Midori no Madoguchi: JR Ticket Offices in Japan

Midori no Madoguchi Overview and Services

The Midori no Madoguchi is the staffed ticket office of Japan's JR railway companies, and it is where you go when you want a person, not a machine, to sort out your train tickets. The name means "green window", after the green seat symbol on the sign.

In English the sign says JR Ticket Office.

It is part of the JR network only. Tokyo Metro, Toei subway and private railways such as Keisei or Odakyu have their own counters. This page is part of our Japan travel tips for first-timers.

What is Midori no Madoguchi?

It is a counter, usually near the main ticket gates, run by JR East, JR Central, JR West and the other JR companies at their larger stations. Staff sell every kind of JR ticket, and at the busy stations used by visitors, some of them speak English.

Bigger stations around Tokyo, at Narita and Haneda, and in Kyoto and Osaka also have a Travel Service Center for overseas visitors, which does the same work plus passes and sightseeing help.

Services offered at Midori no Madoguchi

At the counter you can do the following.

• Buy Shinkansen and limited express tickets, including the Green Car (first class).
• Reserve seats, for example a row together for a family, or the side of the train you want.
• Exchange or activate a Japan Rail Pass, and reserve seats with it at no charge.
• Change or refund a ticket you bought earlier.
• Buy special and discount tickets that machines do not sell.
• Ask for a route, and have the staff write the train, car and seat numbers down for you.

Midori no Madoguchi Locations in Japan

You will find a Midori no Madoguchi at the big JR stations, such as Tokyo, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno, Shinagawa, Ikebukuro, both airport stations at Narita, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka. Small and suburban stations often have only machines now.

Midori no Madoguchi at Tokyo Station

Tokyo Station has JR ticket offices for the JR East lines and, separately, for the Tokaido Shinkansen run by JR Central. For visitors, the easiest stop is the JR EAST Travel Service Center, inside JAPAN RAIL CAFE on the ground floor of GRAN TOKYO NORTH TOWER, outside the Yaesu Central Exit.

It opens 8:30 to 19:00, every day of the year, and also exchanges passes. Our Tokyo Station guide explains the two sides of the station.

If you are about to board the Tokaido Shinkansen to Kyoto or Osaka, use the JR Central ticket office by the Shinkansen gates on the Yaesu side. For the Tohoku, Hokuriku or Joetsu Shinkansen, and for JR East passes, use a JR East counter.

Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno and Ikebukuro

Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno and Ikebukuro all have JR ticket offices, and Shinjuku and Shibuya also have JR EAST Travel Service Centers.

How to find a Midori no Madoguchi near you

Inside a JR station, follow the signs to the main ticket gates and look for the green sign with the seated figure and "JR Ticket Office". It is usually outside the gates, next to the ticket machines.

On Google Maps, search for "JR Ticket Office" plus the station name, since that is how most counters are listed in English. If your nearest station is small and shows no result, assume it has machines only and go to the next big JR station on your route.

Midori no Madoguchi at the airports and regional hubs

Station	Counter	Hours
Narita Airport Terminal 1	JR Ticket Office	6:30 to 21:45
Narita Airport Terminal 1	JR EAST Travel Service Center	8:30 to 19:00
Narita Airport Terminal 2·3	JR EAST Travel Service Center	8:30 to 20:00
Kyoto	Ticket office for overseas visitors	8:00 to 20:00 (general counter 5:30 to 23:00)
Kansai Airport	Counter with English and Chinese	5:30 to 23:00

Hours were checked on the JR websites in October 2026 and do change, so look up your station before you rely on it.

Stations without Midori no Madoguchi

From 2021, JR East closed the ticket office at many smaller stations and replaced it with machines and online booking. In 2024 it paused further closures after long queues at the remaining counters, and it reopens some closed counters in the busiest seasons.

If your station has no counter, use a reserved-seat ticket machine, book online, or ask at the station window by the gates.

Midori no Madoguchi Opening Hours and Peak Times

Opening hours depend on the station. The airport and big-city counters open early and close late, while smaller stations may close by early evening. The Travel Service Centers for visitors keep shorter office hours, roughly 8:30 to 19:00 or 20:00.

Standard operating hours

As a rule, expect the counters at major stations to be open from early morning to late evening, and the visitor centers to open after 8:00 and close by 20:00. If you need help in English by phone, the JR East Infoline (+81-50-2016-1603, 10:00 to 18:00) answers questions about fares, tickets and where the offices are, but does not take bookings.

Best times to visit the ticket office

Go mid-morning or early afternoon on a weekday. Queues are longest at these times.

• In the morning and evening rush (about 7:00 to 9:00 and 17:00 to 19:00).
• On the first morning of a trip, when everyone exchanges their JR Pass at the airport.
• In Golden Week (late April to early May), Obon (mid-August) and the New Year holidays.
• In late March and early April, when students and commuters renew passes.

Reserved seats go on sale at 10:00 one month before the travel date, so if you know your dates, buy early rather than on the day.

Midori no Madoguchi and the Japan Rail Pass

The Midori no Madoguchi is where most visitors first collect or activate a Japan Rail Pass, and where pass holders reserve seats at no extra charge. You show your passport, and the staff issue the pass and any seat tickets you ask for.

There is a quicker route for passes bought online. They can be picked up at reserved-seat ticket machines with a passport reader, which also reserve seats.

