Japan Rail Pass
Nationwide or Area Pass
<b>- Please note: we are currently not selling these items. Our apologies for the inconvenience. -</b>
<Summary of New Border Measures to enter Japan from 11th October, 2022>
1. Revision of new immigration restrictions for foreigners
The ERFS certificate will no longer be required for foreign entrants.
2. Resumption of application of visa exemption measures
Japan will once again allow visa-free short-term travel for people from 68 countries and regions (same as before the pandemic)
> Find the list of countries here: https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/short/novisa.html
3. Either valid vaccination certificates OR valid negative test certificates are mandatory for all (foreign) entrants
This rule is valid for both Japanese and non-Japanese visitors. Grouping of the country or region of your stay before arriving in Japan (Blue, Yellow, and Red) will be abolished. On arrival test or quarantine will not be required in principle.
> Vaccination:
– Must be issued by a government or public institution
– Name, date of birth, vaccine name/manufacturer, date of vaccination, number of doses administered must be indicated in English or Japanese
– The certificate must clearly show that you have received 3 doses of any of the vaccines on the Emergency Use Listing of World Health Organization (WHO)
Find the official rules and WHO vaccine list here: Vaccine Certificate for Quaranatine｜Border Measures｜Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare｜Government of Japan (mhlw.go.jp)
> Test:
“All entrants including Japanese citizens who do not have a valid vaccination certificate must be tested within 72 hours of departure. Those who are unable to present a valid vaccination certificate or a valid certificate of inspection will not be allowed to enter Japan, as based on Quarantine Law.”
Please find the official rules regarding test conditions, formats, allowed types, here: COVID-19 Negative Test Result Certificate before departure｜Border Measures｜Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare｜Government of Japan (mhlw.go.jp)
4. Removed the cap on the number of people entering Japan
There will no longer be a limit on the number of people allowed into the country each day.
5. Visitors are expected to adhere to the local health & hygiene requirements
General guidelines on mask usage and other practices can be found here: Revision of the restrictions on the acceptance of overseas tourists after October 11, 2022 | International Tourism | About Our Policies | Japan Tourism Agency (mlit.go.jp)
6. It is mandatory to fill in the ‘Questionnaire for Quarantine’ at Japanese quarantine (arrival airport)
> It is recommended to do this beforehand via ‘Fast Track’ (see below at number 7).
> Find the official information here: Questionnaire for Quarantine｜Border Measures｜Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare｜Government of Japan (mhlw.go.jp)
7. Travelers are strongly encouraged to use ‘Fast Track’ (MySOS) to make sure the entry procedures into Japan will go as fast and smooth as possible.
> ‘Fast Track’ (MySOS) is available as an online web-page or as an app.
> To use it, you will need to register before arrival in Japan. Pre-registration must be completed at least 6 hours prior to your flight’s scheduled arrival time.
> You can use it to pre-register your passport, vaccination/negative test result certificates, and the ‘Questionnaire’ (mentioned in number 6).
> Quarantine procedures may still take extra time, depending on the number of travelers etc.
> Earliest arrival dates are processed first (when busy).
Please find further information on ‘Fast Track’ and how to use it here: To Anyone Entering/Returning to Japan (mhlw.go.jp)
We (additionally) recommend the following:
* To be safe, print out all the required documents for entering Japan and bring them with you. In most cases, the original document (not a copy) is required.
* While it is no longer mandatory to have travel insurance, it is still recommended in order to avoid the possibility of high healthcare costs in Japan when falling ill.
What to do when you fall ill in Japan?
(Source: What to expect as Japan opens back up to the world | The Japan Times)
“In principle, visitors will no longer be required to isolate upon arrival, meaning they can move freely other than in cases where they have been diagnosed with the coronavirus after arrival in Japan.
In the event a traveler to Japan suspects they may have caught COVID-19 following their arrival, the government recommends that they contact the Japan Visitor Hotline at 050-3816-2787 for an over-the-phone consultation with a health professional who will determine the severity of the case and offer advice on the next steps to take. The service is offered in Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean.”
No, it is not necessary when ordering a JR Pass. You can come over any given moment during office hours for pick-up or purchase of products such as the Japan Rail Pass. For overall travel advice or a consultancy we kindly ask you to contact us beforehand, so we can prepare optimally.
This is possible, our standard travelling packages might inspire you make a personal travelling plan! You can contact us about your personal plans through this page. We will send you a free quotation as mentioned on our contact page. It is important we receive the necessary information from you beforehand, so we can create a travel plan best suited to your wishes.
When you come over to our office, whether or not you have ordered online beforehand, it is possible to print out the vouchers on the spot. In theory, it is possible to go to the airport straight away after visiting us.
If you want to receive the exchange order by mail, it is possible that it will take up to 5 working days when sending it by regular mail (PostNL), up to 5 days with UPS ( although it usually takes 1 day when ordering before 17:00) and an OCS-courier will usually take 1 day.
