Buy Twlight Express Ticket from Canada?

We are only taking one train the Twilight Express-- Sapporo to Osaka-- so don't want to buy a Japan Rail pass. We want to make sure we get a seat on the train (8 seats actually) how can we book this from Canada? Looking at booking for Aug 29

You cannot do it yourself from outside of Japan. Somebody in Japan would have to do it for you, e.g. a friend or travel agent.

Note also that the train does not operate daily. I don't know the dates of operation for August yet.

Does anyone know if hotels normally have a concierge service and would book tickets on the Twilight Express for us. (we can't buy them from out of the country)

Does anyone know if hotels normally have a concierge service and would book tickets on the Twilight Express for us.

Like in other countries, only the better and large hotels have a concierge service. Normally, they will probably not be able to make train reservations for you until you actually arrive at the hotel.

Does anyone know when the dates for Twilight Express will be available? We want to leave on Wed Aug 29 from Sapporo

The dates of operation in August should be published around May 20.

Probably, the train will operate from Sapporo on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, but not on Wednesday. But I cannot guarantee it.

I think that this train is not running until at least the middle of September due to the earthquake in Niigata, which blocked the line

According to the current information, the Twilight Express will not be operating until at least September 7, 2007.