If you plan to visit other cities or places in Japan than just Tokyo, the JR Pass (Japan Rail Pass) is ideal for this purpose, as it allows you to travel very quickly over considerable distances. The ticket is valid throughout Japan, can also be used on Shinkasen and can be used to reserve seats on the train.
The ticket can be ordered online via the website JRPass.com, you can either pick it up directly at the airport, where a company representative will be waiting for you, or have it delivered to your home by courier (a cheaper option). I chose the latter option and the ticket arrived without any problems 3 days after ordering. More precisely – the courier will only deliver the ticket coupon, but this coupon is linked to the name of the customer and if you forget it at home, you are out of luck, because you need it to exchange it for a ticket in Japan. After arriving at Narita or Haneda airport, just go to the JR Pass office and there, after proving your identity and handing in the coupon, you will receive a small card – your JR Pass.
The JR Pass is about the size of a business card and is therefore conveniently stowable. Every time you arrive or leave the station, you need to insert your ticket into the entrance gate that the ticket passes through – be careful – don’t forget to always take your ticket, because it enters the gate at one end and exits at the other!
The JR Pass can be ordered for 7, 14 or 21 days and can be used on most train lines in Japan. However, I recommend always planning your trip well and checking if it is possible to use the ticket on the planned connection. Some cities, such as Fukuoka, are connected to Tokyo by a bullet train, but it is a different company and the JR Pass cannot be used there. You can find more about this here: https://www.jrpass.com/trains-in-japan
The JR Pass cannot be used on the subway, but since the Shinkansen stops at several places in Tokyo, it is possible to travel to certain places with the JR Pass.
A great tool for planning your trips is the distance calculator on the JRPass.com website – https://www.jrpass.com/farecalculator. It will show you not only possible routes, but also the distance, travel time and also the price compared to the regular price you would pay without a JR Pass.
With a JR Pass, you can also reserve a seat on the train. Just go to the ticket window at the station and make a reservation. In this regard, I always recommend arriving well in advance, as some stations are incredibly full of passengers and you may not be able to make a reservation in time. However, it is possible to travel without a reservation. Most trains have 3 carriages reserved for passengers without reservations.
