This is my current itinerary. I was thinking of getting a 7 day JR pass to cover from Tokyo to Kyoto, and then Kyoto to Hakone, and then Hakone to Narita. The pass won't be activated until after my stint in Tokyo.
Is it worth getting one? Or should I perhapas get the Japanican Tokyo-Kyoto return pass, and then use the Suica for the rest of the trips?
30/4 - arrive Tokyo
1/5 - 3/5 - Tokyo
4/5 - Tokyo to Kyoto - activate JR pass
5/5 -7/5 - Kyoto
8/5 - Kyoto to Hakone-Yumoto
9/5 - Hakone
10/5 - Hakone-Yumoto to Narita Airport
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Looking at your itinerary it would be worth you getting a 7-day JR Pass. The cost of the 3 main journeys you're making: Tokyo-Kyoto, Kyoto-Hakone Yumoto and Hakone Yumoto-Narita, comes to more than the cost of a 7-day pass (around 32,000 JPY, while the pass costs 29,110 JPY), even taking into account the part of the journey to Hakone Yumoto that isn't covered by the pass.
I hope this helps.
Kind Regards,
Japan Experience
Yes, it's possible to get to Kyoto on the same day if your flight arrives at Narita Airport at 3:30pm. If you take the 4:44pm Narita Express to Shinagawa and then change trains to take the next Hikari Shinkansen to Kyoto, you should arrive there around 9pm at night.
Kind Regards,
Japan Experience
1. Tokyo to Yokote, staying in Yokote for 9 days
2. Yokote to Kyoto, staying 4 nights
3. Kyoto to Nara, staying 2 nights
4. Nara to Wakayama, staying 3 nights
5. Wakayama to Naoshima, staying 2 nights
6. Naoshima to Miyajima, staying 3 nights
7. Miyajima back to Tokyo
What would be the most appropriate train pass?
Can you provide us with some more details on your itinerary and we'll try to help.
Best regards
Japan Experience
If you are referring to Yokote, Akita, then you can make a 21 day rail pass off quite handsomely - but your itinerary exceeds 21 days, so if you are willing to fit everything into 21 days then you would yield the most savings. If not, then use the 21 day rail pass and and take a cheap air fare like the ANA Experience Japan Fare from Hiroshima back to Tokyo.
http://www.ana.co.jp/wws/us/e/wws_common/promotions/share/experience_jp/index.html
Also if you're going to Wakayama for Mt Koya, look at getting a Koyasan World Heritage Ticket:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_012.html
Also 3 nights for Miyajima is *way* more than enough. What you could do is expand your plans a bit - Hiroshima City has some great sights like the Peace Park/Museum, Shukkeien Garden, castle, and downtown shopping arcade, plus just a bit south of Miyajima is Iwakuni with its iconic bridge and mountaintop castle. On Miyajima, everyone goes to see the Itsukushima Shrine with its 'floating torii', but don't miss the Daishoin Temple, which is really more varied and beautiful.
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Petereva -
A 14 day pass would not pay off for your itinerary. You could either squeeze things down to a 7 day itinerary, or get the 14 day pass and add more side trips like a trip to Hiroshima/Miyajima as planned above. You could do it as a day trip from Osaka or Kyoto with an early morning start.
The JR Pass won't help you with Hakone, however. It can take you up to a station like Mishima, and then you can get a Hakone Free Pass to save money for that area.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_008.html
As a suggestion, it would be better not to piggyback your question on top of somebody else's - starting your own new thread would be better.