Shinkansen from Tokyo or Shinagawa station?

Hi all,
We are traveling by bullet train to Osaka in a few days. I was wondering which station is best to take the bullet train from?
It is easier and a bit closer to get to Shinagawa station from our accommodation, but I don't know which station is easier to take the train from. We do plan to book seats in advance when we go to trade our JR Pass tomorrow.
Thanks in advance,
Jacinta

Hi!
i suggest and it a must to take the shinkansen from shinagawa eki to shin osaka(the presious station before umeda).About the seat i suggest to take the jiyu seki(free seat)there are plenty of shinkansen every 10 minute and if you miss one you can take the next one.The free seats shinkansen wagon its situated ad the end of the train.
Enjyoy your journey!!

If you are reserving seats, then it does not matter which station - go with what's closer to you.

If going with non-reserved seats, then take it from Tokyo station. Because that's where it originates, and you have a better chance of getting choice seats.

So when you take the Shinkansen train, you are not making a transfer from another JR train, but just will go to either one of the station and enter the station then get on the Shinkansen train? Where are you starting from?

- The advantage of Tokyo station is IF you are not reserving seats, you can wait for the next Shinkansen and take seats on one of the "unreserved" cars, as Shinkansen starts at Tokyo station. But you are reserving seats, so not much gains from this.

- The advantage of Shinagawa station is IF you are coming in from Narita airport on Narita Express and then changing to Shinkansen headed toward Shin-Osaka; the platforms are closer at Shinagawa station versus at Tokyo station. You are not making that connection, as you sound like you are already in Tokyo?

We took the Shinkansen from Shinagawa rather than Tokyo because it’s easier to navigate through than Tokyo Station. We also reserved our seats.
From our hotel they were both equidistant but after some research I decided that it was easier to take the Shinkansen from Shinagawa especially in the morning rush.

If you’re closer to Shinagawa Station and will reserve your seats, then just take the Shinkansen from there.

If both options work well for you, I would choose without hesitation Shinagawa. It is much easier to navigate than Tokyo station.

Enjoy your trip to Osaka!

9 out of my 10 tourist trips that involved Tokyo have been spent in hotels in the Shinagawa Station area. As far as ease of use, Shinagawa is better hands down. All tracks are parallel to each other. The Shinkansen tracks are those furthest east and furthest from the Keikyu lines and the JR Yamanote lines, but it's very easy to navigate. If you have reservations, I'd definitely choose Shinagawa.

Why don't you find a station map?
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/stations/e788.html
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/stations/e1039.html

Next shinansen which accepted Japan Rail Pass will not come in 10 minutes.
Read all rules at Pass web and search timetables at HyperDia.
http://www.japanrailpass.net/en/index.html
http://www.hyperdia.com/en/

Thanks everyone for the responses!
Yes we are already in Tokyo and on our way to Osaka on the 4th. I thought Shinagawa would be the best choice but when I Googled it I didn't get a simple answer. So this has helped a lot. (This is our first trip so still getting the hang of everything!)
We plan to go trade our JR pass vouchers tomorrow to have it start on the 4th and I read that reservations are included so thought that would be the easiest option for us. Hopefully we can navigate the station easily enough! Public transport is not out strong suit.
Thanks again everyone for your responses. :)
Jacinta

Oh and in answer to AK we are travelling from Okubo/Skin-Okubo station. So yes we would be transferring from another JR line. Does this make any difference to our choice?
Jacinta

Shin Okubo is on the JR Yamanote Line. That arrives to Shinagawa on track number 1, which is the furthest one from the Shinkansen tracks. Just get off the train, stay within the transfer area and proceed to walk to the shinkansen transfer gates on the other (east) side of the station. It is not difficult at all.

Agree fully with John B Digs Japan, an easy change at Shinagawa :)

Thanks so much John and AK! Puts my mind at ease that I'm going about this the right way. :)
Kind regards
Jacinta

Waaaaaait!!!

If you look at the calendar Shinagawa is the worst.
Do not you understand what it is today?

You have to go to Tokyo station, look the latest status of reserved seat car.

Hikari : ひかり
https://i.imgur.com/eW2rSpm.png
https://i.imgur.com/aWczWLl.png
https://i.imgur.com/m5oZAeQ.png
https://i.imgur.com/mT1GRkU.png

Kodama : こだま (slowest, will be stopping at all stations)
https://i.imgur.com/PxT68VG.png

Japan Rail Pass holder can not take fastest "Nozomi のぞみ".
So, both have some non-reserved seat cars of 16 total,
but you should consider that there is no chance that you can get in from Shinagawa around noon.

Hi Emadon,

I'm sorry but I'm not quite following.
We are going to swap our JR Passes in today for it to start tomorrow and plan to book seats on a bullet train for tomorrow. We were going to try and book one at around 10-11am.
Are you saying we've left it too late and may not be able to book a seat?

Kind regards
Jacinta

Oh, I thought you will depart today and quickly wrote the notes.
Just skipped the "4th" part into reply, Sorry for the big confusion.

Tomorrow 's reservation is different from today,
seems enough numbers reserved seat from morning,
so you will be able to go by the train of the time you want.
This is the status on 4th May you needed :)
https://i.imgur.com/N6IXexs.png

However, the window side "E" where Mt. Fuji can be seen already has been sold out,
http://railway.jr-central.co.jp/train/shinkansen/detail_01_01/seat.htm...
I do not know how many people are moving (even a couple)
but may not be able to successfully reserve adjacent seats.

Even if you do not go to "Shinagawa" to exchange PASS and book Shinkasen seats,
you can do both at "Shinjuku" next station of JR Yamanote or JR Chuo/Sobu line.
http://www.japanrailpass.net/en/exchange.html
https://la-hotelgroup.com/royal/img/tokyomap/royal_tokyomap.png

Also in today everywhere will get crowded, but enjoy it.
Already you might be watching crowded news on TV or Internet.

Now I can spend the second half of GW without regrets :)

Thanks Emadon! No worries for the confusion and I'm happy to know we should be okay for seats. :) We are not worried about where we get a seat too much so should be okay. Sorry to worry you; enjoy your holiday! - Jacinta