Not really. The only green cars would be on the two Hikari shinkansen trains.

That is not quite right. Green cars also on Yamabiko shinkansen. The Shonan-Shinjuku Line has green cars at least for Shinjuku to Omiya. The locals and, I think, the special rapids don't have green cars.

You can answer your question on hyperdia which you apparently are using to get the routing. Over to the right of each train name look for a dropdown that, by default, says "Reserved seat ...". Click on the dropdown and look for Green Seat.

mrwunrfl:

Thanks for your replies. I thought looking at the dropdown was the right way to use Hyperdia too, but when I saw the SHINJUKU(JR) - KAMAKURA schedule, the drop-down for the "Green seat" was next to the city name (TOTSUKA or OFUNA) instead of being next to the train name. How do I interpret that?

[http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=SHINJUKU(JR)&arv_node=KAMAKURA&via_node01=&via_node02=&via_node03=&year=2013&month=03&day=30&hour=07&minute=30&search_type=0&search_way=&transtime=undefined&sort=0&max_route=5&airplane=off&ship=off&sprnozomi=off&utrexprs=off&slputr=off&exprs=off&slpexprs=off&liner=off&bus=off&privately=off&lmlimit=null&search_target=route&facility=reserved&sum_target=7]

Search for each segment, e.g. Shinjuku(JR) to Totsuka (shows green seat).

I don't think the green car is worthwhile (except maybe in some peak domestic travel times like Obon), in general, especially as I am a solo traveler. I rode in a green car by accident once, on a Yamabiko, I think, and it was just me and two UK football hooligans (this was just before World Cup in Japan-Korea). YMMV.

Thanks. After searching for each segment, here's what I came up with: Basically, except for my Kyoto-Igaueno-Nara-Kyoto trip, I do have Green seats on all other trains (at least for the longer duration ones). Since I am going during Cherry Blossom time (March end- early April) and travelling with a seven-year old, I think it makes sense to get a JR Pass for Green seats... ...especially since I'm not breaking the bank to buy them. Any thoughts?

SHINJUKU (JR) - NIKKO [roundtrip]
JR Saikyo Line Rapid
SHINKANSEN YAMABIKO 127 [GREEN SEAT available]
JR Nikko Line

SHINJUKU(JR) - KAMAKURA [roundtrip]
JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line (Via Tokaido Line) [GREEN SEAT available]
JR Yokosuka Line [GREEN SEAT available]

SHINJUKU(JR) - KYOTO [one-way]
JR Chuo Line Rapid Service OR JR Yamanote Line(Inner loop)
SHINKANSEN HIKARI 479/521 [GREEN SEAT available]

KYOTO - IGAUENO - UENO-SHI [one way]
JR Nara Line Local
JR Yamatoji Line Rapid Service
JR Kansai Line
Iga Tetsudo Iga Line

UENO-SHI - IGAUENO - NARA [one way]
Iga Tetsudo Iga Line
JR Kansai Line
JR Yamatoji Rapid Service

NARA- KYOTO [one-way]
JR Nara Line Rapid Service OR JR Nara Line Local

KYOTO - SHIMBASHI [one-way]
SHINKANSEN HIKARI 474/528/476 [GREEN SEAT available]
JR Tokaido Line [GREEN SEAT available] OR JR Yokosuka Line [GREEN SEAT available] OR JR Yamanote Line(Inner loop)

Thanks,
D

to the right under seat fee it has the toggle for unreserved seat, press that to find green seat fee

hawaiiantraveler:

Thanks for your reply. I am not sure I understand how finding the green seat fee would help me? If I buy the 7-day JR pass for green seats, then whichever dropdown has the "green seat" option means I can use my JR Pass without having to pay that fee, correct?

Also, when I see the dropdown menu, I see the following options with amounts next to it:
- Green seat
- Reservesd seat (High season)
- Unreserved seat

How are any of these applicable to me if the reservations are free for JR Pass holders?

no you do not have to pay the green seat fee with the JR green pass but this should tell you that green cars are available on this route. Most long distance routes have green cars with the exceptions being that there are no Green Cars on most HIKARI and KODAMA trains on the Sanyo Shinkansen line (Shin-Osaka ·Hakata), or on TSUBAME trains on the Kyushu Shinkansen line(Shin-Yatsushiro – Kagoshima- chūō ). That said I have gotten green cars on all train travel I have made on the Sanyo shinkansen. When you make your reservation the clerk will try to book you on green cars close to your travel times but with your itinerary this info may be moot. The JR local short distance trains have only one level of service, economy.

Aloha!

You do not pay any seat reservation fees with the JR Pass