Booking Tokaido Shinkansen tickets.

I arrive in Tokyo on May 20th and wish to purchase tickets to Kyoto the following day (Weds) and return on the Saturday, what is the easiest option to buy tickets. any advice appreciated.

Booking Tokaido Shinkansen tickets.

The good thing is there is no major holiday during that time period.

When you arrive at Narita Airport, you can make all JR train reservations you like at the JR train station reservation office.

Note that you should consider purchasing a ';JAPAN RAIL PASS'; from your home country. A Japan Rail Pass allows you unlimited JR train rides (except Nozomi Shinkansen), the price will come out to about the same if you were to purchase the tickets separately.

The Japan Rail Pass can only be purchased outside of Japan.

http://www.japanrailpass.net/

Booking Tokaido Shinkansen tickets.

Thanks you Tokyosubway, if i purchased that ticket on arrival would i be able to also use it on the Narita express train?

If you are referring to the JR Pass, you must purchase it before you arrive Japan. You can then activate it when you arrive and use it on NEX.

Note that depending on your itinerary, activating it for immediate use on NEX does not always save you the most money. You can post your plans here and get feedback on this issue.

General train schedules and fares:

http://www.hyperdia.com

I will be arriving at @09:30 at Narita then staying overnight at Shinagawa Prince hotel ( i believe close to station) Probably leave at @09:30 for kyoto, return to Tokyo (Shinjuku) on Sat 23 May @12-1300, leave Tokyo 26 May.

I have been given a price of JR Pass of 拢207, is this the normal or near enough price?

If you get a 7 day JR pass yes it makes good sense.

It does not matter if you activate it the night you arrive, because you arrive on a Tuesday, taking the NEX to Tokyo, and leaving on the Shinkansen on Wed and you are back in Tokyo by Saturday, thats all within 7 days and perfect range for the Japan Rail Pass.

A roundtrip ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto plus the Narita Express ticket would probably equal the price of a regular 7 day JR pass already.

May 20th is a Wednsday, so when you mean following day I assume you either mean you are arriving on a Tuesday the 19th or leaving on Thursday the 21st. Either case it doesn%26#39;t matter your return is still within 7 days, and it works out fine.

Assuming you arrive on Tuesday the 19th then your pass will expire on the 26th when you leave, but you can easily purchase a one way ticket back to Narita Airport.

Assuming you arrive on Wednesday the 20th, then your pass will be valid throughout your entire trip in Japan.

Yes the JR pass covers the Narita Express, the Narita Express is a JR Train.

Again I stress, you need to purchase the JR pass outside of Japan.

When you arrive in Japan you still need to make seat reservations (which are FREE with the JR Pass) for the Narita Express.

';Assuming you arrive on Tuesday the 19th then your pass will expire on the 26th when you leave, but you can easily purchase a one way ticket back to Narita Airport.';

To be clear, your pass will expire on the 26th at midnight, so it is valid up to May 25th 11:59pm';

Again assuming you arrive and start using it on the 19th.

If you arrive and start using it on the 20th, then it is valid your entire trip.

Your advice greatly received.

On another note whilst you are so helpful, on our trip last year we had difficulty in finding the golden gai area from shinjuku, any handy tips?

Golden Gai near Hanazono Shrine:

tcvb.or.jp/en/鈥?shinjuku_map.gif

jnto.go.jp/eng/鈥rint_003_Shinjuku.pdf (PDF printable shinjuku map)

wikimapia.org/鈥?0Gai

metropolis.co.jp/tokyofeaturestories/364/tok鈥?/a>