You can also take Skyliner

http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetud...ei_us/top.html

It is cheaper (1,920 yen) and fast if you just want to go to Asakusa (or east side of Tokyo) from Narita.

Inside Tokyo, Metro Pass is a good choice especially for the 2-Day Passs.

(1) Tokyo Metro 2-Day Open Ticket (Adult: 980 yen, Child: 490 yen)
(2) Tokyo Metro 1-Day Tourist Open Ticket (Adult: 600 yen, Child: 300 yen)

http://www.tokyometro.jp/e/open_ticket/index.html

For Suica usage, check:

http://www.japanrail.com/JR_icsmartcards.html

Just to share...JR is not very convenient in Kyoto/Osaka. Kyoto has its Kyoto City Pass (i.e. 500 yen per day)

http://www.city.kyoto.jp/koho/eng/access/transport.html

But remember to check the bus sign before you get on. It has to be Kyoto CITY bus but not Kyoto bus...

If you do one of those sunrise tour packages, you get lodging and transportation for less then a JR pass.

Day trips to Nikko/Hakone etc are usually better off with non-JR options (Odakyu/Tobu railways).

If your hotel is in Asakusa you might be better off taking the Keisei Line then JR from NRT.

Hmmm...

Shinkansen won't get you to Kyoto in time for sunrise or very early morning photos.

Nara is a fine side trip from Kyoto. Lots of ancient temples in a relatively compact historic district, easily covered in a day of walking around.

Although I had planned to take the shinkansen from Osaka to Kyoto and, after a four-day visit to Kyoto, on to Tokyo, participants in this forum convinced me that it was unnecessary. They were right. Ordinary trains cover Kyoto-Osaka in less than 30 minutes with as few as two stops.

If you stay in Osaka, I'd recommend Ron steakhouse. Best. Piece. Of. Beef. Ever. Anywhere.

A little more background: Four of us will start the trip together and stay for 3 weeks, 2-4 will join during the second week (may spend their first week in Tokyo while we are traveling around) and at least one more will join during the third week. Everyone has spent some time abroad. After several group meetings, the focus is on taking in the culture more than creating a hard and fast itinerary. We had long discussed traveling somewhere together and when one of the later-arriving members announced he had to go to Japan for a wedding, we thought it would be a great trip.

We live in Texas and I am the only one not in the computer industry. We spend most of our time together in bars or playing computer games. At least one out of the group is smitten by Japanese women.

Some of the items on all of our agenda's are to go to the fish market at least once, visit Roppongi (I apologize in advance for any misspellings) several evenings, check out the electronics in the Akihabara, visit the bridge where the Cosplayers meet (I'll have to hunt the name down); visit some of the gardens, take in the cherry blossom, visit Mt. Fuji (not sure if I can get the others to hike around with me); see a variety of shrines, and eat lots of sushi

I hope this gives a better description of what we are interested in. We are definitely interested in minimizing costs (i.e. keep costs to around $100/day).

Based on this information, would you recommend seeing shrines in every city or one particular city? Are there particular areas of Kyoto and Osaka that we should visit for night life or taking in a bit of culture (traditional attire/something uniquely Japanese)? Where are the best places to find inexpensive sushi (not necessarily a certain restaurant but maybe a type of restaurant to watch for)?

Thanks again for all of the information.

Are you speaking of Harajuku as that is where a lot of Cosplayers (and concidentally, a lot of goth people) meet on the weekends?

Traditional Kyoto can be best glimpsed at night in the Gion district (where there are still some geisha around that walk area there). Around cherry blossom time you can also glimpse people in their Kimonos walking around (and incidentally taking pics of each other too!) at Kiyomizu temple (be warned, its a steep hill walk up to this temple if you choose to go up there but it is a very good exercise while taking in the good food/souvieur shops that line the street that winds its way up the hill towards the temple).

Also may I advise you to look at http://www.bento.com/ for good hints as to where to eat at/try.

Sanosuke!

One spot that comes to mind is the plaza outside the Akihabara Electric Town North exit. There is a long pedestrian bridge leading from the plaza to the UDX building. Many cosplayers, street singers and vippers congregate here almost on daily basis.

