mrwunrfl

You would not really need a JR Pass with HT's itinerary. The fare from Hiroshima to Tokyo is under 19,000 yen. That is a 7-day period from Sunday leave Hiroshima to Saturday arrive Tokyo, but the 7-day pass is 28,300. A longer pass would not be worthwhile because you don't have that many travel days.

Because you would be making stops in Kyoto and Hakone it would only cost a few hundred yen more for the extra reserved seats. Would be around 20,000, I think. And you could take Nozomi trains.

Flying from SYD to NRT and connecting there to CTS saves you the time of traveling from NRT to Tokyo and Tokyo to HND to get your flight to CTS. However, I think the NRT-CTS schedule is infrequent.

There is a connection for an afternoon arrival (from USA), but maybe not a morning one that works with your SYD flight. Might have to go to HND anyway. In that csase I might stay in Tokyo that first Friday night. But otherwise would want to spend it in Sapporo or Niseko.

I am pretty sure that there are buses from CTS to Niseko. Certainly there are from Sapporo. I would look for the Practical Travel Guide for Hokkaido at jto.go.jp

ympepe

This is all helpful as we are arriving at Narita on 11-4-10 and leaving on 11-11-10. We plan to take the bullet train from Narita to Kyoto for 2 nights and return to Tokyountil the 11th departure to US.
Checked out one a royukan and it looks awfully uncomfortable.
Beds on floor, tub set in floor. Anyone have an opinion of the comfort zone here vs. a regular hote. Thank You

WillJame

For you, ympepe, a regular hotel would be much more comfortable.

aussiefive

Thank you for the train details mrwunfl. It is all very helpful. The plan is starting to gel in my head now. I am just waiting to hear from Hakone Ginyu which will determine the order.

ympepe

WillJame - thanks for your input. We are an older couple and I did book a regular hotel room.