I am travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto to Osaka. I will be flying into Haneda on 9/7 and my itinerary includes:
9/7 - 9/11 Tokyo
9/11 - 9/16 Kyoto (and visit day visit to Osaka during my stay in Kyoto)
Returning to Haneda on 9/16 for my flight back to LAX. Any suggestions? I really appreciate it. Thank you.
Comments
You'd still be short of making a 7 day rail pass pay off. But you could get a japanican ticket and save a lot more that way. Even paying for the short trips between Osaka and Kyoto, you'd still come out ahead.
https://bit.ly/2B4vVc5
I also suggest you take at least half a day to see Nara - it has some very good sights.
https://goo.gl/LfvWnL
You could also see Himeji if you like - it has the finest castle in the country and the Kokoen Garden near it is very nice. In that event, a Kansai Area Pass might make sense.
https://goo.gl/65ZtRi
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357.html
You could see Osaka in the evening. That's when the city really comes alive. It's just 30 minutes from Kyoto by train.
http://goo.gl/XE5R94
For doing simple itinerary calculations, use the japan rail pass calculator.
http://www.japan-guide.com/railpass/
You can check on train info on Hyperdia - you can see regular fares, routes, and schedules.
http://www.hyperdia.com
Also, you can look at some previews of some of the best places to see in Japan on:
https://www.youtube.com/user/thejapanfaq/videos
There are also loads of other tips on
http://www.thejapanfaq.com/the-best-japan-travel-tips/
Best regards.