I'm travelling to Japan for cherry blossom time in 2017, and would appreciate advice about the best train pass to get
I arrive at Narita airport and overnight in Tokyo before taking the train to Hiroshima for 2 days. Then I want to take the train from Hiroshima to Uno to stay on Naoshioma for 2 nights; then take the train to Kyoto for 3 nights.
After that I will go to Kanazawa for 2 nights then train back to Tokyo for 4 nights. I also want to do two day trips from Tokyo to Kamakura, Kawagoe or Matsumoto.
I used the JRPass many years ago, but was wondering if it was better to get the Central and Western Regional passes.
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A 14 day pass would definitely pay off - the regional passes would not really help you since you want to travel such long distances. The only regional pass that might help you is the Enoshima-Kamakura Freepass
http://www.odakyu.jp/english/deels/freepass/enoshima_kamakura/
but you could go as far as Kamakura on JR as well.
The problem with chasing cherry blossoms is that in that area on average, the first week of April is a good time to see them blooming, but there is no guarantee of course and until about a month before they come out it is impossible to accurately predict it. If you're too late, you might still be able to catch them if you go further north. If you're too early, there is little you can do since there is not much time lag between Kyushu and Kansai.
If you really want to see the blossoms though, the mecca of blossoms is Yoshino in Nara. It has over 30,000 trees and a history going back well over a thousand years.
Flowering cherries
blossoming in the mountains
of fair Yoshino--
betrayed by unwary eyes,
we mistake them for snowflakes.
--Ki no Tomonori (c. 850 – c. 904 A.D.)
Here is a list of some of the most popular places. The more popular though means more crowds.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011.html