How to use Japanese service tickets

1. About the administrative divisions of Japan

Japan is divided into capital, prefecture, prefecture and county (equivalent to our provincial administrative regions)

2. Japan Rail Pass

The Japan Rail Pass, as the name suggests, is a pass that allows you to ride any train operated by JR within a certain date (it also includes buses and ferries operated by JR). Only available to short-term tourists with non-Japanese passports.

First of all, you need to bring your passport and exchange ticket (the invoice-like thing you bought before departure) to the JR designated exchange point to exchange for a pass. Usually larger JR train stations and tourist service centers will provide ticket exchange services.

When exchanging tickets, you will be asked to fill in some basic information, as well as the effective date of the pass, which is the day you want to activate your pass. (Friends, please plan your itinerary and make good use of the pass)

When entering and exiting the station, there is usually a passage at the far side with a manned window. Just use that passage and show your pass to the station staff. If there is no manual passage, you will need to ask station staff for help.

Reserve seats. Shinkansen carriages are divided into unreserved seats and reserved seats. The so-called unreserved seats are carriages where you can sit without reservation, while reserved seats are all carriages with reserved seats. If you have enough time, it is recommended to reserve seats in advance. With the pass, you can go to the manual ticket window to reserve train seats (of course, only Shinkansen and longer-distance trains can). Generally, fast, express, and limited express trains are similar to the subway layout and do not provide seat reservations.