新幹線
I should be landing in Narita round 3pm
If you are firm on taking the Shinkansen, you're best bet is to stay the night in Tokyo and then take the train to Fukuoka in the morning.
Staying in a hotel in Tokyo would be the best if it is over-ten-hour non-stop flight from East Coast, because of the time lag and lack of deep sleep in the plane.
To check in the hotel, have supper, and just go to bed then the body will be fully adjusted to Japan local time next morning.
By the way it is sad that the famous
Tokyo Station Hotel (right inside the station) is closed until 2011 for renovation…
If the flight is not that long, staying in Shin'osaka has three advantages:
• 3pm is not that late hour. Giving an hour for immigration&custom, it should be possible to take NEX around 4pm, which means arriving at Tokyo station at 5:30pm or so.
Adding a half hour to get to Shinkansen platform (taking 6pm-ish train,) Shin'osaka arrival should be around 9pm or so.
Leaving Shin'osaka in the early morning means arriving at Hakata a few hours earlier (Hakata by 9am if taking the 6am first train, for instance.) 8:30am-ish one still gets to Hakata before noon.
Make sure to take Hikari Rail Star (originating at Shin'osaka,) because "regular" Hikari from Tokyo terminates at Hiroshima or Okayama.
• Starting at Tokyo in the morning means 7-hour consecutive ride, which can be a little boring one toward the end. It would be nice to enjoy the second half in the morning time with refreshed condition, looking out scenary.
• The cost advantage.
NEX (Narita-Tokyo,) Hikari (Tokyo-Shin'osaka,)
Hikari Rail Star (Shin'osaka-Hakata) and
Relay-Tsubame express (Hakata-Kumamoto) are all covered by the rail pass, instead of buying a Nozomi (Tokyo-Hakata without transfer) ticket separate.
It is highly recommended to buy ekiben (boxed lunch) before getting on Shinkansen at Tokyo station, because eating ekiben in the express train when travelling is almost ritual, which saves extra lunch/dinner time too.
Unfortunately
ones sold at Tokyo station platforms are infamous for horrid taste.
Frequent Shinkansen riders (business trips, so forth) rather go to
Daimaru department store (directly connected with the station) basement level (called
DepaChika) for better quality and much wider selections.
Not just traditional Japanese bento there; sandwiches, desserts, just anything. Definitely worth stopping by.
Laggage can be safely stored during shopping time in one of coin-operated lockers; the locations are shown on the
station layout map.
Spending an hour or so at Daimaru is still fine, it just means Shin'osaka arrival around 10pm.
Beverages including cold beer are available onboard, food carts go back and forth on the aisle, they sell snacks and some ekiben too.
There might not be many shops open at Shin'osaka early morning for buying breakfast; at least food carts in the train should have cofee&sandwich.
There are many hotels near Shin'osaka station, within walking distance. The closer the more expensive of course. It would be wise to reserve a room early, since it is summer vacation period.
Hope it helps,