Shinkansen to Kanazawa

The extension of the Nagano Shinkansen to Kanazawa is scheduled for 2014, as I understand it. And to Toyama by 2012: is there a tentative date in 2012 for this to happen?? ie by the very beginning of 2012? We are contemplating a January trip in 2012.
Thank you.

I believe that the extension from Nagano to Kanazawa is planned for opening towards the end of fiscal year 2014. I believe that means spring 2015. Note that no earlier opening for the section to Toyama is planned according to my knowledge.

No exact dates for the opening have been decided yet. Such decisions are not usually made until less than a year in advance. The exact opening date for the Kyushu Shinkansen next spring, for example, has still not yet been announced.

We are also planning our 3rd trip to Japan in 2012. Where are you planning on travelling this time?

Sorry, I don't know the answer to your question :)

MMM: not sure, but have family in Tokyo, Sendai and Osaka so they are a given, as is a JR Pass.
Planning on a winter (January) trip, (school hols for my teacher husband) so definitely Kanazawa(maybe as a day trip from Osaka) to see Kenrukoen with snow, Kyoto for Kinkakuji with snow, Sendai maybe only as a day trip from Tokyo.
THEN looking at Kyushu (bit warmer!!): Nagasaki, Imari porcelain, Fukuoka...lots of planning....
And you??

Thanks Uji: great explanation, and as usual, very helpful.
Must have dreamt the Toyama info: can't remember where I read it, so shall discount it now!!

We are planning on an April trip as we have previously travelled in autumn and winter. This will be a 2 week trip so we are looking at basing ourselves in Hiroshima, Kyoto and Tokyo. We have been there before but we like revisiting places we have enjoyed. We are also planning on a month long trip in 2013 and perhaps visiting Okinawa and Tohoku as well as our favourites. We will be working in Singapore for the next few years so we want to make the most of being a little bit closer to Japan!

We visited Kyoto in winter and were lucky to get some snow which was beautiful. I don't know how common it is though? We only spent a few days in Kyushu on our last trip, I would like to explore it a bit more. We're also thinking of Sendai as part of our 2013 trip.

Happy planning!

Hi Uji
http://wikitravel.org/en/Kanazawa
Knew I'd read it somewhere: not the most reliable source of information, I do admit!!! Maybe it needs to be corrected???
Thanks!! FMJ

Certainly did need correcting.