User Guide
Ticketing
- Please be aware that You CANNOT board with the QR code that you will receive after your order. You need to acquire your physical tickets using the QR code before boarding the train.
- After receiving your QR code, you can check how to board the Shinkansen via your My Page.
Receive your tickets
To receive your physical tickets, please visit a designated JR station and find a “Reserved Seat Ticket Vending Machine / 指定席券売機”. Those machines are normally situated near ticket gates.
Reserved Seat Ticket Vending Machine
Eki-net (えきねっと) Logo
e5489 Logo
| Receiving Places |
* At some stations, there are JR Ticket Offices (Midori-no-madoguchi) where you can also receive tickets. Please inform the staff that you wish to receive tickets with your QR code. However, the station staff may not be able to speak your language, so we recommend using the ticket machines for ticket retrieval. |
|---|---|
| Available time for receiving | Reserved seat ticket machines may be used between 5:30AM and 11:30PM (Japan Standard Time), and JR Ticket Offices (Midori-no-madoguchi) between 4:30AM and 11:30PM (Japan Standard Time). If your train departs before the machines open, collect your tickets the day before. * However, this is limited to operating hours of the station. |
- You cannot receive your physical tickets outside Japan.
- Collect your tickets well before departure—ideally earlier in the day or, if your booking allows, the day before. Pickup locations and operating hours vary by station, and queues can form.
Identify ticket exchange machine
You can only exchange tickets at JR East machines. Look for JR East machines that handle Shinkansen tickets, identified by the Midori-no-Madoguchi (みどりの窓口) or Eki-net (えきねっと) logos. In stations, numerous signs display these logos. Follow these signs to locate the correct machines.
Midori-no-Madoguchi Logo
Midori-no-Madoguchi Logo
Midori-no-Madoguchi Logo (Left) Ekinetto Logo (Right)
Midori-no-Madoguchi Logo (Left) Ekinetto Logo (Right)
How to use the machine
Use your QR code to collect your paper ticket(s). The screens and number of steps vary by machine and station, so the examples below may look slightly different from the machine in front of you.
Select the language you wish to use.
Select “Read QR code.” If there is no “Read QR code” option, choose “Pick up Tickets.”
Select “JR-EAST Train Reservation”. This screen does not appear on every machine — if you do not see it, continue to the next step.
Hold the QR code flat in front of the scanner. If it does not scan, increase your screen brightness, make sure the full code is visible, and reduce glare.
- These are sample images. The screens may be different between ticketing machines.
Ticket types
Depending on your booking, the basic fare and limited-express components may be printed separately or combined. If you receive separate tickets, insert the applicable paper tickets together at the Shinkansen gate and take back every ticket returned by the gate.
Boarding Ticket / 乗車券
This ticket, also known as a "切符" (fare ticket), is required when passing through the station's ticket gates. The fare varies depending on the distance of your journey. Regardless of whether you choose a Reserved seat, Unreserved seat, or Green-Car seat, the boarding ticket cost remains the same.
Limited Express Ticket / 特急券
This ticket is issued based on a special fare for riding Shinkansen or limited express trains. When passing through the Shinkansen station gates, it should be used in conjunction with the boarding ticket. The fare for limited express tickets may vary depending on the seat type and train. (In some cases, the boarding ticket and limited express ticket may be integrated into a single ticket.)
