Hello,
we are a family with 3 kids, travelling April 18th to May 3rd to Japan this spring. I am thinking of purchasing JR Passes for us, but would appreciate your advice: the Child One is 7,5y.o.and will definitely need a pass; the Child Two is 5,5y.o. and actually does not need a ticket as far as i have read, Child Three is a baby and will be 6 m.o. thus will not need any ticket while travelling on my lap.
I am considering14days passes for our time in Japan.
At the moment the plan is to travel Tokyo-Kagoshima on 23.04. to visit friends, then on 26.04. to Kyoto, then on 1.05. to Osaka and on 2nd - up to Tokyo.
My questions are:
1) is it doable on 23.04. to make it from Tokyo to Kagoshima at all ? What time latest should we board in Tokyo so we manage to arrive in Kagoshima on the same day?
2) although the Child 2 does not require the pass, will it be possible to get a seat on Shinkansen for her without the pass?
Or, in order to guarantee the seat for a long trip, would it be wiser to purchase also a pass for her?
3) as the dates are very close to Golden Week, i am worried if we would be able to get the seats all together... is it possible to make seat reservations (get the tickets) in advance while activating the passes upon arrival? What are our chances if we reserve on 18/19th for the parts Tokyo-Kagoshima and Kagoshima-Kyoto, Shin-Osaka-Tokyo as these dates are already fixed? How far in advance can one make reservations, if at all at these high season dates?
4) as 14days pass does not cover our whole journey, i am thinking when it would be better to activate the passes: upon arrival to Narita on 18th (and use the passes to get to Tokyo Shibuya where we stay) OR better purchase normal tickets and activate the passes on 19.04 so we are able to use them on 2.05.when coming back to Tokyo before we fly back home. In other words, i tend to using the pass 19.04 to 2.05. when most Shinkansen travels are planned. What would you say?
Many thanks in advance for your guidance,
KiSkinFam