Just a quick comment for anyone planning to come to Japan. If you are going to stay in Tokyo, then the Japan Rail Pass is probably not worth it (it only gives you a free pass on JR rail). But if you are going anywhere else, you absolutely should get this. Especially on the Shinkansen, you get free reserved seat tickets. Also, the system is set up for this. You go into line to get your tickets and you will magically find that the person who is dealing with you can speak English (because they can see your pass when you are in line and insert an English speaking person discretely into the correct cubicle).
Also, if you ever get into trouble, waving the JR rail pass is like a get out of jail free card. They bend over backwards for pass holders. If you get on the wrong train, they'll just change the tickets. If you miss the last Shinkansen, they will discretely push you onto a full reservation only express train.
Finally, if you want to go anywhere of any distance, the cost reduction will definitely by huge. Trains (especially the Shinkansen) in Japan are expensive. Just going out to Osaka from Tokyo and back will basically pay for a 1 week pass. If you want to go out west or up north then you'll be saving upwards of $1K.
I live in Japan, but about 5 years ago I went to the UK for a couple of years. I needed to go back to Canada for my visa and ended up bouncing around between Canada and Japan, leaving me as a tourist in Japan for 1 month. I absolutely could not believe how great the JR Rail pass was. I went all the way up to Sapporo, which is probably the last time I will ever be able to afford something like that.
Another example: Travelling from Tokyo to Sapporo return (the part from Hakodate to Sapporo is not covered by Shinkansen, but should be from 2030, but I digress) is more expensive than a three week train pass.
If you're not strapped for cash get a pass for the green car (first class). The price difference is minimal (ca. 60K Yen vs. 80K Yen for three weeks) and it makes travelling even more amazing.
I'd say my savings where > 2K $ last time in Japan with the rail pass.
On the Sunday at the end of golden week all Shinkansen from Hokkaido to Tokyo, with the exception of the first two trains, were completely sold out. That was two weeks in advance.
So being forced to take an early train I had to spend a night in Hokadate, which was actually quite nice in its own right. And on JR pass level I think the price difference between normal and green class is so low that it's definitly worth it.
In Switzerland first class is second class + 100 - 150%.
But generally it's true that a green car pass will get you a reservation even when all else is sold out.
"Some day I will absolutely travel on the Nozomi Shinkansen, no matter what it costs :-)"
Actually the cost is the same like for all other Shinkansens :-) The only thing is you can't use them with the rail pass.
That said my maximum wait for an eligable train upon spontaneously deciding I need a train ride was 30 minutes. But is was usually more in the 10 minute range.
Oh, and in order to totally shame some high level JR bureaucrat I have photographic evidence about not one, but two Shinkansens with a delay of 5 minutes.
Seppuku is probably the only option here.
:-)
And, yeah, this year has been hopeless for the Shinkansen record. I'll be interested to see how they report it...
I think this is correct. I first went to Japan in 2008, and the cards you had actually mattered. I went again last year, and I used a Suica all over the country without problems -- it was a Suica I bought in 2008, and it still worked and had money on it after sitting in a drawer for 9 years.
It seems like all of these cards equivalent now, at least for tourists -- for people who live there, I think there are some differences in the kinds of monthly passes you can get for each card.
But the golden rule in Japan -- make sure to carry enough cash in case you get into trouble :-)
As for actually getting around, it's just a matter of having the right tools. I'm mostly sharing this for the benefit of anyone thinking of going to Japan.
- The landscape of transit cards is confusing, and while many of them are still accepted in various places, the existence of such a wide variety is mostly a legacy thing as far as I could tell. I had a Suica card and it worked virtually everywhere I went in Japan, though I didn't venture off the beaten path.
- The Japan Rail Pass, while not having any functional use, did make things cheaper.
- A rented wifi hotspot is an absolute no-brainer. If you travel to Japan, just get one. You can pick it up at the post office in the airport and drop it back at the same place in a prepaid envelope when you depart.
- The Hyperdia smartphone app is fantasic. You can pretty much get yourself between any two points in Japan with it, and once you've used it a couple times and understand some of the icons it's easy to tell when you need a separate pass or need to walk between platforms or nearby stations.