<BR>I'm looking at the 2002 JR schedule. Basically, the Hikari doesn't stop at Odawara. Both trains vary in the number of stops (i.e. they vary between different runs of the Hikari trains for example). So, your travel time may vary. <BR><BR>The difference in time is not great. For example, to get from Odawara to Kyoto you could take a Kodama train at 1914 to get to Nagoya at 2124, and change to a Hikari train departing at 2130 and arriving Kyoto at 2224. About 14 stops along the way. That's about 190 minutes.<BR><BR>Compare with a Hikari train (add another 20 minutes to depart from Tokyo)<BR>1120 Shin Yokohama<BR>1303 Nagoya<BR>1347 Kyoto<BR>No other stops. So, about 145 min.<BR><BR>I'ts 25 min from Shin Yokohama to Odawara, so to compare apples to apples, a Shin Yokohama to Kyoto trip could take 215 min on a Kodama/Hikari routing. Or the 145 min on the Hikari 1-stop.<BR><BR>I would probably take a Kodama from Odawara to Shin Yo timed to get the fast train from there to Kyoto.<BR><BR>Basically, I'm suggesting moving Day 6 up to day 4 or 5. Stay/tour Tokyo on days 2-4. Leave bags at the Tokyo hotel and take overnight bag to Hakone. Visit Kamakura (and Atami or Yokohama) on the return from Hakone to Tokyo on day 6. Then bullet to Kyoto the next day.<BR><BR>Any way you do this, you are bound for a good time.<BR>

Thank you for the train schedule assistance. I fear I must have been using an old or unreliable schedule. What website do you all use for checking rail schedules and fares?

<BR>It is a Railway Timetable 2002 in hardcopy produced by JR. Got it from JNTO (see www.jnto.go.jp) along with a bunch of other great info.<BR>

Thanks, we'll take the schedule into account. Is there a 2003 schedule or is the 2002 assumed to still be accurate?

<BR>I'd assume that the 2002 schedule is out of date. You ought to contact the jnto to get a new one. <BR><BR>Click on the &quot;About Us&quot; link at:<BR>http://www.jnto.go.jp/ <BR><BR>There is some schedule info online, along with JR Pass and other JR info at:<BR>http://www.japanrail.com/<BR>

hey,<BR><BR>i hope you have a good time.<BR><BR>i just returned from my trip to japan<BR>and here are some photos.<BR><BR>http://photos.yahoo.com/vthalakola<BR><BR>in japan folder.<BR><BR>after the first day rusing myself in tokyo, i did everything at a relaxed<BR>pace and had a good time.<BR><BR>i suggest that you go to Kawachigoko<BR>instead of Hakone.<BR><BR>also, you may want to stop by in the city of Uji to visit<BR>the Byodoin temple before going to Nara.<BR><BR>also, in tokyo , i would skip the asakusa temple(you are going to see temples like this in other places) and instead recommend an afternoon in Odaiba in addition to other tourist attractions.<BR><BR><BR>- Reddy<BR><BR>p.s: still did not add mt. fuji photos yet.but i do have them too.

i noticed in reply ...from vthalakola
it suggested go to kawachigoko instead of hakone...i've been to hakone - and can't find any information about kawachigoko - do you mean kawaguchi-ko? first time posting - so if this isn't proper ettiquitte - apologies.