If you are planning on traveling to Japan anytime soon, I highly recommend getting a JR Pass and a Pocket WiFi because these are basically a lifesaver and made traveling so much easier for us.
What is a JR Pass?
A JR Pass is for foreigners who are traveling to Japan with the status “Temporary Visitor” and it allows the travelers unlimited use of the JR Group Railways-Shinkansen “bullet trains” (some restrictions apply). The JR Pass must be purchased before traveling to Japan. You will receive a voucher, which you will take with you to Japan to exchange for the JR Pass.
How much does a JR Pass cost?
This is from their website:
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Type:
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Green
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Ordinary
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Duration
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Adult
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Child
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Adult
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Child
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7-day
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38,880 YEN
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19,440 YEN
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29,110 YEN
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14,550 YEN
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14-day
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62,950 YEN
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31,470 YEN
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46,390 YEN
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23,190 YEN
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21-day
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81,870 YEN
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40,930 YEN
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59,350 YEN
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29,670 YEN
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The difference between the Green and Ordinary is the different train cars you can travel on. Green is like VIP/ First Class, whereas Ordinary is regular cars. I found the JR Pass to be quite cost efficient. For example:
– Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima: Fare is ¥9,710
– Shin-Osaka to Kyoto: Fare is ¥1,420
– Shin-Osaka to Nara: Fare is ¥690
– Shin-Osaka to Tokyo: ¥13,620
Also, the JR Pass was quite helpful in Osaka, as the JR Lines in Osaka are: Osaka Kanjo Line (Osaka Loop Line), Kansai Line, Yumesaki Line, JR Tozai Line, and Kobe/Kyoto Line
Pocket WiFi?
A pocket WiFi is a portable device that provides mobile devices with continuous internet connection. I found this very helpful as it gave us access to the internet 24/7. Our connection was at 4G speed, but I found it to be as fast as my standard LTE. We were able to have access to Google Maps, Google Translate, Yelp, InstaGram, Facebook, etc. everywhere we went. I highly recommend getting a pocket WiFi!
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