This is our plan
Day 0 Leave Europe
Day 1 - Kyoto with sidetrip Northern Kyoto Half Day - Central Kyoto (Manga Museum)
Day 2 - Kyoto with sidetrip Arashiyama Full Day - Toei Uzumasa Eigamura
Day 3 - Kyoto with sidetrip Eastern Kyoto Full Day
Day 4 - Kyoto to Nara one daytrip visit to Nara
Day 5 - Nara to Mount Koya In the morning, travel from Kyoto to Mount Koya (2.5 hours) and overnight there at a temple.
Day 6 - Mount Koya to Osaka Spend the morning at Mount Koya. Around noon, take the train to Osaka (2.5 hours) and spend the afternoon, evening and night there.
Day 7 - Osaka optional visit to Ise : travel from Osaka to Ise (2 hours) and visit the Ise Shrines. In the late afternoon, return to Osaka (2 hours) and spend the evening and night there.
Day 8 - Osaka to Hiroshima morning in Osaka - afternoon travel from Osaka to Hiroshima (2 hours)
Day 9 - Hiroshima to Miyajima visit the Hiroshima Peace Park. In the afternoon, continue on to Miyajima (40 minutes) and overnight there.
Day 10 - Miyajima to Tokyo Get up early and spend a few more hours on Miyajima. Leave the island around eleven for Himeji (2 hours). Spend the afternoon exploring Himeji Castle. Return to Tokyo in the evening (3-4 hours).
Day 11 - Tokyo with sidetrips half day to Ghibli Museum (from Shinjuku)
Day 12 - Tokyo with sidetrips daytrip to Nikko (from Tokyo, Ueno)
Day 13 - Tokyo with sidetrips half day Doraemon museum (from Shinjuku)
Day 14 - Tokyo with sidetrips daytrip to Kamakura (from Shinjuku)
Day 15 - Tokyo to Hakone leave Tokyo in the morning
Day 16 - In the afternoon leave Hakone for Tokyo (2.5 hours)
Day 17 - Tokyo - Western Tokyo Full day
Day 18 - Tokyo to Kanazawa (2.5 hours)
Day 19 - Kanazawa to Tokyo return to Tokyo in the afternoon
Day 20 - Tokyo with sidetrips half day Odaiba (National Science Museum)
Day 21 - Depart from Narita Airport
1) we were thinking to buy either the Kansai One Pass or the Kansai Through Pass for the first 7 days. We dont know which of the two is better in order to include also the trip from KIX to Kyoto?
2) we were thinking to use the 14 days JR pass from day 8 to day 21. Does it make sense? Is it convenient?
3) Do you have any other suggestions of things to visit ( family with one teen and one smaller kid)
0
Comments
For the first week of your trip, the Kansai One Pass really doesn't do much for you except some convenience of not buying tickets all the time. Instead, I suggest you look at getting the Icoca & Haruka discount ticket:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_icoca_haruka.html
or look at the Kintetsu Pass or Wide Pass:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357_006.html
This site has more info:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357_kansai.html
For Days 8-21, a 14 day pass would pay off for the itinerary given, but it is certainly not the most efficient use of time. It'd be far better to go to Kanazawa after Kyoto and then on to Tokyo. Kanazawa is certainly worth more then just an afternoon - actually a couple of days would be better.
For Nikko, get an early morning start, and seeing the Edo Wonderland would probably excite your kids too. For Kamakura, Enoshima is also a good add-on and the beach is nice as well.
You can choose to see Ise if you wish, personally I think going to Himeji and seeing Japan's best castle there as well as Kokoen Garden next door would be more enjoyable. You can also go atop Mt Shosha and see the huge temple complex there.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3500.html
For Osaka, not much need to spend the daytime there, but from the evening the city comes alive and has some great places to see, such as Dotonbori, plus the night views from the Umeda Sky Bldg and Abeno Harukas Bldg are wonderful.
For Koyasan, look into getting a Koyasan World Heritage Ticket:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_012.html