month period). Stop spreading misinformation.
Thank you, gosh i have so many doubts regarding transportation
Dude these videos are so helpfull
Wow, Excellent video!!!!!!!!
Wonderful video, @Will_Zhao
I have a question which I hope you could answer.
I'm preparing for my trip to Japan in October. I'm planning to buy 7 days Japan Rail Pass (national) via official website where I can reserve my seats one month ahead of my planned train travel date.
I have planned 9 shinkansen rides (with specific routes, dates, & time) and I will proceed to reserve seats for all 9 of them. Therefore, I will have 9 "seat reservation" tickets.
My question: When I land in Narita and go over to the JR East Travel Service centre to collect my national JR Pass, would they also provide me with all 9 seat reservation tickets? Thank you.
You buy the pass from the official site and you reserve your seats through the official site. When you arrive, you'll get seat reservations tickets for each ride you've booked.
@@Will_Zhao Thanks. If I understand you correctly, they'll give me my Japan rail pass (national) together with all 9 "seat reservation" tickets at the JR East Travel Service centre. Right?
@@MrVijaiananth I'm not too familiar with said service center at Narita, but it's most likely that they can print out the ticket for you after giving you the pass if you ask for it. Worst case scenario is that you have to take your pass to a ticket machine/office to get your tickets, but even that is not very hard to do.
@@Will_Zhao Yes, not hard, but I love to explore the most efficient way. Optimization. Thank you for your answer.
Thanks for the information and instruction that you share in the video. I have a question and hope that you would please help me with.
I'm going to have a 9-hour layover in Tokyo from Haneda Airport. So I would like to take the chance to visit the Tokyo Skytree and Tokyo Tower. So my question are:
1. Do I need a JR pass to go on monorail to these two towers? What is a better transportation from Haneda Airport to Skytree?
2. Could you please please please indicate how to get to Tokyo Skytree from Haneda Airport? As what I've been searching, firstly, I need to get on the monorail from Haneda Airport. But after that I don't really know where I should get off and how to get to the Skytree.
3. About the carry-on luggage. I heard about lockers/ coin lockers but where is the most convenient way to get it? Because after 6 hours I will return the Haneda Airport to catch another International flight.
Looking forward to your response.
Really appreciate
Great video!
Thanks a lot for this clear info. One doubt: to go from Kyoto to Nara I saw that Nara Line is covered by JR Pass, but do I need to make a reservation before in the green ticket machine or can I feed in my JR Pass into the gate machine to enter and take the next train directly?
Is there also a seat reservation limit if i buy the 21 day Japan Rail pass for all of japan? 😢 3:58
I think there is and it's worse than what I've shown in the video. The setouch pass would still allow you to reserve seats at a counter after you reach the limit. The national JR pass simple won't allow for more seat reservations.
Very helpful!
Very useful, thank you!
very thanks and informative. What if I have purchased a JR 7 days hokuriku pass through JR west website, can I go to JR ticket counter to redeem my JR pass or I still need to goto JR office while in Narita airport?
That was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for this helpful video 🫶
its totally helpfulllll. thank youuuuuuuuuu
Thank you for this amazing video!🤩 We're leaving to Japan next week, already got our JR Pass...do you think the JR pass is sufficient to move around or do you think we'll also need to get an IC card OR buy train passes to use on the lines not covered by the JR pass like Oedo line or Chiyoda line?Can these metro tickets be bought as needed or if needed?
I think the IC cards are a must, it doesn't cost a thing and you don't want having to queue for a ticket each time you are taking the subway and bus rides are made so much easier.
As for the other train passes it really depends on your itinerary, does the pass give you more than what you pay? Unfortunately you will have to do some calculations since it will be different for everyone😘
Fantastic and concise video, thank you! I've been to Japan before but never had to buy a JR pass until my upcoming trip, and the online written guides aren't very clear with how to use them or do ticket reservation with them.
For regular trains (Ordinary Car) though, do you just insert your JR pass (only) into the ticket gate? Or do you have to show it to a station staff so they'll let you through?
Thank you! For regular trains you just insert it into the gate and the gates will open.
Can I reserve a seat before arriving in Japan with the exchange order without activation? And how do you insert the actual pass and seat ticket into the machine? What happens if you only insert the pass?
Thanks for this. Would it be possible to change the reservations online for this type of Pass or make reservations online?
Great vid. I think the hardest part of the JR passes was trying to remember where/when to use them for local (non-Shinkansen) trains to maximize the value. By the 2nd week visiting Japan, I was switching between Suica and JR, but it took awhile.
Very helpful
Thanks for the practical tips. If I have two JR Passes, can I insert them both at the green hanbaiki to reserve seats or do I have to do it twice?
