Job Discussion Forums

freddie's friend daniel · Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 84 Location: Osaka-fu

We have a plane load of guests coming to visit us here in Japan this year and they will all be armed with their Japan Rail Passes. Now, I know that they are only available for purchase outside Japan and that they are only for tourists to Japan rather than long-term residents but...
..I have two passports. One has my residency visa and whatnot in it, the other hasn't been stamped at all. Is there any way to wangle the JRP for myself using this second passport? How carefully do they scruinize your passport at the station when you pick up your ticket? I guess they would be expecting to find an entry stamp (which my second passport doesn't have because I don't use it to enter Japan) so that would make it impossible, right?

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

I don't work for JR, but if I saw a passport with no entry stamp in it from a person who wants to redeem his JR Rail Pass, I would be highly suspicious. Can't tell you how closely they look at these sorts of things, but they are not stupid and have probably been given a list of certain types of scams to look out for.

How would you even buy the voucher if you aren't outside of Japan?

Celeste · Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 2:16 am Post subject:

A friend of mine tried to do this same thing and was unable to - granted, this was 2 years ago. I have no recent information.

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

freddie's friend daniel · Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 84 Location: Osaka-fu

Yeah, guys, that's what I thought.

Glenski, I was going to buy it on my next trip home. You've got three months to swap your exchange order for a ticket.

Oh well. Maybe my family will subsidize my shinkansen tickets when I accompany them round the country!

Cheers for the comments.

ironopolis · Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Posts: 379

daniel,

It's NOT impossible at all, it's quite easy in fact to get and be able to use the JR pass when you're resident in Japan and not supposed to, but not in the way you were thinking of. I've seen it done many times.

I've PMed you with an explanation.

AndyH · Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 417

A co-worker of mine was able to get one when his family visited from the US last X-Mas vacation. I think he just got lucky.

bshabu · Joined: 03 Apr 2003 Posts: 200 Location: Kumagaya

I have heard stories of both success and failure. Sometimes they don't look at the entry stamp.

markle · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 1316 Location: Out of Japan

I have heard a story of a group of 8 people travelling around on 2 JR passes. Involved a lot of hiding in train toilets, deep sleeping and the like but apparently it was part of the fun.

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

thx markle!

i was beginning to get fed up of all the 'it is illegal; you will be arrested, confiscated, shaggedupthebum and deported' doom and gloom.

Ｗｈａｔｅｖｅｒ happened to people's sense of adventure?

Eight people on 2 rail passes! Way to go! My kind of peeps!

And to anyone who wants to drone on with 'cheating the Japanese railtraveller' bollox - Get a life We is all humans and I hereby give all Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, Korean, Martian, whoevers my total blessing to travel on any railway in the world as best they can.

Ｔｈｅｙ should all be free anyway!

agraham · Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 6

homersimpson · Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 569 Location: Kagoshima

agraham · Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 6

Oh right...

ava77 · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Posts: 100

I had no problem my mother purchased two passes in canada in her name then when she arrived she validated them at two different stations. We didnt have any trouble. It is worth a try if they wont do it you can still get a refund on the railpass if it isnt activated. It is way cheaper!!!

Nagoyaguy · Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 425 Location: Aichi, Japan