A quick search on google image turned up this pic. This shot is taken from the train station exit. You can see the plaza is on the right, the pedestrian walkway is in the middle and the UDX building is straight ahead. You can barely make out the white on black UDX sign through the walkway covering.

On Sundays, the police close the Chuo-dori, the main drag through Akiba, to vehicle traffic. People have cosplay photo shoots and concerts on the street (although the Manseibashi police insists that no one stops.) IMO this is the best time to go to Akiba.

The hiking season for Mt. Fuji July and August. It is cold in the other months, and not recommended to scale or hike Fujisan.

There is always kaitenzushi... :D

As mentioned before, one of the best ways of 'taking in the culture' would be to factor in a Matsuri (festival) into your trip. There's a link in my last post about the Omihachiman Shrine fire festival, but you haven't even mentioned if this is something that interests you.

Apart from showcase events (like CEATEC) and at showrooms Japan isn't so obviously a cutting age computer driven society as you might imagine. No to say evidence doesn't exist, it's just not obvious... you'll need to do some digging up. I find it hard to keep up with where this technology is displayed in Japan (and I have a tendency to focus on the Arts side of technology). For instance, you will just have missed "The Great Robot Exhibition: Karakuri, Anime and the Latest Robots" which ended a couple of weeks ago at the National Museum of Nature and Science. Here's a blog showing other robot stuff going on in Japan http://www.lovingthemachine.com/labels/robot.html
I'd suggest stopping at Nagoya to see the recently opened Robot Museum there http://www.robot-museum.net/ (edit - nope! see post #41)
In Tokyo for technology driven Arts I like the ICC in West Shinjuku (near the tokyo metropolitan government building)
http://www.ntticc.or.jp/index_e.html
If this is what you all what to unearth and explore I recommend that you open a new thread here asking specifically on technology/computer focused places, events and tours.
As to where you'll want to go out, throw a stone. Tokyo is teaming with bars and izakayas (where you eat as well as drink). If you're aiming to meet other English speaking tourists and longer staying visitors, as well as Japanese people who also seek out this kind of company, then, as you've already suspected, Roppongi will be a draw for you.
If you want to go to a club then the suggestion I always give is to go to one of Tokyo's superb independent record stores and ask about events that reflect your own tastes in music. Once you go to one and speak to people there it's easy to find about others If you are visibly enjoying yourselves in a venue where you like the music and feel comfortable and at ease you are going to be a much more attractive prospect than a group of tourists huddled together and looking nervous and bemused enduring music they'd never listen to 'at home' (Gas Panic might have a few of these, especially during their Happy Hour).
A word of caution about hotel room policies. In most places, single rooms are single rooms. The same room can be double the price based on two person occupancy rather than one person occupancy. Don't assume you'll be able to sneak someone back.
If you've found economic accommodation, it might make more sense (be less embarrassing) to just buy a stay at a Boutique/Love Hotel for the night than negotiate an additional person into your room. Getting rooms on points at hotel chains is often a great way around this. Alas, the cheaper the hotel, the more tricky this issue becomes, and with expensive joints it's probably best to negotiate with reception first in case there's a two person supplement. (On both ends of the spectrum the front desk tend to be extremely observant).
You also haven't mentioned whether you are aware of the current Tsukiji Fish Market discussions on this forum about Tsukiji policies.
Here's a newly opened thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=790617
as msb0b has said, not a good time to go hiking up Mount Fuji. People die up there in March.
Cheap sushi (IMO) is a waste of time. Sushi is easy to find in so many cities now, so conveyor belt sushi isn't going to be much different than what you'll get for a moderate price in Toronto or Vancouver. I suggest spending less on cheap/average sushi and splurge instead on great sushi at least once. Outside Tsukiji market is a good place to find some. Search this forum for more suggestions.
Concentrate instead on trying foods you aren't so familiar with. Chances are (in fact chances are extremely high) that you won't have experiences great Ramen yet. There can't be more than a handful of places outside Japan where truly GOOD Ramen is served. You may find that this will be a revalatory experience for you once you arrive. Best of all, it's cheap.
Try and hunt out a great Okonomiyaki joint in Osaka (a regional speciality you are probably best off avoiding in Tokyo). And MegatopLover's Osaka steak house suggestion is one I would trust completely.

