Reindeerflame

We will be spending a week in Japan before boarding a ship at the Osanbashi ship terminal in Yokohama, bound for, among other destinations, Okinawa and Taiwan.
After studying the matter, I think the best approach is to take the Tokyo-bound Shinkansen from Kyoto to Shin-Yokohama, change there for the JR Yokohama line, and ride one stop to Kikuna station, where a transfer is made to the Tokyu Toyoko/Minatomirai line that will then go directly to Nihon-odori station adjacent to the Osanbashi ship terminal.

The other alternative would be to disembark at Shin-Yokohama as described above,and then to take the JR Yokohama line to Yokohama central station, where a connection would be made to the Minatomirai line.

I'm thinking that avoiding a transfer at a busy station like Yokohama central is a good idea.

We are not traveling with heavy luggage.

Thoughts, anyone?

tt7

Probably six of one, half a dozen of the other. To get to Nihon-odori from Shin-Yokohama, you either change at Kikuna or at Yokohama. You may well be right that changing at Kikuna may be easier. I'd look at what time the Shinkansen arrives at Shin-Yokohama and, based on that, see what the options are .... bearing in mind that the Shinkansen usually has separate gates (so you have to exit the Shinkansen gates and then re-enter the JR gates) and what the connection times are at Kikuna and Yokohama (they seem to be about 4 - 10 minutes).

jib71

Kikuna would be a more manageable station than Yokohama, but I expect you'll be accustomed to Japanese stations by the time you get there.

The fastest way would be to exit the JR station at Shin-Yokohama and take the subway to Kannai. From Kannai, it's about a mile to Osanbashi pier - A nice walk if you're not weighed down with luggage. Or a cheap cab ride.

Cheaper would be to take JR Yokohama Line to Sakuragicho (fare included in your Shinkansen ticket). Then cab.

Reindeerflame

We used the connection via Kikuna, which was very easy and pleasant...escalators at all locations. We used our JR Pass on the Yokohama line from Shin Yokohama to Kikuna, and then used our Suica cards for the Tokoyo/Minatomirai line to Nihon-Odori, fpr an easy walk to the pier, following some Japanese passengers also obviously bound for the Diamond Princess.