Riding Japan's Bullet Train from Tokyo to Kyoto

I would like to start my Japan diary from here because this is probably where the highlight of my Japan trip started. 

I chose the Nozomi line which is the fastest of the three train types. The schedule was at 6 am. I intended to make it that early because I wanted to start exploring the city the whole day and not waste time, aside from the fact that I needed to first find where my boarding house is situated.

It was winter so it was chilly in Tokyo. My hotel is in Shinjuku, but the bullet train will be coming from Shinagawa station, apparently one subway ride from Shinjuku. So I woke up early I'm not sure anymore about the time but it was surely before 5 am -- I remember to have alloted enough time for walking up to the subway which is about 10 minutes walk from Nishitetsu Inn. I managed to walk while my ears were bitingly cold even while wearing a pair of earmuffs and a face mask. I really look and feel so weird.

I didn't expect that at 5 am, the station, Shinjuku station, which is one of the busiest of Tokyo's subway stations, will be that crowded. Anyway, I was able to find a seat but many people are standing up. The ride took me about 15 minutes, or maybe 20 minutes, to get to Shinagawa station. And I was looking for the correct platform which happen to be almost at the very end of the line, so I was hurrying up because it was almost 6 am and I was slowed down by my heavy baggage -- I have a medium-sized trolley and a huge bag full of quirky items I bought from Tokyo.

I was panting and felt warm in the cold winter which is good because it gave me a bit of a morning exercise, though I was honestly looking "hagard". I saw my platform number and immediately saw the train coming exactly at 6 am. It was on time. I took a picture using my smaller camera but didn't manage to capture a decent one since it is fast and I do not want to be left behind.

I hopped in as soon as its doors opened. It was just me or two other people I think in this platform, probably because it is too early or maybe because it is not yet rush hour, or probably because I picked a reserved seating which is more expensive, actually significantly more expensive than getting a ticket without a reserve seating. In fact I would advise anyone who will be taking the bullet train to get the free seating in case your travel time does not fall on a rush hour.

My reserved seat was in A. The seats were A, B, C, D and E. D and E are on the right side, which is also the side where you can view the majestic Fuji-san (Mount Fuji). I figured out too late that my assigned seat A will not be able to allow me to see Fuji-san. I did not see it. The train is fast so it will be difficult to take a picture of it anyway.

The seats were the poshest I've been in, and the cleanest. And rightly so, because it was the most expensive ride I've paid for so far. 

It was quiet the whole time mainly because there was only a handful of passengers in our line. I was nervous that I might miss the Kyoto station since the radio announcer was very faint. so I was on alert at all times and failed to take a nap. However, there is a digital screen in the far front near the entrance door, showing the station names in Japanese characters, Chinese characters, I think, and thankfully, English. 

The scenery was not very beautiful from my seat A. I can only see the residential areas with condos or small dull commercial areas. It is winter so it just looks dull and a bit depressing. You can't actually fix your view because the train is fast unless it stops at stations. I expected the trip to be 2 hours long, but was shocked to hear "Kyoto" after about an hour and a half. It was that fast!