We advise to check the English travelplanner of Japan, ‘Hyperdia’ (www.hyperdia.com/en), where you can find the exact costs for train tickets according to your destinations and compare them to the cost of a JR Pass. Generally, if you are traveling to few spread out cities, it would be more convenient and probably cheaper to buy a pass. Note: A nationwide JR pass also covers JR lines within all cities.
Tojapan.nl is the outbound department of H.I.S. Travel Nederland b.v. belonging to H.I.S. Group, one of Japan’s largest travel agencies with over 300 offices located in Japan, and more than 100 stores worldwide.
It is possible to pay by cash, debitcard or creditcard. When paying by creditcard at our office we must charge a 3% additional fee.
Yes, we offer more than only flights and JR Passes. We have a variety of (cultural) tours, activities and hotels. Examples would be: an overnight stay at famous Mt. Koya, attending a Sumo wrestling training or an authentic bicycle trip through the streets of Kyoto!
No, we don’t charge any additional administration- and/or reservation fees. Depending on the method of shipping it is possible that there will be additional fees, however shipping per regular mail is free.
It is possible to purchase your Pass(es) on our website under ‘prices’ or through the ‘Japan Rail Pass’ section of our web-shop. If you would rather purchase a Pass at the office, it is possible to come over at any time during our office hours (wed 10:00-14:00, closed during weekends and holidays). It is easier to process you order quickly when you place an order through the website. If paid beforehand, we can prepare the Pass(es) in advance of your visit. If you prefer to pay at our office, the Pass(es) will be printed for you on the spot.
This method is suitable for customers that are not leaving within 10 days or are not able/willing to come over at our office to pick up the JR Pass personally.
The duration of the delivery by mail depends on the chosen option to send it with. To guarantee that your vouchers will arrive (on time) it is possible to send your package with UPS or OCS courier service.
Currently we send JR Passes to:
1. Local pick up at the office in Amsterdam (free)
Picking up your pass takes approximately 15-20 minutes, depending on the chosen option, “online payment and pick up at the office” or “pay and pick up at the office”.
2. Letterbox post with PostNL (free)
Delivery time may take up to 5 working days, and the time of delivery can not be guaranteed. Track & trace is not possible when choosing this option.
Once exchange voucher(s) are shipped by Normal mail, delivery service will be carried out by PostNL.
Before determining the delivery option, please be aware that after the shipment H.I.S. Travel Nederland cannot be held responsible and/or liable if a parcel sent with normal mail is lost or stolen.
Therefore in case of loss or damage of the parcel containing the voucher(s), it is not possible to reissue the exchange order(s).
A new purchase will be necessary.
3. UPS (track & trace)
Sending time can take up to 5 working days, the time of delivery can not be guaranteed (usually the next working day when order before 17:00). It is possible to track & trace your order.
4. OCS (courier)
It is possible after ordering to follow your order. The delivery time is normally within 1 day. If you leave within 10 days we strongly advice to pick this service or to pick up your voucher at our office in Amsterdam.
Our prices are dependent on the Japanese exchange rates. We always try to offer the lowest prices.
If you want to be sure about receiving the JR Pass on time, we advise you to pick up your order at our office, or ship your order by courier.
If you come over to our office during office hours, it is possible to issue a voucher for you on the spot. Please reserve about 15-20 minutes of your time for this process.
Children below the age of 6 travel for free, however it is expected that the child travels on their guardian’s lap. When there are enough free seats it is possible for your child to take a seat, but they are required to give it up when it is busy or when the seat is reserved. If you want to be sure that your child has a separate place to sit, it also possible to buy a JR Pass with the child rate. Please note that seat reservations for children under 6 can also not be made without a Pass of their own.
With the Green JR pass (first class) you can make use of the more luxurious first class green train compartment where there is more room for your legs and luggage. When traveling in peak season, there may also be a higher chance of open seats in the Green (first class) carriages as opposed to the Ordinary (second class) carriages, though this can not be guaranteed.
The JR pass is valid for the amount of days you have paid for. Please note that when activating the JR Pass in the evening, this day will count as a full day. The exchange order we give to you in the Netherlands, is valid for three months from the date of issuing.
When you order a JR Pass, you will also receive a leaflet with all the locations where you can exchange your voucher. On one of these locations you will have to show your passport and voucher to receive the actual JR Pass. It is not necessary to start using the JR Pass on the day of exchanging it. It is possible to active the Pass on any given date in a period of one month after exchanging the voucher.
If the main reason for your stay in Japan is for a vacation(tourism), family visit or a worktrip for a period of under 90 days, and you are in possession of a Dutch passport, it is not necessary to arrange a visa. You will receive an automatic ‘Temporary Tourist Visa’ upon arrival. When you are not sure, you can ask the Japanese embassy in The Hague.
*Please note that Japan Rail Passes are NOT available for other Visa types, such as work- or student-visas.
The mother company of ToJapan.nl, H.I.S. has tourist information centers in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. Please see the Tourist Information Website for more information.