If the machine cannot read your passport, the counter will do it. Our Japan Rail Pass guide does the sums on whether a pass saves money on your trip.

Midori no Madoguchi Alternatives for Buying Tickets

For most single journeys you do not need the counter at all. The machines and the official booking sites sell the same tickets, in English, without the queue.

JR ticket machines

The reserved-seat ticket machines (look for the Shinkansen or "Reserved" signs above them) sell Shinkansen and limited express tickets and reserve seats. On JR East they work in English, Chinese and Korean, and take ¥1,000, ¥2,000, ¥5,000 and ¥10,000 notes and credit cards.

Some discount and special tickets, and complicated changes, still need the counter.

Online reservations and apps

• smartEX for the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen (Tokyo to Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Fukuoka). You can ride with a QR code or an IC card, so there is no ticket to collect.
• JR-EAST Train Reservation for the Tohoku, Hokuriku, Joetsu, Yamagata and Akita Shinkansen and the Narita Express. Tickets are collected at a machine or the counter.
• JR West's online booking for western Japan and the Kansai area.

Our guide to cheap Shinkansen tickets shows which online fares are lower than the counter price.

Travel agencies and third-party platforms

Travel agencies in and near the stations, and sites such as Klook, also sell JR tickets and passes. They are convenient, but they are not cheaper than JR's own sites, and you may still have to collect tickets at a machine or counter, so read the pick-up conditions before you pay.

Midori no Madoguchi with Kids

With children, one job is worth the queue at the counter, which is getting the whole family's seats together on a long ride. Staff can find a row of three, or two facing pairs, more easily than you can on a small machine screen.

The JR rules for children are the same at the counter as everywhere else.

• Ages 12 and over pay the adult fare (12-year-olds still in primary school pay the child fare).
• Ages 6 to 11 pay half. The Green Car charge is not discounted.
• Under 6 ride free, up to two per paying adult or child, if they sit on a lap or share a seat. A child under 6 with their own reserved seat pays the child fare.

Before a longer ride, ask for a seat at the back of the car, where there is space behind the last row for a folded stroller. Our guide to the Shinkansen in Japan covers luggage and stroller rules on board.

Midori no Madoguchi Etiquette and Tips

The counter goes fastest when you arrive with your plan written down. Staff can read a note much faster than they can work out a route from a conversation.

Preparing for your ticket purchase

Write these down, or show them on your phone.

1. From and to, by station name (for example "Tokyo to Kyoto").
2. Date and rough time, or the train name and number if you know it.
3. Number of adults and children, with the children's ages.
4. Reserved, non-reserved or Green Car, and window or aisle.
5. Your passport, if you have a pass or a ticket for overseas visitors.

Cash and major credit cards are accepted at the counters at major stations.

Language support and English assistance

At the airports and the big Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka stations, there is usually someone who can serve you in English, and the visitor centers are staffed for it. At a small station, a written note with station names is enough.

Staff will write the platform, car and seat numbers back for you.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming every station has a counter. Smaller stations may have machines only.
• Assuming the counter is open late. Visitor centers close in the early evening.
• Queuing for something a machine can do. A single reserved seat is quicker at the machine.
• Leaving long trips to the day. In holiday periods, Nozomi trains can be fully reserved.

If you would rather not deal with tickets at all on a day out, our private Tokyo tour with kids handles the trains for you, and on our custom private tours we can plan the rail legs to Kamakura, Hakone or Yokohama.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Midori no Madoguchi at Tokyo Station?

For visitors, the easiest counter is the JR EAST Travel Service Center, open 8:30 to 19:00 every day, which also exchanges Japan Rail Passes. JR Central runs separate ticket offices for the Tokaido Shinkansen on the Yaesu side.

What does Midori no Madoguchi mean?

It means "green window". It is the staffed JR ticket office, named after the green seat symbol on its sign. In English the sign says "JR Ticket Office".

Are Midori no Madoguchi open every day?

The offices at major stations open every day, but hours vary by station, and visitor centers keep shorter hours, such as 8:30 to 19:00 at Tokyo Station. Check the JR page for your station before you go.

Can I pick up tickets I reserved online at Midori no Madoguchi?

Yes for JR East and JR West bookings, which you can also collect at reserved-seat machines. SmartEX bookings for the Tokaido Shinkansen need no pick-up, because you ride with a QR code or IC card.

Can I exchange my Japan Rail Pass at Midori no Madoguchi?

Yes, at the ticket offices and Travel Service Centers that handle passes, with your passport. Passes bought online can also be picked up at reserved-seat machines with a passport reader.

Do Midori no Madoguchi staff speak English?

At the airports and the big stations in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, usually yes. Elsewhere, write the stations, date and number of passengers down, and staff will manage.

Is JR closing Midori no Madoguchi?

JR East closed ticket offices at many smaller stations from 2021, then paused further closures in 2024. Major stations keep their counters, and some closed ones reopen in peak seasons.

Sources

https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/customer_support/service_center_tokyo.html
https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/nex/tickets/
https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/pass/nex.html
https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/customer_support/infoline.html
https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/support/kyoto_station.html
https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/support/kansai_airport.html
https://japanrailpass.net/en/exchange/
https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/tickets/buy/
https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/tickets/type/adults_children.html