Like I mentioned before the JR Rail Pass is exclusively available to foreign tourists. How is that defined? Essentially, you need to be someone who is visiting Japan on a temporary visitor visa. Basically, when you enter the country with your visa, as long as it’s not for business and you haven’t lived in Japan recently, they will stamp in your Passport that you are a temporary visitor. So it is not available to you if you are a Japanese citizen or foreign resident living in Japan.

Just to be sure everything is in order, These are the eligibility requirements you must meet to purchase a JR Rail Pass:

· You must be a foreign national visiting Japan on a temporary visitor visa.

· You must be entering Japan for sightseeing or other purposes, such as visiting friends or relatives.

· You must be entering Japan with the intention of leaving the country again at the end of your visit.

· To purchase a JR Rail Pass, you will need to provide proof of your temporary visitor status and your travel plans, such as a copy of your passport and a return flight ticket.

Please note that the JR Rail Pass is not available to foreign residents of Japan or Japanese citizens, even if they are visiting from abroad. Additionally, the pass cannot be initially purchased within Japan. It must be purchased before arriving. After which, you can exchange the ticket for a physical pass at a designated exchange office.

There are essentially 4 factors, or options, that can affect the cost of your JR Rail Pass tickets:

1. Your Age - essentially if you're buying a ticket for an adult or young child. (Children are cheaper... You probably guessed that...)

2. Where you purchase the tickets for the pass - It's cheapest to pick up tickets from a JR designated tourist agency or office, but most people pick it up online which is slightly more expensive.

3. How long you want the pass to last - The JR Rail pass has 3 options for the length of time that it can be used. It can be a 7 day pass, 14 day pass, or a 21 day pass.

4. Do you want to ordinary car or green car pass - Essentially green cars are just slightly nicer and because they cost more they are a little less crowded. The two cons are that it cost more to use them and they required reserved seats, which you can reserve seats at no additional cost, but it's less convienient. If you're planning your first trip, I'd recommend just sticking to the ordinary pass. It's perfectly acceptable and easy to use.