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Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/10/11 03:14
HI all! :)

We're traveling to Japan next month and would love to hear some locals' insights on the probability of getting seats on non-reserved cars in these trains:

Friday, 18 Nov (around 2 PM): Limited Express Haruka (Kansai Airport-Tennoji)
Saturday, 26 Nov (around 11 AM): Limited Express Thunderbird (Kyoto-Kanazawa)
Monday, 28 Nov (around 2 PM): Shinkansen Kagayaki

We won't mind queuing for 10-20 minutes before boarding the non-reserved, non-smoking car as long as we get seats. But we would like to know first if the trains are usually crowded at that times?

Looking forward to your inputs :)
by stelle789  

Re: Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/10/11 09:10
Limited express, probably not worth it.

Kagayaki is all reserved seating, so reserve a seat.
by JapanCustomTours rate this post as useful

Re: Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/10/11 09:12
As a variation, reserving on the Thunderbird can be a good idea in busy periods. If you are on JRP, you may as well reserve a seat as it does not cost extra.
by JapanCustomTours rate this post as useful

Re: Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/10/11 09:14
And all the trains are non-smoking as well.
by John B digs Japan rate this post as useful

Re: Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/10/11 19:36
We won't mind queuing for 10-20 minutes before boarding

In that case you might as well pop by the ticket counter during those 10-20 mins. ;) Unless of course you don't have a rail pass and want to avoid the reservation fees...
by Firas rate this post as useful

Re: Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/10/11 20:20
We don't buy the JRPs. Does anyone know whether the Thunderbird from Kanazawa to Tokyo usually gets crowded on Saturday afternoon?
by stelle789 rate this post as useful

Re: Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/10/12 07:38
In my experience, no. You can look up the number of spare seats online and some of the newspapers publish seat loadings too (which I have looked at when travelling in tat area

Sometimes there are more non-reserved seats spare - one of my trips I couldn't get six reserved seats, but there were only five people in the non-reserved car - it was actually more pleasant.
by JapanCustomTours rate this post as useful

Re: Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/10/12 14:42
Thanks JapanCustomTours for the insight. May I ask on which website I can check the number of spare seats?
by stelle789 rate this post as useful

Re: Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/10/12 14:58
And does shinkansen Kagayaki's route from Kanazawa to Tokyo is a scenic one? A seat on which side would you suggest (left or right) for a more scenic view?

Also, should I reserve the seats (for Kagayaki) online or is it ok on D-day?
by stelle789 rate this post as useful

Re: Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/10/12 15:06
You don't see much from Shinkansen windows. The windows are small and the scenery moves to quickly.
by hakata14 rate this post as useful

Re: Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/10/13 08:08
You don't see much from Shinkansen windows. The windows are small and the scenery moves to quickly.

lol - no. The windows are fine and the trains are not that fast.

From Kanazawa to Tokyo either side of the train is ok. Along the coast from Kanazawa is the Sea of Japan and the other side are the alps.
For the section through to Nagano and Ueda there are mountains both sides, and they don't wizz by very fast, but there are also many tunnels.
On the leg to Tokyo, I prefer the left hand side for the view south and sometimes Fuji depending on the day.
by JapanCustomTours rate this post as useful

Re: Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/10/13 08:34
On the leg to Tokyo, I prefer the left hand side for the view south and sometimes Fuji depending on the day.

If you are heading to Tokyo then Mount Fuji will be on the right hand side of the train.

You don't see much from Shinkansen windows. The windows are small and the scenery moves to quickly.

I think most people will find the views from the shinkansen quite pleasant, as long as you are seated at the window. Aisle and middle seats don't have much of a view though. The view of Mount Fuji from the Tokaido Shinkansen is a particular standout example.

The bigger issue are the tunnels, which there are quite a lot of between Kanazawa and Nagano.
by yllwsmrf rate this post as useful

Re: Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/10/13 09:18
I find the windows quite large on the shinkansen! I love watching the scenery go by. But I thought Mt. Fuji was on the left when heading towards Tokyo - when I travelled from Kyoto to Tokyo, I remember sitting on the left to see Fuji.
by sq (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/10/13 11:40
Maybe I have higher standards when it comes to views out the window then. haha I like the big windows on Kiha 40s putting along at 80 kph and slowing for wayside attractions

Fujisan is on your left when in the direction for Tokyo. Seat G is the window seat for the regular cars.
by hakata14 rate this post as useful

Re: Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/10/28 12:29
Thank you for all the kind responses!
Is there a way to book kagayaki (Kanazawa to Tokyo) online?

