Please advise which pass (or set of passes) will be the best value:
Day 1: New Chitose Airport -> Sapporo
Day 4: Sapporo -> Hakodate
Day 5: Hakodate -> Tokyo (Shinjuku)
Days 5-8 around Tokyo
Day 9: Tokyo -> Hakone
Day 10: Hakone -> Kyoto
Days 10-12 around Kyoto
Day 13: Kyoto -> Osaka
Day 14: Osaka -> KIX
Thanks!
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Comments
You can use the pass for the Yamanote line within Tokyo and see many popular places, but it's unlikely you'll be able to see everything. Fortunately, subway tickets are not expensive. Try to take a day trip or two to nearby places like Nikko, Kamakura, Karuizawa, Kusatsu, Izu, etc.
For Hakone you can take the bullet train to Odawara and then use a Hakone Free Pass to save money in that area.
http://www.odakyu.jp/english/deels/
It'd be a tragedy if you skipped Nara near Kyoto though. At least make time for at least half a day there. Some of Japan's best sights are there, particularly the Todaiji Temple - it is simply unforgettable.
Likewise since you are already seeing Tokyo, you can largely skip Osaka during the day. After the temples of Kyoto close down around 5 PM, you can zip over to Osaka for the evening. At night 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 your Day 13 I suggest instead you go see Himeji, which has Japan's finest castle (the Kokoen Garden next to it is also superb). For a full day, you could also see the huge temple complex on top of Mt. Shosha there, or take some time and see the sights of Kobe.
Within Kyoto you can use the Pass to go to Arashiyama or down the Nara line to see the Fushimi Inari Shrine and Uji. Otherwise it is not very useful for you, but a 500 yen bus day pass can save you some money.