Thank you for your ideas.
Offroader, I should have been more specific about the train. It's a short trip, so we want to get to the snow ASAP, so by train I mean Shinkansen. JR sells 5 day passes here:
JR EAST PASS | Fares & Passes | JR-EAST. NGO is still a good suggestion though, and sometimes has more open seats than NRT.

Mrs767, I will try your email idea. BTW, love the Buckaroo Banzai reference. That was my senior quote in my HS yearbook.

Thanks again