I haven't used the rail pass, but I have traveled by train in Japan. By using public transportation, you can get anywhere, and you get to see beautiful Japan rather than watching the road. Driving and parking in Japan are very expensive. I have been with Japanese friends who own cars, and they take trains and buses frequently, both locally and for daytrips. Parking is often difficult (and expensive) at a destination. Fuel costs are high, as are highway tolls. Mountain driving is harrowing (and accomplished by using mirrors mounted on the rocks at every turn), and negotiating narrow city streets is tricky. (There must be rules about who goes where when two cars meet on a two-way street that is only wide enough for one car...but I never figured it out.) Then there's getting used to driving on the right.

I've used the rail pass several times and I think it's great, provided you want to go to a bunch of places. (All you have to do is take the Shinkansen to Kyoto from Tokyo and back again to almost pay for the thing.)

In more remote locations you might find the modes of transport (usually buses) are not owned by JR, so not included in the pass. For run-of-the-mill traveling around, though, it's a real bargain. Definitely better than renting a car, in my opinion.

Last time I used one I was even able to have a Japanese friend book reserved seats for me in advance through a Japanese travel agent (I think they're called "zero tickets") which I then could exchange for real tickets after validating the rail pass. (That's one of the drawbacks --- you can't normally get reserved seats until you actually validate the pass, therefore making it difficult if you're traveling during peak times.)

Lee

Can you purchase those rail passes in the U.S. before you go? Or do you have to buy them in Japan?

Hi all
You can not buy rail pass in Japan . Contact to Japanese travel agency. it well worth it. buy raill pass in us or any foreign countries and activate it in Japan at stations .but not every stations. you can use it the bullet trains with some limitation. Rail pass cannot use some private rail lines. If you have rail pass you can travel much cheaper in Japan. Buy it. well worth it.............mike