@LapLap - the issue is more personal space than conversations.

@abmj-jr - we are transferring to the N'EX at Tokyo. Nozomi 18 to N'EX 33.

FWIW, Hyperdia said the transfer would work at Shinigawa, the online schedules are not clear (there are two N'EX 33s), but the ticket agent said no. We have lots of time to switch and have switched before at Tokyo, so it should not be a problem.

@jib71 - we are not on a JR Pass. The green supplement seems a bit much.

We were on the Hikari from Himeji to Kyoto yesterday unreserved in car 4. It was not smoky. The first unreserved car we tried was very crowded. Four was much less crowded.