Buses
Japan Rail buses
JR Pass holders enjoy access to the comfortable local lines of JR Bus at no extra cost. Discover more about the JR bus lines and how to use them.
Buses covered by the Japan Rail Pass
The JR Pass includes the services of local buses, spread throughout Japan, allowing access to JR local bus lines operated by:
These buses are easily recognizable by the JR logo on the front of the bus. The fast highway buses are not part of this list.

Features of the JR Buses
How to use the Japanese local buses
While the Japan Rail Pass serves all the main tourist routes, some travelers prefer to discover less trodden paths. Small towns and villages are generally only accessible by local buses which are punctual and comfortable. The payment process for Japanese local buses, outlined below, is different from most standard methods.
Note
The process mentioned above does not apply to all buses in Japan. In the big cities such as Tokyo and Kyoto you pay a single flat fare, which means that no matter how far you go, you always pay the same price.