Want to see Japan by rail? One ticket grants passengers the privilege of riding any JR Railway Line regular or rapid service train anywhere in Japan!
The Seishun 18 Ticket (the 18 is read, “juhachi”) is one of the most cost effective train passes available. It goes on sale three times a year, costs ¥11,850 at the time of writing, and provides the bearer with 5 days (consecutive or non-consecutive) of unlimited rail travel on all regular local or rapid train services anywhere in Japan during the ticket’s period of validity. The pass is not valid on the Shinkansen or any limited express train services. While this does slow the speed of one’s travel, it does grant the opportunity to get on and off the train and explore Japanese towns at will, or to travel as far as the day and train schedules will allow for just ¥2,370 per day!
The Seishun 18 Ticket may also be used by groups of up to 5 people. The ticket has five boxes that train or station staff stamp to validate each day’s travel or the day’s travel for each person in the group (i.e. a group of 5 people would use up the ticket’s validity in one day). Despite a common belief that the ticket is only for college students, “seishun” means youth, the Seishun 18 Ticket may be purchased and used by anyone. Spring season Seishun 18 Tickets are on sale from February 20th to March 31st and valid from March 1st to April 10th, summer season tickets go on sale from July 1st to August 31st and are valid from July 20th to September 10th, and winter season tickets are on sale from December 1st to December 31st and are valid from December 20th to January 20th of the following year.
Works consulted:
https://www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass/seishun18.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2362.html
http://wikitravel.org/en/Seishun_18_Ticket
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seishun_18_Ticket
https://tokyocheapo.com/travel/holidays/the-seishun-18-ticket-and-5-escape-routes-from-tokyo/
https://www.marguerite.jp/English/Railroads/Seishun18-Rule.html
http://www.nic-nagoya.or.jp/en/e/archives/375
Photo credits
“Seishun 18 Ticket with One Stamp” This public domain image from Wikipedia creative commons user Gamy-Gamy-Gamy is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E9%9D%92%E6%98%A518%E3%81%8D%E3%81%A3%E3%81%B7%EF%BC%88%E6%99%AE%E9%80%9A%E5%88%97%E8%BB%8A%E4%B9%97%E8%BB%8A%E5%88%B8%EF%BC%89.jpg
“Gono Line Train Tracks.” This Flickr creative commons image from user ume-y is freely available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/ume-y/7809661404 under the cc by 2.0 license.
“Train on Curve.” This Wikipedia creative commons image from user N1838 is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E9%AB%98%E5%B1%B1%E7%B7%9A%E3%82%92%E8%B5%B0%E8%A1%8C%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E3%82%AD%E3%83%8F40%E5%BD%A2.JPG under the cc sa 3.0 license.
“Train Crossing a Bridge.” This Wikipedia creative commons image from かときち is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tadami_Line_No.3_bridge.jpg under the cc 2.1 Japan license.