Also, the inn we stay with in Kanazawa says we can't keep our luggage with them after check out. If we bring big luggage and there is no available large luggage locker at Kanazawa station, is there anywhere else we can go to?
by stelle789 rate this post as useful

Re: Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/10/28 13:06


Lockers in Kanazawa station:

‹à‘ò‰w(JRüA–k—¤“S“¹ü)

http://locker1.exblog.jp/22935658/
by * (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/10/28 19:23
Try this one for Kagayaki.
https://www.eki-net.com/pc/jreast-shinkansen-reservation/English/wb/co...

There are 1006 coin lockers at Kanazawa station.
https://www.westjr.co.jp/press/article/2015/05/page_7205.html
Area 3 in this map are newly built.
http://nacchan.net/ishikawa/3320.html
And this page introduces the way to the area by photos.
http://beauty-hokuriku.com/p/kanazawa-st-locker

Baggage Keeping Service is provided at Miyako Hotel.
http://tp-kanazawa.jimdo.com/%E3%81%8A%E8%8D%B7%E7%89%A9%E9%A0%90%E3%8...

Yamato offers similar service in Korinbo.
http://www.kanazawa-kankoukyoukai.or.jp/spot_search/spot.php?sp_no=803

Here is the map of coin lockers near Kenrokuen.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=18J_1L333Ta322TexyqMK-Dhov9A&...
by Luisjp rate this post as useful

Re: Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/11/2 22:53
Thank you for the kind replies! :)

@Luisjp: The eki-net.com directs the purchase to Hokoriku Pass website, which only sells the Hokoriku 7-day Pass. Is there anywhere I can buy the single Shinkansen Kagayaki ticket (Kanazawa-Tokyo)?

And does Miyako hotel accept luggage from non-hotel guests? (google translate does very poor translation so I still need to ask this one.)

Thanks!
by stelle789 rate this post as useful

Re: Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/11/2 23:09
Some more questions about seat reservation for Limited Express Thunderbird (Kyoto-Kanazawa) and Shinkansen Kagayaki (Kanazawa-Tokyo):

Can a full Limited Express/Shinkansen ticket be purchased at the ticket machine? (By a full ticket I mean the ticket that includes both basic fare and the extra charge for limited express/shinkansen)

Can we choose the exact seats we want if we purchase the tickets at the ticket machine?

If we purchase two non-reserved seats for the Thunderbird at the ticket machine, will we be seated together?

Should we purchase those tickets days in advance or is it still possible to purchase right before boarding? (Dates of travel are 26 Nov around 11 AM for Thunderbird from Kyoto to Kanazawa, and 18 Nov around 2 PM for Kagayaki from Kanazawa to Tokyo)
by stelle789 rate this post as useful

Re: Should I reserve seats on these trains? 2016/11/8 14:05
Kanazawa belongs to JR West, and JR West accepts reservations only from pass holders. JR East does from no pass holders, but Hokuriku Shinkansen is a joint line with JR West... If you would follow a route of KIX-Kyoto, Osaka-Tokyo Arch Pass might be considered. The price is just comparable to KIX-Kyoto-Kanazawa-Tokyo alone.
http://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/pass/howto/
https://www.eki-net.com/pc/jreast-shinkansen-reservation/English/wb/JR...
https://www.japan-rail-pass.com/pass-regional/central/osaka-tokyo-hoku...
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_arch.html

Anyone should be able to use Baggage Keeping Service at Miyako Hotel. More precisely, it is run by Ticket Plaza, a shop in Miyako Hotel Shopping Mall at 1F in Kanazawa Building. As the name suggests, Ticket Plaza sells a Shinkansen ticket in a discounted price. It is only open from 10:00 to 19:00 on weekdays.
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.5780958,136.6501083,3a,75y,121.01h,101...
http://tp-kanazawa.jimdo.com/%E3%81%8A%E5%BA%97%E3%81%AE%E3%81%94%E6%A...
http://tp-kanazawa.jimdo.com/%EF%BD%8A%EF%BD%92%E5%8C%97%E9%99%B8%E6%9...
http://tp-kanazawa.jimdo.com/%E5%96%B6%E6%A5%AD%E6%97%A5%E3%82%AB%E3%8...
by Luisjp rate this post as useful

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