Access to the Shinkansen trains is on the Yaesu side. The ground floor level of Tokyo Station houses 20 train tracks at ten platforms. Two portions of the station are located underground, each housing four train tracks at two platforms.

Navigating Tokyo Station to catch a Shinkansen is straightforward if you follow the color-coded signage. First, locate the dedicated Shinkansen Gates, which are separate from the local JR lines. If you are heading south toward Kyoto or Osaka, look for blue signs marking Platforms 14–19 for the Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen. If you are heading north toward Sendai or Kanazawa, follow the green signs for Platforms 20–23 (Tohoku/Hokuriku lines). You can purchase tickets at the "Midori-no-madoguchi" (Green Window) offices or at multilingual ticket machines using a credit card or cash. If you have a JR Pass, you must use the manual gates next to the automated ones and present your pass to the staff. It is highly recommended to enter via the Yaesu Side (East) of the station, as it provides the most direct and clearly marked path to the Shinkansen boarding areas, avoiding the sprawling underground labyrinth of the Marunouchi side.