Train schedule and reservations

Hi,
I wanted to check with someone about the train schedules. I will have a Japan Rail Pass and I am looking to go from Kyoto to Hiroshima on July 13, and then from Hiroshima to Himeji on July 15. I then want to go from Himeji to Tokyo on July 15. I understand that the railpass is not good on nozomi. I want to make sure that I am able to get on these trains, because I won't be able to make reservations until I get to Japan on July 7th (from what I understand). Also, when I get to Tokyo on July 7th, will I be able to get on a train to Kyoto the next day (July 8th)? Any help you can provide would be much appreciated. Thanks!

I understand that the railpass is not good on nozomi. I want to make sure that I am able to get on these trains, because I won't be able to make reservations until I get to Japan on July 7th (from what I understand).

You cannot ride nozomi trains with the Japan Rail Pass, but you can ride the slightly slower hikari trains.

Also, you do not need reservations to ride these trains, because all these trains have some cars with non-reserved seats.

But having a reservation is always good. None of the trains will be booked out more than 24 hours in advance, so you will have no problems making seat reservations after arriving in Japan.

Thanks, Uji!
This is my concern. I was looking at the train schedules on Hyperdia and there don't seem to be a whole lot of hikari trains for my trip. I see a lot more nozomi, that is what worries me.
Are there hikari from hiroshima to himeji? What about from himeji to tokyo?
Thanks!!
P.S. We will be arriving in Tokyo at 3 p.m...so I guess that will be enough time to get on a train sometime the next day for Kyoto - according to what you said. Right?

Cheryl,
You will have sufficient hikari trains. Even on your arrival day you can go Narita airport leave 17.44 h arrive at one of the three shinkansen stations within Tokyo city named Shinagawa at 18.56 h by Narita express included in JR Railpass, change to a direct hikari shinkansen to Kyoto arrival 21.56 h. Or next day fromTokyo station by a hikari every hour at xx.06 h and xx.36 h arrive Kyoto after 2 hours 50 min.
You can include Himeji on a hikari tour between Hiroshima and Tokyo. For example: lv Hiroshima 07.46 h arr Himeji 08.49 h lv Himeji 17.02 h with a direct hikari to Tokyo 20.43 h.
Kyoto to Hiroshima: Only two morning hikari at lv 07.42 h arr 09.34 and lv 08.22 h arr 10.15 h, but many more hikari when you first go Kyoto - ShinOsaka by a local train or kodama or hikari shinkansen and change there for a Hiroshima bound hikari.

Hi,
Thanks for the help!
I am wondering - where did you find all of this? I tried looking at the schedules and I find them very confusing.
Also - are there any hikari that leave himeji for tokyo earlier in the day than 17:00?

You can look up hikari schedules here:
http://jr-central.co.jp/eng.nsf/english/timetable

There is a direct hikari every hour.02 h to Tokyo. If you prefer the English hyperdia, you must know: It prferable shows the faster nozomi trains, no hikari train nowadays does go through from Tokyo to Hakata, so for the most wanted "tourist" connection from Tokyo to Hiroshima look Tokyo ShinOsaka first, then ShinOsaka Hiroshima and change train at ShinOsaka. Did you realize that the clock symbol and the train sympol in the hyperdia side gives you access to information on that specific train and information on all direct trains during the day?

Thanks, Uji. Maybe it's just me, but I find that schedule kind of confusing.
Peter - I think that what you are saying is that I can take a train from Hiroshima to ShinOsaka, and then to Tokyo? But what I really want to do is go from Hiroshima to Himeji, stop for a bit and then get a train from Himeji around 1:00 or something. You say that they leave from Himeji to Tokyo each hour?
I looked at Hyperdia and clicked on the clock. But sometimes it doesn't show me the hikari.
Thanks for your help!

Hi again..
I tried to read the schedule that Uji sent.
Am I correct that Hikari leaves from Hiroshima at 8:45, arriving in Himeji at 9:50? If that's right, I think I know how to read the schedule. The weird thing is that when I use Hyperdia to try that route, I just get a bunch of JR routes that have about a million transfers.
Again, thanks for your help!

Cheryl ,
I'm not sure what you are typing in, but I just used hyperdia and typed Hiroshima-Himeji and got one train no transfers as you explained. So hyperdia seems to be correct on my side.

http://grace.hyperdia.com/cgi-english/hyperd11.cgi?#ROUTE2

Hi -
this is what I got when I did the search. But the train that has no transfers is a nozomi, and I need a hikari -right?
Maybe I am doing something wrong.

The link you gave does not work because the URL does not save your input data, but I entered :

Hiroshima departure 8:45 and destination Himeji and got a Hikari train result, again I'm not sure what you maybe typing in, but it gives the correct info in this case.

Oh, I got it!
What I was doing was not entering the times. I didn't think it would make a difference, but apparently it did. Thanks for your help!

and you do not forget to input 08.45 for 08.45AM and 20.45 for 8.45PM

Hi - another question. THANKS!
I was wondering what station in Tokyo the shinkansen leave from.

Going North/East it generally leaves from Ueno Station, going West it generally leaves from Tokyo Station.

Great..thanks!
Hey - while I am at it with the questions...
I was wondering if the Japan Rail Pass covers travel on the JR trains within Tokyo. I imagine it does. If so, what is the point of taking the subway in Tokyo? Couldn't you just take JR local trains the whole time?

ALL shinkansen leave from Tokyo Station! Some trains going to the west also stop at Shinagawa Station. Most trains to the north also stop at Ueno Station:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2017.html

If so, what is the point of taking the subway in Tokyo? Couldn't you just take JR local trains the whole time?

There are some places that can only be accessed by non-JR transport, such as Asakusa and Odaiba. More details:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2017.html

I noticed if I input different timings in the schedue, the train fares differs. For example, Narita to Takadanobaba was 910yen if I input 15:05 on 30th May 2007, but it was 1810yen if I input 21:03 on the same day. The additional fare is due to the 'Charge' of reserved seat. Why is this so?