April 19 and 26, 2004, are normal days in Japan.

The only difference between the Nozomi and the Hikari on the Tokaido Shinkansen is the number of stops, and the fact Hikaris stop to let Nozomis go by. All reach up to 270km/h.

The normal JR Pass pays for itself with a roundtrip to Kyoto. Use it for a few side trips, or during your stay in Tokyo on JR city lines (Yamanote, Chuo, etc.), and you'll come out ahead.
The Green Pass provides additional comfort for not much money. Actually the normal cars are plenty comfortable on the Shinkansen, but more crowded. On the NEX, Green cars have vastly superior legroom.

Some prices:
- Narita-Tokyo: Y2,940/4,980 normal/green
- Tokyo-Kyoto: ~Y13,220 normal, ~Y4,000 more for green