Rail Pass Conditions

ELIGIBILITY :

1. You are a foreign tourist visiting Japan from abroad for sight-seeing, under the entry status of "temporary visitor."
"Temporary Visitor" entry status, according to Japanese Immigration Law, allows a stay in Japan of 15 days or 90 days for "sight-seeing, etc." If you apply for a "stay for sight-seeing" when you enter Japan, entry personnel will stamp your passport as "Temporary Visitor," as shown below. Only persons who have a passport bearing this stamp can use a JAPAN RAIL PASS.

Caution :
If you visit Japan with an Exchange Order to be exchanged in for a JAPAN RAIL PASS, the exchange cannot be made unless they have "Temporary Visitor" status: to enter Japan under any other official status, such as "Trainee" or "Entertainer" or "Re-entry Permit," will make the pass invalid. Please note that according to strict interpretation of the Japanese Immigration Law, "Temporary Visitor" status differs even from other types of stays that are also for only short time periods.

2. Japanese people living abroad who meet the following conditions
People who have both their Japanese passport and written proof—obtained from the embassy or legation of Japan in the foreign country where they live—that they have been living legally in the country for 10 consecutive years or more

You must present both your passport and proof of eligibility to purchase an Exchange Order in a country other than Japan, and to exchange your Exchange Order for a JAPAN RAIL PASS in Japan.
You cannot use a photocopy of your passport to purchase an Exchange Order or to exchange your Exchange Order for a JAPAN RAIL PASS.
You can purchase an Exchange Order and exchange it for a JAPAN RAIL PASS only if your stay in the country for 10 consecutive years or more is verified by such written proof.

Note: Persons meeting conditions 1) or 2) above must be required to show proof of name at the point of purchase of an Exchange Order and obtaining a JAPAN RAIL PASS.

Acceptable written proof :

(1) Copy of your Overseas Residential Registration issued by the embassy or legation of Japan in the foreign country where you live (limited to an Overseas Residential Registration with a date of acceptance at least 10 years earlier)

(2) Certificate of Overseas Residence issued by the embassy or legation of Japan in the foreign country where you live (limited to a Certificate of Overseas Residence with a date at least 10 years earlier as the date on which your address (or place of temporary residence) was established as your present address)

(3) As a special case limited to the USA, Brazil, and Canada, the Permanent Resident Card issued by these 3 countries can be used as written proof until further notice (limited to a Permanent Resident Card confirming your stay in the relevant country for 10years or more).

In regard to (1), if a single copy of your Overseas Residential Registration verifies that any family members living with you in the country have stayed for 10 consecutive years or more, such a document is valid for those family members.
Concerning children (under 12 years of age) whose stay in the country is less than 10 years at the time of purchase of an Exchange Order, if a single copy of the Overseas Residential Registration stated in (1) verifies that they live together with the applicant whose stay in the country is 10 consecutive years or more, and if they also use the JAPAN RAIL PASS together with that applicant, their eligibility requirements are satisfied.
The copy of the Overseas Residential Registration and the Certificate of Overseas Residence are only valid for 6 months after the date of issue.
You cannot use a photocopy of your written proof to purchase an Exchange Order or to exchange your Exchange Order for a JAPAN RAIL PASS.
Definition of “10years or more”: At the time of purchase of an Exchange Order, a date in the same month 10 years earlier or before is valid.
Example : In the case of the purchase of an Exchange Order on June 1, 2017, a date any time in June 2007 or earlier is valid. (A date between June 1 and June 30, 2007 is deemed as “June 2007” and valid.)
You can purchase an Exchange Order and exchange it for a JAPAN RAIL PASS only if you can present any one of the written proof described in the above (1) to (3).
New Zealand Residents traveling on a Japanese Passport are not allowed to purchase JR East, West, Hokkaido or Sanyo-Shikoku-Kyushu Rail Passes.

DELIVERY :

Travel Japan is not liable for lost or misplaced passes.
You can pick up your Japan Rail Pass up to a day in advance. (exclude Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays)
Should you choose "Delivery" and your departure is during the public holiday season or within 1 week, please contact your nears.
If you are ordering only JR East Passes, please select the Pick-up from Nearest Branch option. The passes will be emailed to you as electronic vouchers. (JR East pass only)

VALIDITY for JAPAN RAIL PASS :

The valid period of a JAPAN RAIL PASS is the consecutive 7, 14, or 21 days beginning on the date the PASS is first used.
Within three months from the date the Exchange Order was issued, you must exchange your Exchange Order to obtain their JAPAN RAIL PASS. At that time, it is necessary to specify the date that you want to start using the PASS. It can be any date within one month from the date the PASS is received.
Once the PASS has a starting date written on it, the date cannot be changed.

REISSUE :

If passes have been issued incorrectly due to the spelling of a name, passenger details or type of class an amendment fee of NZD40 per pass will be applied.
Neither an order nor a pass can be reissued if lost or stolen. Please ensure its safekeeping.

REFUND :

An Exchange Order that has not been exchanged for a JAPAN RAIL PASS can be returned to our office for a refund, within one year of the date of issue. In such case NZD$130 refund processing fee per ticket will be charged.
After an Exchange Order is exchanged for a JAPAN RAIL PASS, the PASS can be presented to any JAPAN RAIL PASS exchange office in Japan for a refund if this is done before the starting date of the PASS. (Ten percent of the Japanese yen price of the PASS will be charged as a handling fee.)
An Exchange Order that has not been exchanged for a JAPAN REGIONAL PASS can be returned to our office for a refund, within one year of the date of issue. In such case a 20% refund processing fee per ticket will be charged.
Also no refund or extension of the validity period can be made in the event of a train non-operation, delay, or the like.
For future travel. Credit card surcharge is non refundable.

CONDITIONS of USE :

Only the person whose name is inscribed on the face of the pass can use it.
The holder must carry a valid passport when using the pass.
The pass can be used on limited express trains of the Kyushu Railway Co., in ordinary reserved and non-reserved seating, and on ordinary trains of the Kyushu Railway Co. in the designated area for the pass. The All Kyushu Area Rail Pass can also be used for Kyushu Shinkansen Bullet trains.
No refund can be made even if there are no available reserved seats and the holder must use non-reserved seating.
If the holder travels on a Green Car, the Green Car charge will be assessed in addition to the ordinary express charge. The pass cannot be used for private compartments.
The pass cannot be used on sleeper trains, the Sanyo Shinkansen “bullet” train, or JR Kyushu buses.
The pass cannot be used for fares on connecting or other train lines not operated by Kyushu Railway Co.
The holder will be required to pay applicable fares incurred as a result of riding beyond the designated area for this pass.
No refund can be made even if there are no available reserved seats and the holder must use non-reserved seating.