Continuing the trajectory off course.....
Having checked on the InterWebThing, the National Japan Rail Pass (for travel all over the country) makes you stick to JR trains and doesn't cover the Nozomi company. However, there are regional Rail Passes that allow JR and Nozomi travel. Definitely worth a look.
I travelled standard class and found it very comfortable. I noticed that most carriages were reserved seating though, and only one or two per train were for unreserved tickets. I should imagine unreserved gets a bit hectic during commuter hours.
Must consult GPS to see where this thread actually should be going....