When I go to Japan to run my marathon next March, I plan to use a Japan Rail Pass. The Japan Rail Pass pretty much pays for itself just by using it to travel from Narita International Airport into Tokyo and back. I plan to buy a seven-day pass and arrive in Tokyo two days before my marathon. For example, if I get into the Tokyo Marathon on March 22nd, I’ll arrive in Tokyo on March 20th, and since I’ll have a seven-day pass, I’ll stay in Japan for a full week and leave on March 26th. That will give me three full days after the marathon to just hang out, although I assume I’ll be pretty sore at that point. I’ll have unlimited access to almost all transportation provided by Japan Railways (JR), so I should be able to enjoy myself there. It would be nice to stay even longer than a week, but I don’t think I could afford a hotel in Tokyo for any longer than that!

Tags: marathon, marathons, Tokyo Marathon, running, Japan Rail Pass