removed

Actually I can't remember the platform number at Tokyo Stn. But the JR-East website indicated 14-19 for Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen.

http://www.jreast.co.jp/estation/stations/1039.html

Platforms 20-23 for Tohoku, Yamakata, Akita, Joetsu, Nagano Shinkansen.

So OP better double check when he gets there.

No.

The OP can simply look the platform up on Hyperdia. The Hikari #505 that he was looking at leaves Tokyo from platform #17. The other Nozomis and Hikaris all use #14-19.

OP: Hyperdia shows "DepartureTime/Platform" - Tokyo(8:33) 17. The 17 is the platform.

As of August 2009 Tokyo station has platforms #1-23 above ground as you will see on the map I posted earlier.

Platforms #14-19 are for Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen and platforms #20-23 are for Tohoku, Yamagata, Akita, Joetsu, Nagano Shinkansen. Two sets of underground platforms including those used by Narita Express are numbered separately.

Not that it matters that much as Shinagawa has only 4 Shinkansen platforms, this English map doesn't indicate the direction of the trains but the Japanese version does. Looks like "lost in translation".

http://www.jreast.co.jp/estation/stations/788.html

Tokyo Uses Blues To Curb Platform Suicides
 

JR East's attempt to reduce platform suicides has been reported by skynews.
Blue LED lights at the end of the platforms.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Wor...in_Line_Deaths

Japan's suicide rate is ranked #8 in the world or #1 in G8.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...y_suicide_rate

Having just done TozoiLine>ToykoStation>Kyoto>Shinagawa>NRT I'll post a few observations here.

Like other posters I had done considerable research, including figuring out which platform I needed to be at for each train, station maps, etc. NONE of it was necessary!

Every station was clearly signposted, and in every case the Shinkansen platforms were through a separate entrance with a signboard that showed which track each train departed from. There were directional signs every few feet in the stations - in some cases directing you in multiple directions when there were several entrances. Once on the platform, there are clear indications of where you need to stand to wait for each car. Ditto when you need to transfer, the platforms were clearly posted to indicate which exit to take for which trains.

General observations:

The transfer at Tokyo was much harder the the one at Shinagawa for someone who was doing it for the first time. Tokyo is HUGE and every part I was in was like a huge underground shopping plaza that looked like a habitrail. Even so, the Shinkansen entrances were very clearly signposted everywhere, including all the way from the Tozoi station, which was a couple blocks away.

At Shinagawa I only had to go up from the platfrom (escalators/elevators available) and then back down to the other platform for my next train. Much easier than at Tokyo. If I had my choice I would certainly choose Shinagawa over Tokyo.

The only mysterious thing for me was how the tickets worked. I was doing TOKYO>KYOTO>NARITA (NEX) and my got the tickets through a corporate travel agent and was just handed an envelope full of tickets. I had four tickets - one for TOKYO-KYOTO, one for KYOTO-SHINAGAWA, and one for SHINAGAWA-NARITA. The fourth I assumed was a receipt since it didn't have any train information on it. When I used the first one at TOKYO the gate opened and I got the ticket back, stamped. When I used the second one at KYOTO the gates didn't open and an agent came over when I looked confused. She retrieved the ticket from the machine and said "you also need the other one". I rustled through my envelope of tickets and she took out the one that I thought was the receipt and had me put both of them through the machine. They both came back out, one stamped and the gates opened. When I got to SHINAGAWA I put them both in the machine and it seemed happy. I have no idea why I needed only the one the first time, but both the second.

But, general advise is to just plan on arriving at the station a little early and to take your time looking over all the signs. Everything is there but it can certainly be overwhelming the first time. Even as a non-Japanese speaker I had no problem. 99% of the information was in Japanese only, but the 1% you really needed was also in English.

If you didn't need it, then it wasn't information.

Thanks all of the useful information in this thread. Didn't read every reply, so I apologize if this is a repeat.

Want to take the train from Tokyo to Kyoto on Monday, December 28th. Is there any way to reserve and/or purchase tickets outside of Japan?

No.

Best to make your reservations immediately upon arrival at NRT (assuming you are arriving at NRT.) There is a JR office in the arrivals hall but I always use the ticket sales office at the JR station in the basement of the arrivals area. If you will be using the JR Narita Express to get into Tokyo from the airport you can just do it all at once. If you are using the Keisei Skyliner for the trip into Tokyo, their ticket office is right across the hall. If you will be using the limobus, use the JR office in the Arrivals Hall as that is where the bus stand is located.