JR Pass & misc
 

It's my first time to Japan and I've read a lot of posts, but I'm still kind of lost.

What is the shortest time of pass available? 7-day or 14-day or is there another one? Would I even need one if I only plan to stay in Tokyo? Is there a web-site which says how long it'll take to different destinations, i.e. Hiroshima & Sapporo? Also, where can I get info on the bullet trains, where they go, price, etc?

Is Japan air travel real expensive? I looked on Japan Airlines web-site and a RT to Okinawa was $1300!!! Is this normal?

And excuse my ignorance, but is the majority of Japanese cuisine based on sushi and noodles?

Does anyone have any idea what it costs to get into a place like Oedo Onsen Monogatari? Are there any better places like it that might be cheaper?

Thanks!
Dennis

You need info to do some research.

see:
http://www.japanrailpass.net

For train times:
www.hyperdia.com
Plug in your stations, probably dates and times (or make them up if your are not sure) and see what options there are, get the best one, and see the timing.

People are getting cheap fares (RT $450 RT from Chicago, $500 to 600 from other U.S. locations) til end of May/early June into the new Centrair airport in Nagoya.

I just got back from two weeks and did not eat any sushi there (it just turned out that way, even though I love sushi I eat alot of it here and decided to try other things there that you can't get so easily in the U.S.). And no, it is not all noodles either. Check the internet. For starters see:
http://www.inet-shibata.or.jp/`ytoshi/japan/food/pot/pot3.htm

For Odeo Onsen Monogatori prices and other info, see: http://www.tcvb.or.jp/en/hot/sizzling/0302/onsen.htm

There are other onsen theme parks in the TYokyo area, but I do not think any of them have the "Edo" theme that Odeo Onsen M. has. Yunessun is another one, in Hakone outside of Tokyo, but no Edo theme there. That is what makes Odeo Onsen M. unique.

what is an edo theme?

I guess I wasn't real clear here either, "Is Japan air travel real expensive? I looked on Japan Airlines web-site and a RT to Okinawa was $1300!!! Is this normal?" I meant inside Japan. This fare was from Tokyo-Haneda to Okinawa for $1300/person!

Besides reading the posts here, you might want to do a bit of research in other places to get more out of your trip. Japan's history is very rich and if you go not knowing anything about it you will miss out on alot of the significance of what you are seeing and experiencing. You could look at "The Edo Peiod" at www.japan-guide.com/e/e2128.html, also "Welcome to Edo" at www.us-japan.org/edomatsu/Start/frame.html
and www.japan-guide.com/e/e2126.html

There is some good info about Japan air passes here:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2364.html

On the question of Japanese cuisine: it is based on rice, rice, fish, rice, vegetables, rice, and seafood. And rice.

You left out the rice. And what about tofu? We had alot of it there. Wrapped around the rice.