[Teris]

My wife and I leave Thursday for our trip. We're really excited, but have not enough time to prepare. I have a bunch of questions.

1. Can someone please recommend a cheap hotel very close to Tokyo Station? My wife and I are staying there overnight after our flight from the US into Marita. We leave early for Kyoto the next day, so don't want to pay a lot for the hotel.

2. We have 7 day rail passes, so we can use those for the Narita Express to Tokyo Station, I believe. Do any hotels have free shuttles from Narita into Tokyo that would make more sense than activating our JR passes right away?

3. I've heard different things about how difficult it is to get cash at ATMs and banks in Japan and whether places usually accept credit cards. How much cash would you recommend that we bring?

4. Should we covert currency in the US or wait until we get to Japan?

5. If you have a moment, please review our itinerary and let me know if it makes sense. We arrive and leave from Narita.

Day 1: Arrive Narita. Narita Express, hotel shuttle or limousine bus to Tokyo Station. Stay in hotel near Tokyo Station (recommendations for hotel?).
Day 2: Using JR pass, go to Kyoto in morning, check into Super Hotel Kyoto Shijo Kawaramachi. Walk around Kyoto.
Day 3: Kyoto
Day 4: Using JR pass, day trip to Hiroshima (stopping at Himeji despite construction).
Day 5: Kyoto, check into Ryokan Shimizu.
Day 6: Using JR pass, leave Kyoto for Tokyo, check into Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku. Spend day in Tokyo.
Day 7: Tokyo
Day 8: Nikko (last day of JR pass if activate on Day 1)
Day 9: Tokyo
Day 10: Hang around Tokyo, head to Narita and fly home in evening

Thanks so much for any information you can provide!!