🚆 Transport plan
Everything except the bullet trains and Romancecar runs on Suica (tap your phone). Prices are approximate. Bullet train and Romancecar times are real timetable times (checked Oct 2026 against the current timetable, which runs until the March 2027 change). Only trains that run daily are picked. Re-check when booking.
| Date | From → To | How | Time | Book? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu Dec 3 | Haneda → Shinjuku | Keikyu Line to Shinagawa → JR Yamanote to Shinjuku. Or Airport Limousine Bus if tired | ~50 min | No — Suica |
| Fri Dec 4 | Shinjuku → Kyoto | Leave Shinjuku by 08:20 → JR Yamanote to Shinagawa (~20 min, rush hour) → Nozomi 63, Shinagawa 08:55 → Kyoto 11:00. Backup: Nozomi 19, 09:19 → 11:23 | ~2h40 | Yes — SmartEX, seat E (Mt. Fuji side), ~¥14,000 |
| Mon Dec 7 | Kyoto → Nara (day trip) | Kintetsu Limited Express from Kyoto Station to Kintetsu-Nara (~35 min), lands right by Nara Park. Cheaper option: Kintetsu Express (~45 min, Suica only) | ~35 min | Optional — small reserved-seat fee, buy at the station |
| Mon Dec 7 | Kyoto hotel → ryokan | Taxi with your bag (~¥1,500–2,500) | 10–20 min | No |
| Tue Dec 8 | Kyoto → Uji (day trip) | JR Nara Line from Kyoto Station to Uji (rapid ~17 min). From Gion: Keihan Line to Keihan-Uji (~30 min) | 20–30 min | No — Suica |
| Wed Dec 9 | Kyoto → Shibuya | Nozomi, Kyoto 11:21 → Shinagawa 13:25 → JR Yamanote to Shibuya (~12 min). Earlier option: 11:01 → 13:08 | ~2h30 | Yes — SmartEX, seat E again (Fuji is on that side both ways) |
| Thu Dec 10 | Shibuya → teamLab | Borderless (Azabudai Hills): Hibiya Line to Kamiyacho, ~20 min. Planets (Toyosu): Ginza Line to Shimbashi → Yurikamome to Shin-Toyosu, ~40 min | 20–40 min | No — Suica |
| Fri Dec 11 | Shibuya → Hakone | Leave Shibuya by 07:15 → JR Yamanote to Shinjuku (~7 min) → Romancecar Hakone 41, Shinjuku 07:37 → Hakone-Yumoto 09:22 | ~1h45 | Yes — Romancecar seat + Hakone Freepass |
| Fri Dec 11 | Hakone → Shinjuku | Romancecar Hakone 18, Hakone-Yumoto 17:46 → Shinjuku 19:26 → walk to Bar Benfiddich (~10 min). Backup: Hakone 20, 18:36 → 20:06 | ~85 min | Yes — reserve with the outbound |
| Sun Dec 13 | Shibuya → conference hotel | JR Yamanote to Hamamatsucho (~22 min). Or taxi with bag (~¥3,500) | ~25 min | No |
| Thu Dec 17 | Hamamatsucho → Haneda | Tokyo Monorail to Haneda Terminal 3 (~20 min). Leave by ~15:00 for the 18:05 flight | ~20 min | No — Suica |
Tips
- SmartEX app lets you buy Shinkansen tickets in advance and pick seats. Your Suica can be linked as the ticket.
- Your Aer Travel Pack fits the overhead rack — no oversized-bag reservation needed (that’s only for bags over 160 cm total).
- Avoid trains around 07:30–09:30 on weekdays with your bag (Dec 4 is a Friday). The 09:00 Shinkansen plan mostly dodges this, but the Yamanote leg will still be busy.
- Kyoto inside the city: buses are slow and packed. Use trains + walking, and taxis for short hops — they’re cheap split over short distances and easy to hail.