Vernal Equinox Day/Shinkansen Seating Questions

[aoumd]

I am traveling to Japan soon and have a couple Shinkansen-related questions. Sorry they are long, but I have specific situations:

1) I am flying into Japan (on a Friday) the day before I am planning to take an early-morning Shinkansen (on Saturday Morning) from Tokyo to Hakata. I will have a Japan Rail Pass, and plan to use Hikari Shinkansen that morning. My question is: what is the probability that I will be able to get a reserved seat for travel on a Saturday Morning when I can only make my reservation the night before at NRT? Also, I'd be traveling with my brother (who won't have a pass), what are the odds we'll be able to reserve seats together the night before departure?

2) If I can't get a reserved seat and need to go unreserved to get to Hakata in time, how early should I plan to be on-platform at Tokyo Station (the originating station) for a given Hikari Shinkansen to be near the front of the line and get first choice of unreserved seats? 20 minutes? 30 minutes? Before the previous Hikari before the one I want departs?

3) I will also be in Japan on Vernal Equinox Day (2009.03.20, Friday). I am contemplating a one-day trip on the Tohoku Shinkansen, leaving Tokyo in the morning and returning in the afternoon. I don't see Vernal Equinox day listed as a busy travel period on the JR or Japan Rail Pass site, but does anyone here know how busy a travel period it is?
Thank you in advance for any advice you can provide!

 

[MeAndroo]

My initial reaction is to not worry too much, but I have a couple of questions before I can give you any suggestions.
1) How long are you staying in Japan/planning to need the pass? My friends needed to have their actual passes in hand to make reservations, so unless you're only in Japan for 7 total days, I wouldn't suggest activating your pass on that Friday just to make a reservation because you'll be wasting a good amount of free rail time. If you stamp that pass active the day you get here, that day counts against the pass length, regardless of what time it is.

2) Do you smoke?
I've often traveled without reservations and it seems like the smoking cars always have seats open. If it's a short trip (i.e., NOT Tokyo to Hakata), and you can bear it, that's a good way to get a non-reserved seat without having to be in line too long.

In terms of how early you should be there, I believe the shinkansen originate at Tokyo (anyone confirm?) before heading west. If that's the case, then getting a reserved seat is almost the same as a non-reserved because the train will be empty when you get on.

 

[tokyosubway]

My friends needed to have their actual passes in hand to make reservations, so unless you're only in Japan for 7 total days, I wouldn't suggest activating your pass on that Friday just to make a reservation because you'll be wasting a good amount of free rail time. If you stamp that pass active the day you get here, that day counts against the pass length, regardless of what time it is.

You can get a seat reservation before your pass is "activated" as long as the printed date on the JR Pass is within the date of your reservation.

For example:
You have a Japan Rail Pass voucher, you arrive on Monday the 1st, but you want to travel on Wednesday the 3rd.

You can exchange the Japan Rail Pass voucher for the actual Japan Rail Pass on Monday the 1st, with a start date listed as the 3rd (the exchange form asks you when do you wish to first activate/use the pass). They will give you the real Japan Rail Pass on the 1st, but the printed date will just say it starts on the 3rd. From then on, you are still able to make any future reservations on the 1st, even though your pass is not active yet, just as long as those future reservations are for the 3rd or later.


I don't expect Vernal Equinox to be of particular high traffic, not different from any other day.

As for you and your brother making reservations together, as long as there are seats available, and you are making reservations at the same time, I don't see any reason "why not" you can't get seats together.

Remember there is no direct Hikari Shinkansen from Tokyo to Hakata (only Nozomi's go direct), so when making reservations you will need to make two reservations, one for your first train and one for your second connecting train. You will most likely need to transfer at Shin-Osaka, if not Okayama in most cases.

 

[aoumd]

My initial reaction is to not worry too much, but I have a couple of questions before I can give you any suggestions.
1) How long are you staying in Japan/planning to need the pass? My friends needed to have their actual passes in hand to make reservations, so unless you're only in Japan for 7 total days, I wouldn't suggest activating your pass on that Friday just to make a reservation because you'll be wasting a good amount of free rail time. If you stamp that pass active the day you get here, that day counts against the pass length, regardless of what time it is.
2) Do you smoke?
I've often traveled without reservations and it seems like the smoking cars always have seats open. If it's a short trip (i.e., NOT Tokyo to Hakata), and you can bear it, that's a good way to get a non-reserved seat without having to be in line too long.
In terms of how early you should be there, I believe the shinkansen originate at Tokyo (anyone confirm?) before heading west. If that's the case, then getting a reserved seat is almost the same as a non-reserved because the train will be empty when you get on.

1) Thanks for the advice. The pass is a 7-day, I'll be there for 10 days total, but I get into Japan the night before I go out on the Shinkansen. I'm planning to get the Exchange Order turned into a pass at the airport the night before, but not activate it until the next day when I use the Shinkansen.

2) I don't smoke and don't mind occasional secondhand (I know it's bad for me but I don't experience it that often).

Thanks.

You can get a seat reservation before your pass is "activated" as long as the printed date on the JR Pass is within the date of your reservation.
For example:
You have a Japan Rail Pass voucher, you arrive on Monday the 1st, but you want to travel on Wednesday the 3rd.
You can exchange the Japan Rail Pass voucher for the actual Japan Rail Pass on Monday the 1st, with a start date listed as the 3rd (the exchange form asks you when do you wish to first activate/use the pass). They will give you the real Japan Rail Pass on the 1st, but the printed date will just say it starts on the 3rd. From then on, you are still able to make any future reservations on the 1st, even though your pass is not active yet, just as long as those future reservations are for the 3rd or later.
I don't expect Vernal Equinox to be of particular high traffic, not different from any other day.
As for you and your brother making reservations together, as long as there are seats available, and you are making reservations at the same time, I don't see any reason "why not" you can't get seats together.
Remember there is no direct Hikari Shinkansen from Tokyo to Hakata (only Nozomi's go direct), so when making reservations you will need to make two reservations, one for your first train and one for your second connecting train. You will most likely need to transfer at Shin-Osaka, if not Okayama in most cases.

Thanks for the advice.

I enter the country about 12 hours before I board the Shinkansen, so I can only reserve then. I'd get the E. O. changed into a pass when I enter Japan at the airport, but it won't go into effect until the next day.

I already have specific times and Hikari train numbers planned out for all the Shinkansen trip Tokyo-Shin-Osaka-Hakata and return, but thanks for the reminder, I know many don't look at the schedules ahead of time.

And thanks for the advice on Vernal Equinox Day!