Nothing suggested so far is expensive, except the sushi. Standards are pretty high elsewhere, so if you want a sushi experience of an 'only in Japan' calibre, you need to pay for it. Thankfully, you do get what you pay for.
For more modest fare, stick to hunting out local specialities, and try sating your hunger for gourmet fare at lunchtimes (Tokyo is the only city where you can have a meal at a Michelin starred restaurant for around the $20 mark)
Here's a thread http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=468207

It completely depends on how interested you are in shrines. It's not a question that makes sense for those touring/visiting Europe. If you go to Milan you'd probably want to see the Duomo, Paris visitors are drawn to Sacre Cour and Notre Dame, in London people want to see St Pauls and Westminster Abbey. In each city there are many more churches for anyone with an interest in their architecture, the Art they contain, their history, their events, their denomination.
Japan is the same. The most celebrated shrine in Tokyo is the one in Asakusa, the shops around it are as big a pull for tourists as the shrine itself. Other than that, Tokyo has hundreds of shrines and temples of enormous interest for those with an interest. If you don't have that interest, they may hold little attraction for you.
Osaka probably has less of interest.
That this is even a question for you, my suggestion is to spend a day in Nara (near Osaka) and depending on how you enjoy that, then spend some time exploring the temples in Kyoto. A lot of people get 'temple fatigue' in the kansai area, I suspect your group are potential victims to this.

Already mentioned a festival. Almost everything else mentioned has been unique too. You're also visiting at the wrong season to see lots of traditional attire (outside the festival and, possibly, the cherry blossom viewing events). If you keep your eyes open you'll see people wearing kimono everywhere. It's in the warmer months where you'll see more people donning traditional attire.
Kimonos are expensive, difficult and time consuming to put on and a bit constricting to wear (kind of like wearing corsets - if someone at the wedding you are going to is wearing one, be sure to pay a compliment... it will go down well, I promise). Not everyone enjoys wearing them. There is another version of traditional attire called a yukata. Many visitors think they are the same thing, but yukata are made of cotton and are much, much easier to put on and wear. There's been a bit of a boom for these recently.
If you've seen photos of ladies looking relaxed and casual in kimono with fans in their hands, chances are they are wearing yukata. This means you are more likely to see more people in traditional dress between May and September.

Osaka Tokyo - 1 Day Roundtrip Bullet Train Fare
 

Hello, I fly into Osaka this Fri and like to visit Tokyo on Sat and return to Osaka on Sun. I'll appreciate if anyone is able to assist with the following 2 questions:
1. Is there an official train transportation web-site I can purchase the tickets before flying into Osaka?
2. Any feedback on whether they have business or first class option?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Cheers.

Yes, but it's in Japanese. You'll probably find it easier to just buy the ticket at the station.

The first class car is called the "Green Car," and a seat in it costs about 8,000 yen extra (r/t). You don't really get much except a bigger seat with better recline. If you want a real premium experience you might consider trying out the new JAL first class ITM-HND.

http://jr-central.co.jp/eng.nsf/english/ticket_info
http://jr-central.co.jp/eng.nsf/english/from_osaka
http://jr-central.co.jp/eng.nsf/english/fare_surcharges/$FILE/fare.pdf
http://jr-central.co.jp/eng.nsf/english/maps
http://www.kansai-airport.or.jp/en/index.asp

Thanks joejones and Q Shoe Guy.....both your feedback is very much appreciated...cheers.

Have a look at hyperdia.com there is a button for English, it is a great timetable and price checker to see if the JR Pass really is worth it.

It is also great for going to the JR office and telling them the actual number of the train you want to catch. Much like airline flights.

You might like Harajuku http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harajuku you might find your bridge.

I liked Shinjuku http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinjuku

For shrines check out Kamakura http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamakura,_Kanagawa

My guess it's this one that runs over the tracks between Harajuku station and Yoyogi Park (where Meiji Jingu shrine is located)