various questions for short travel

Hi! I will be traveling to Tokyo for only a limited 4 days/3 nights November 13-17. I have a few questions..

1) I am staying in Shinjuku and plan to take the Narita Express from the airport to Shinjuku station. Arrival time is approximately 1:30pm. Do I need to make train reservations or will I be okay getting on the earliest train possible?

2) Is the Tsukiji market a place to eat also? Or is it only to buy fish to bring back to prepare yourself? I'd be delighted to have fresh sushi prepared. What time is it open until?

3) Given the short amount of time I will have there, I plan to do the major attractions such as Tokyo Tower, Imperial Palace, etc. What are some of your recommendations?

Thanks very much in advance!

1) I am staying in Shinjuku and plan to take the Narita Express from the airport to Shinjuku station. Arrival time is approximately 1:30pm. Do I need to make train reservations or will I be okay getting on the earliest train possible?

It should be no problem to just make reservations for the next train when you arrive at the airport.

2) Is the Tsukiji market a place to eat also? Or is it only to buy fish to bring back to prepare yourself? I'd be delighted to have fresh sushi prepared. What time is it open until?

There are a number of great restaurants in and around Tsukiji. Some of them are quite popular where people line up to be seated. The seafood is very fresh (of course) and can be quite reasonable priced.

Be aware that most of the restaurants within the market close between 12:00 and 15:00.

See this page for more info:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3021.html

I recommend you to go to the Airport Limousine counters at first and check their schedule, because their services can be more frequent than NEX at around 1:30pm. Please note that they have two routes for Shinjuku.

Shinjuku Station
Hotels in Shinjuku Area(it takes time)

http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/index.html

I would like to recommend you to go to Meiji Shurine on Nov15 and watch children celebrating their 3-5-7 festival. As it happens to be Saturday this year, there must be a lot of children wearing their Kimono. I hope it will be fine on Nov15.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3002.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shichi-Go-San

definitely recommend meiji shrine too, esp if there's a festival. Its also good on a Sunday for viewing traditional Shinto weddings......beautiful. Also, I recommend 1 day to do Tsukiji, then walk over Shiodome ramp togo through the Hama Rikyu gardens to the Sumida gawa river trip to Asakusa, then take the Ginza line to Ginza at night: we did all of this in a day, and it was fantastic. The Ueno Park and markets under the rail lines there are fun too. Have fun!!!!

If your planning to go to Tokyo tower, do it at night time. (if it will fit into your schedule) I think the view is better at night time.