Great vid . I got it down to a science when my son and I were there last year . Funny thing was , unlike what you said in the vid , I never put my reserve seat ticket through . When I went through all I did was put my pass through and it never set anything amiss . Is that way for something different ? I had the green pass last year , might as well go for it all for the first trip ..lol, did that mean anything ? This summer just getting the reg pass and I assume that reserving the seats is the same but only not choosing the green car as the option . Thanks for your vids , they are great !!
Thank you! Yeah, you don't have to, doesn't change anything whatsoever. It's what JR says you should do, But some say it increases the chance multiple tickets get stuck inside.
Hey there, thank you for the info.
Is there any way to reserve shinkansen seats online with or without JRPass?
Yes you can reserve shinkansen trains on the official JR website and later receive your tickets at ticket counters or ticket machines.
super.helpful.video....tks
Are busy shinkansen trains mostly during commuter hours? Thanks for the video!
4:02 I see you used a Setouchi area pass, did you go over the six reservations and have to make further reservations at a counter, and were you successful? I ask bc I used a Sanyo-San’in Area Pass sometime in 2021 or 2022. I went over the six reservations and had to go to the counter for further ones. One time I was at the Kyoto station ticket office near the west exit and the staff there said I couldn’t make any more reservations, so I insisted he check on it further, before he finally reneged and issued the reserved seat ticket. I ended up emailing JR West with the details of the incident, and they apologized profusely, and they said that they’d strive to prevent a recurrence. I’m curious if they actually improved things.
Also one more thing, you mention that the reservations can only be done at the green ticket vending machine, but it should be noted that the color of the vending machine and what they call it depends on the region.
I didn't, I reserved a few seats at the ticket counter so I never had more than 6 stars stamped onto my pass and unfortunately cannot confirm what'll happen if i go past that. And you are right that it's not always the green ticket machine or the midori no kenbaiki, it should be the 'reserved seat rocket machine' to be more precise. But it's just the ones in the JR-west and JR-shikoku region have this catchy name and unique appearance I just took it for granted. Thank you for the correction!
Hi, great video! Why is it necessary to insert the reservation ticket? What happens if I have a reservation ticket but don't insert it?
You are supposed to, but it's not necessary. The ticket alone should in theory get you past the gate.
nice and easy to understand video! question, can you also reserve seats directly if you buy from jr website? would you then be able to reserve for multiple travel at that time? I’d like to buy via jr site instead of agency. but you also mentioned reserving seat is only possible when pass is activated (when received in japan), or did I misunderstood something.. thanks!
For the national JR Pass, it is stated that you can reserve seat prior to pickup only if you buy it throught the official JR site. Not sure about third party tho.
The activation before reservation part in the video is mainly for regional passes.
ok thank you!
I assume you will insert 2 tickets at once (reserved and JR Pass) when exit the station as well
Different JR branches have different recommendations, JR west will tell you to insert both, JR east tells you to insert the pass only. But despite what they say, as long as you insert a valid JR pass, with or without the ticket, the gates will open.
I'm currently looking into buying the Sapporo-Noboribetsu JR pass. I was under the impression that I would need an exchange voucher mailed to me, along with my passport, in order to get my JR pass in Japan. However it seems that in the video, there isn't any exchange voucher? Have things changed as of recently?
Hi! I will be traveling to japan next month and i plan on buying the nationwide Japan Rail Pass, could you please provide more details on this since it allows me to reserve seats online. i don’t think i’ll be given a separate reserved ticket if i book it online and i was confused as to how it works. Thank you!
It differs from place to place but this is usually how it works: after you reserve a seat online, you have to pick up a reserved seat ticket at a ticket machine/counter. You then pass through the ticket gate by inserting both the JR pass and the ticket.
5:49 does it matter which side is it facing? Im only asking because u inserted 2 tickets at the same time.
No. It'd be so messed up if it does tho.
@@Will_Zhao Thank you!
Hi for special rapid and rapid express, we can just slot the JR pass into the ticket gate?
Also, can JR pass be used for Kintetsu Limited Express?
Not sure which special rapid you are talking about, but for trains that require buying tickets, you'll usually have to buy a ticket with your JR pass and pass through the gates with both your pass and your tickets.
Hi.
And if i am at the end destination gate do i need to put the JR pass or the reservation ticket in the gate for go out?
Normally you can just insert the JR pass, if it doesn't work, insert both. The ticket alone won't do.
@@Will_Zhao Thank You :)
@@Will_Zhao And will the machines at an exit gate give back the JR pass so I can use it again?
@@f3ynman44 Yes, or it would be silly.
@Will_Zhao thanks! And is it true that an IC card will work instead of tickets at subways? And that an IC card bought in Tokyo will work in Nagoya for example?
Hi.
Is it possible to insert two JRPs and book two seats at the same time?
Thank you so much!
i have purchased the jr pass from a third party website. so technically i should bring the printed voucher delivered to my address. but i might start my travel before it is delivered. is there any way that i can still get the pass at the airport, without the actual voucher? any digital voucher could be a possibility?
