"koneko" wrote in message
ups.com...
Thank you once again, everyone. You've saved me a lot of time,
trouble, worry, and money! I looked up the map of Narita online, as
suggested above, and I think I know where to find the JR counter.

Really, you can't miss it. As soon as you leave the
customs area, you will see ample signage directing you
to the JR station.


might just pick up a shinkansen ticket as soon as we get into Tokyo.
Or, I can wait until we get into Tokyo and get to one of the stations
as also mentioned above and purchase the ticket then. That makes an
awful lot of sense! I guess there's really no need for me to depend on
the agency to make those reservations, huh? And I should be able to
get 2 tickets easily, right, as long as I don't wait until the day of
travel?

Agreed; while you MIGHT be OK in waiting until the
day of travel to get the ticket, there is some risk involved
with that - and as long as you know when you want to leave
anyway, and are reasonably certain of being able to get to the
station on time, why wait? Get your tickets 2-3 days in advance,
and then don't worry about it.


And just to confirm... the JR pass works for both the shinkansen
(except the nozomi), and the JR metro trains in Tokyo, yes? thank you
for the tip!!

Yes.


Also... where is the "Station" from which the shinkansen depart in
Tokyo?

The shinkansen departs from several of the major stations
in the Tokyo area. Toyko station itself, and Shinagawa
station on the south side of the city, are probably the easiest
for catching a train to Kyoto. By the way, it may be best for
you to spend the money on a taxi to the station when leaving
for Kyoto; while it's obviously possible to get to the right
station using the local trains, please keep in mind that hauling
you luggage around may be more of a problem than you want
to deal with - and the local train have basically no space for
luggage; you'll have to keep it with you the whole way.

I was a little confused with that. Do hotels usually have
shuttles that go back and forth to the stations?

Some do, especially those in the vicinities of Shinjuku and
Tokyo stations. (In Shinagawa, the major hotels are directly
across the street from the station.) You should, if possible,
contact your hotel in advance to find out.

Is it possible to
take the bus? I am worried about how expensive it will be in Tokyo to
take a cab, when we get back there from the Shinkansen!

Possible, yes, but I wouldn't recommend the bus for the
first-time visitor. Of the various forms of public transport in
Japan, the bus is the least English-language-friendly by a
wide margin. Taxis aren't all that expensive in Tokyo, either.


I read that carrying suitcases on the shinkansen is a huge pain... what
do people usually do?

There's not a huge amount of baggage storage on the shinkansen,
but then most of the people on the train won't have that much
baggage. (The shinkansen is in large part used for business travel,
so many of the passengers are just travelling for the day or at
most overnight with a small bag.) There is a small storage
compartment at either end of each car for larger items. If you
can be in line for your car early (the places where each car will
stop are marked on the platform), then you should be able to be
one of the first aboard and will have little trouble finding a place
for your suitcases there.

I realize I am going to be in big trouble, as I
already know I am going to by a lot of goodies, and I'm the first to
admit that I'm no weight-lifter!

For your trip to Kyoto, you may want to consider leaving part
of your baggage, including souvenirs, etc., in Tokyo for the
short time you'll be away. Ask you concierge at the hotel if
they can store it for you, or see if you can find storage lockers
at the train stations.


Thanks again, everyone for being so patient with all my questions, and
for being so kind and sharing all your knowledge! You are really
wonderful!!


Glad to help, and I hope you enjoy your visit to Japan!

Bob M.