Do I need to buy the pass in advance?

Hi there,

The nationwide Japan Rail Pass can only be purchased outside Japan up to 3 months in advance of the date of activation in Japan. For example if you were to purchase a Japan Rail Pass today, the last date which you could activate it for use in Japan would be Sept 20th.

I hope this helps!

ok 3 months is the maximun, but my question is - what is the minimum?

You can purchase a rail pass immediately and use it as soon as you arrive in Japan. We do ask for a short amount of time to deliver your rail pass to you (2-4 days, depending on your delivery location), but once you have it you can use it straight away.

Hope this helps!