I am spending 1 week in Tokyo then 1 week in Kansai area. I bought a 5 day Kansai-Hiroshima area pass from a travel agency. According to your video, I will be able to exchange my Kansai voucher when I arrive in Tokyo and have them set an activation date to 1 week later, and I should be able to reserve Shinkansen and limited express train seats as well?
Thank you for any help!
I'm not 100% sure if you can do everything in Tokyo, since Tokyo's JR-East territory and the Kansai-Hiroshima Pass is from JR-West.
But the worst that can happen is that you'll wait until you are in Kansai to do all that, so shouldn't be a huge problem.
Also, did you get an exchange order(most likely) from the agency or did you get the pass itself? If you get the exchange order, you'll set the activation date when you redeem the physical pass in Japan, which will then be printed onto the pass itself. If you've received a physical pass from the agency, the activation date should already be set and I don't think it can be changed.
@@Will_Zhao thank you for the info! I got an exchange order from the agency. I’ll see if I’m able to do everything in Tokyo
Thanks for the info! The one question I have yet to get answered is, Am I able to reserve multiple JR group reservations at the JR office at Narita airport or is it only for JR East train reservations? For example Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima, or the Takayama Limited Express from Nagoya to Takayama?
I highly doubt you can reserve ticket cross-region. What you can do tho, is using the JR-west website to do an online reservation ahead of time, and receive your ticket when you arrive at Shin-Osaka.
The airport offices and other busy stations seem to only be willing to reserve for one journey.
@@lisaness59 Oh, that's unfortunate but makes sense when it is busy. Thanks for the info!
Thanks for the video! How far in advance can you reserve seats on the Shinkansen? On some sites I see 3 days, while others say 1 month.
You can buy tickets 1 month in advance, including reserved and unreserved seat tickets. Therefore I'd say 1 month.
Thanks for the video! One question, is necessary insert the "seat reservation ticket" in the ticket slot? Thanks
I think it depends on the JR pass, might ask the staff when picking up your pass.
Thanks!@@crimsonskyfc2681
I had the JR pass for the entire japan and did not insert my seat reservation each time I road on the shinkansen. I only inserted the JR pass. I heard some people jammed the machine when they did 2 at a time. ( I did not want to trouble the staff)
If you sit at your assigned seat and the staff ask you something, just show them your reservation ticket, and it is fine too.
can i do a reserve seat few days before my departure or reserve can only do at the same day?
Thank you for this awesome video! We are going to Japan next week and already got our JR Pass, do you think we'll also need an IC card or a Tokyo train pass to use on train lines not included in JR pass or can we buy metro passes as needed as we go exploring?
How did you end up going about?
I wonder is Switzerland ticket system is better than Japan? No need to insert the tickets as there isnt turnstile but need to show the tickets when asked for. Its that simple there.
Thanks for this useful content! quick question though, does the JR nationwide pass also have limited number of seat reservation from the Green machine i.e. after number of reservation I will have to go to the ticket office?
No limit
Thanks for letting me know@@peko7446
I recently bought a JR pass however, i was looking to upgrade the individual tickets to green car. Since i can't upgrade my pass, i read that its possible to use the green car with an ordinary JR pass however, i just have to pay the difference. With that, is it possible to reserve and pay the difference for the green car using the ticket machine or do i have to go to the counter to do this?
I am going to Hokkaido soon and I found out when I reach there, the JR exchange counter is close. Can I exchange the actual pass outside of Japan? or the green machine really able to exchange it (i couldn't find any info regarding this)?
What if you need to change your reservation (time/date) after making one? And what happens if you no-show a reservation (any penalties)?
I hate this new system. The old passes were laminated and hard to lose. I'm so worried about losing the pass as it looks identical to regular tickets and you have to take the pass out each time. Ugh. Thanks for the tips and demos
Hello there.. What you mentioned the 4 things to present to get the JR pass at the office is all received via email??? I thought they would have to physically mail a voucher to an address or am I not right?? I am traveling before I get to Japan and I don't have a physical address to receive a voucher once I buy on their website.. Am I confused or can it be all done via email?
All done through email.
Thank you!!!
How many trips can you book at once. I heard that you can sometimes only book 2 trips at one time. As the booking ticket office gets busy. So if it’s just my wife and myself. Would that count as 2 trips for the one booking. Or would we have to go back each day if we wanted to make like 5 trips on different days.
I'm not sure if I've seen an official limited on how many reservations you can make at once. If the staff doesn't help, you can always use the ticket machine. Sorry for not having a better answer.
When you exit the train, do you again put both tickets through the gate to exit, or just the JR pass?
How to exit ticket gates when you have reserved seat ticket, do you still insert both ticket and pass? If so, the pass will come back right 😂?