Taxi pickup at 7:15a. Because of yesterday’s reconnoitering, I knew which entrance of the Kyoto station to have him take me to (score!).

By design, I arrived in plenty of time allowing me time to figure out how to use the ticket to enter the station to my train. I hovered around the “turnstiles” to observe how other passengers entered their tickets but alas all of them had rail passes or some other form of ticket and not one-off paper tickets. So I turned to my dear travel companion, Google where I learned that the two paper “tickets” I got yesterday were not the ticket to enter the station and the ticket receipt. They we both tickets required to enter (and exit) the station. One ticket for the base fare and the other ticket for the supplemental fare. You enter them in the turnstile ticket slot successively.

Lots of the obvious tourists also arrived early. They were all standing around at various places throughout the station or sitting on the floor. I did not see anywhere for people to sit.

I had plenty of time to locate the platform (#12) for my train and the spot on the platform corresponding to my train’s car number (#8).

Über pleased that yesterday I had the foresight to get my paper ticket(s) and figure out where in the massive Kyoto station my train would be leaving from.

While waiting for my train, I was able to considerably help a couple of older women figure out their train, tickets and transfer plan. I laughed inside because I was so adeptly able to help them, they asked if I lived in Kyoto 😂. (Made all my ticket research and travails that much more worth it.)

My next concern was where I would put my TravelPro suitcase. I had to expand it to fit everything so it was pretty large. I also had my backpack and medium size duffle bag! Turns out, “no problem” as no one sat next to me so I could easily use the other seat and area in front of it for all of my bags. I was relieved and felt it was legit since the Japanese guy across from me was doing the same with his even larger suitcase. 😅

I allowed abundant time for the trains: Kyoto to Shinagawa and Shinagawa to Haneda Airport. To get to the airport from Kyoto, I had to transfer to one more train after the bullet train. The transfer train station was… surprise (not!) mobbed and it was a bit of a challenge getting through the crowds with my luggage. I had to totally exit my arrival terminal, go outside and make my way to the transfer train station (an entirely different station, train and train line, the Keikyu Airport Line’s Rapid Limited Express). Pleased I allowed tons of time so at least I didn’t have to worry about schedules.

Made it to Haneda Airport by a combination of pre-planning, figuring things out and good old fashioned luck 🍀.

From taxi pickup at 7:15a JST to car service drop off at 8:30p ET it was a long yet welcomed journey home (26 hours and 15 minutes). I was so excited to see Joan I would have cried when we hugged but she was entertaining guests and I held my emotions in check.

Retrospective post forthcoming…