rail travel and tickets

I am going to Japan with my wife and 11 year old daughter in July to see my brother in law. We intend to fly to Tokyo (Narita) and travel from there by train to my brother in law in Beppu, about a 6 hour journey from Tokyo station. Just a couple of concerns...

1) We will no doubt have quite a bit of luggage, maybe two large suitcases and a smaller one. Will that be a problem on the train?

2) When buying the tickets, will we be able to buy a return ticket or is it easier (and as cheap) to buy one way tickets each time?

Help appreciated...

We will no doubt have quite a bit of luggage, maybe two large suitcases and a smaller one. Will that be a problem on the train?

The issue of luggage on shinkansen is explained here:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2274.html

Pack as little as possible!

As a possibly faster and more comfortable alternative, you could consider flying from Narita Airport to Fukuoka and then take a direct bus from Fukuoka Airport to Beppu.

About domestic flights:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2364.html

About the bus from Fukuoka Airport to Beppu:
http://www.nishitetsu.co.jp/bus/highway/gb/guide/toyokuni.ht...

When buying the tickets, will we be able to buy a return ticket or is it easier (and as cheap) to buy one way tickets each time?

A return ticket is slightly cheaper than a one way ticket, but it has a limit on how long it is valid. I think in case of Narita-Beppu, the return journey has to be made within 15 days of the outward journey.

Note also that a 7-day or 14-day Japan Rail Pass would come cheaper than regular tickets, however, with a Japan Rail Pass you would not be able to use the direct nozomi trains, which translates into a additional hour of travel and one additional transfer of trains along the way.

More on how to get to Beppu:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4705.html

1) Could be a problem in case the train is full.

2) The return ticket from Narita Airport to Beppu is 50,020yen for Narita Express, Shinkansen Nozomi and Sonic rides, with the validity of 15 days. You can get a return reduction only for the part of the basic fare (Joshaken) by 10%.

So as above poster suggests, you might think about buying a railpass if you're tempted to travel by train as cheaply as possible. But, considering you are arriving and leaving on long haul international flights, and will be traveling with large luggage, I wouldn't recommend long train trips in Japan.

Instead, I'd say you should fly. You might find cheap flights between Tokyo Haneda and Oita on ANA site. Prices available mostly from 15,000yen each way, but if you're lucky, you may find a 12,000yen one way ticket for the sector. You can book a seat online, no matter where you may be.
http://www.ana.co.jp/eng/index.html

In Japan, domestic flight tickets start to be on sale two months prior to the boarding date. So you should keep an eye on the site in May.

Alternatively, you can fly between Haneda and Fukuoka with Skymark, and catch a bus between Fukuoka and Beppu, as suggested above.
http://www.skymark.co.jp/en/index.html

Prices from 12,000yen each way. But a bargain price of 10,000 may be available if you try to snatch it as soon as they start to sell two months before.

Anyway, take a look at the sites.

The limousine bus connects between Narita and Haneda for 3,000yen each way and takes 75minutes.

Hope this helps.