Originally Posted by
Kallio
If you want to visit Kyoto or Himeji, JR Kansai Area Pass for one day is a very good deal. It covers Haruka Express and local JR trains in the area and costs less than $20. It can be ordered online or purchased from JR station at KIX.
http://www.japan-rail-pass.com/pass-...pass?ap=j0095g
Great point. I hadn't even thought about the day pass since I'm generally traveling with my Japanese SO so ineligible (at least she is). For the OP this is a great deal.
Quite curious, I know the main JR nationwide pass is only available to tourists (and they checked closely for the tourist entry stamp in my passport to issue it when I used one years ago), also the Narita Express discounted deal is supposed to be for tourists only, so residents like myself are at least technically ineligible. For these regional passes like the Kansai Pass mentioned here, the English website only says that a foreign passport is needed, it makes no mention of having a tourist entry stamp (sticker), have any other foreign residents had success in buying these?