Already a typo. Title should be "Help with JL pass for Jan-Jan-Feb".

Also, we arrive at NRT on Jan 18, 2013. Won't redeem JL pass until Jan 20 to head to Kyoto on the day trip, then leave on Jan 25 (sleeper) or Jan 26 (day train) for Niseko, depending on the answers to questions above. Leave CTS for home on Feb 2, 2013.

Sorry for the confusion. It wouldn't be me without a typo and a hasty message!

yes zak lots of typos. For one thing it's a JR Pass not JL.

Yes the pass will work on those trains you listed. See here for details on JR Passes and night trains. Basically you can catch night trains with your JR Pass but will have to pay a supplement.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361.html

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2356.html

You won't be redeeming your pass but turning your voucher into a JR Pass.

Aloha!

Ohhh forgot about question #3

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2278.html

Thank you hawaiiantraveler! Like i said, lots of typos no matter what i try!
any expereince on those night trains? sounds like reservations are mandatory for those, might make those as soon as I get to NRT to get my *JR Voucher* turned in for a *pass*

Are you buying a two week pass? You might check if it would be cheaper to pay direct for your tokyo-Kyoto train, then activate a 7day pass on the 26th.

Oops, disregard the above. I forgot to add in Jan 31 when I was counting days. :-0

I don't understand where Niigata fits in this itinerary. Did you write Niigata when you meant Niseko?

I suggest taking the train from Tokyo to Kyoto, spend a night in Kyoto, and then fly Itami to Sapporo using a Visit Japan or Yokoso fare. You should be able to find a rail & hotel package for the train to Kyoto and hotel in Kyoto.

You can fly from Osaka KIX to Sapporo on Peach Airlines - a discount carrier possibly as cheaply as 5000 JPY.....that is much less than the special fares mentioned above by mrwunrfl.

Last spring I flew from Haneda to Oita Kyushu on Solaseed, another discount carrier - it was actually a codeshare with ANA - it was almost as inexpensive as the Yokoso/Visit Japan fare but those didn't offer the particular time slot I wanted.

My point being sometimes a discount/LCC is a better deal...

I have used Air Do from Haneda to Asahikawa that code shared with ANA too.

Mara, good call with Peach Aviation. I have seen the adds and website before and wondered. They just added Okinawa so might have to use them soon out of Osaka.

http://www.flypeach.com/home.aspx

Aloha!

we are on a bit of a time crunch as we are in Tokyo only until the 25th at the latest then head to Niseko to meet up with friends. also at least a day trip to Kyoto is booked, as well at a day trip to local snowboarding near Tokyo, and a day of sumo for the winter basho so the JR pass (and thus using it to save $$$ and get to Niseko) seems to be the ideal...

hmmm...maybe flying to Sapporo is easier, sounds like we will be sending our bags via courier anyway.

Hi there...I have taken night trains using my JR pass in 2008 and though the experience was amazing the process of booking was onerous ( we needed our Japanese friends to help us, needed to book exactly 30 or 60 days in advance, and they mailed us the seat reservations) and the supplement was expensive. In 2009, we thought about taking night trains around Honshu and Hokkaido but ended up flying from Sapporo to Kyoto as it was cheaper (but still somwehat of a pain when you factor in hotels and airport transfers)

I found a dirt cheap one way on Peach for just over 9,000 yen for the two of us.

Also researching takuhaibin service that hawiiantraveler linked me up to says you can specify a delivery date, so I think I can send it a few days earlier, like the 22rd before we leave for our new found Kyoto adventure, and let them know it just need to be there by the night of the 25th.

that would really take the one large piece of luggage off my hands and allow us to travel with just our backpacks. and not pay for extra baggage.

the luggage getting to Niseko looks to be 2 day service either way. I'd likely keep my snowboard boots on me, though just in case

working out the numbers, it looks to be about $230 less per person taking this route (1 way train to Kyoto, 1 way flight to CTS) than the JR pass option.