JR Trains

Hi,

My friends and I are going to Japan for 19 days in October. We are planning to buy a 14 day JR pass. Is it worth it? Flying into Narita
Tokyo to Kyoto
7 days in Kyoto with Side trips in Kyoto to Iga Ueno, Mt. Koya (maybe), Uji, Nara, Osaka, and Okayama
Kyoto to Hiroshima
Hiroshima to Fukuoka
Fukuoka back to Tokyo

Planning to take the night train back to Tokyo (Sunrise from Okayama - Carpet Seating)
Will it be hard to get tickets for a Saturday Sunrise train to Tokyo two weeks before? Would a weeknight be better for getting a ticket (I heard Sunrise sell out quick)?

What's your itinerary? That would make it easier to determine what would work best!

My plans are to arrive on Sunday at Narita and staying at a hotel in Ueno
Tokyo for two days
visit Yokohama one day and Hitachi Seapark the next
Kyoto for 7 days
1. Eastern Kyoto
2. Central & Western Kyoto
3. Iga Ueno & Nara
4. Okayama
5. 1 Day tour of craft shops in Kyoto
6. Kanazawa (day Trip)
7. Extra day for anything I did not have a chance to do
Hiiroshima 2 days (one whole day at Miyajima)
Fukuoka 2 days
One day trip to Kumamoto
Night train back to Tokyo
three days in Tokyo
Shibuya, shinjiku, mitaka, miabara, ueno park, Tokyo main station.

Planning to take the night train back to Tokyo (Sunrise from Okayama - Carpet Seating)
Will it be hard to get tickets for a Saturday Sunrise train to Tokyo two weeks before? Would a weeknight be better for getting a ticket (I heard Sunrise sell out quick)?

Thanks for all the help with this.

Last year, I went in late April and had a three week pass. I was able to get a Nobi-nobi seat for the Sunrise train for May 14th. I got the ticket when I traded my exchange order for my JR Pass.

So I was able to book a seat on a Tuesday evening just after Golden Week. I believe that it's possible for you to get a weekday seat, but you may still have problems with the weekend seat.

I would try to get your JR Pass at the airport and book your Nobi-nobi seat at that time.

Thanks ebaychucky311! I will see if I can rearrange my schedule to better my chance to get a nobi nobi seat ticket.