Need Help: Travel during golden week 2024

Hi there,

You'll be able to activate the exchange order for the JR Pass up to 3 months after purchase, so in your case you can purchase it at any time provided you leave enough time for the exchange order to be shipped to you.

You'll only be able to make seat reservations after you've exchanged your order and set an activation date. When you arrive in Japan you can exchange the order straight away at a ticket office and set the activation date from the 30th, but be able to reserve your seats 3 days prior to this to ensure you are able to reserve a seat.

If you need to give up a reserved seat it isn't a big problem, as you don't pay any additional cost for seat reservations - as long as you reserve another seat you'll be fine.

Hope this helps!

Alexis