JR East Pass is Ok from Tokyo to Takayama?

Hello!

I'm planning a new trip to Japan and this time I think the JR Pass will be nice.
As I was planning to stay much time in Kanto, I thought buying the JR EAST Pass. But my friend recommands me to go to Takayama.

My question is just that: is the train trip from Tokyo to Takayama fully covered by the JR East Pass?

Thank you very much for your help!
Tamara

The train trip isn't covered but the route by train and bus via Matsumoto is drastically discounted. More info here:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_02.html

For more information about the discount bus ticket was written the following web site.
http://www.nouhibus.co.jp/english/discount_ticket.html

is the train trip from Tokyo to Takayama fully covered by the JR East Pass?

No.
Takayama Station is a station of JR-Central, and it is away from stations of JR-East which are nearest to the boundaries of the two JR regional companies.

Would you make another trip to a place outside Tokyo?
A combination of a JR East Pass + discount bus tickets to travel beyond Matsumoto is not likely to pay off in a roundtrip from Tokyo to Takayama only.
It depends on your other trip(s) weather a JR Kanto Area Pass or a JR East Pass is better in saving your cost.

[Regular JR tickets + regular bus tickets]
Tokyo -- Matsumoto roundtrip via Shinjuku by JR
: up to 14200 yen per adult (including Ltd. Express charges).
Matsumoto -- Takayama roundtrip by Nohi Bus / Alpico Kotsu
: 5500 yen per adult (without a discount).
Total: up to 19700 yen per adult.

[JR Kanto Area Pass + regular JR tickets + regular bus tickets]
A JR Kanto Area Pass: 8300 yen per adult.
Kobuchizawa -- Matsumoto roundtrip by JR (in a Local train each way)
: 2280 yen per adult.
Matsumoto -- Takayama roundtrip by Nohi Bus / Alpico Kotsu
: 5500 yen per adult (without a discount).
Total: 16080 yen per adult.

[JR East Pass + discount bus tickets]
A JR East Pass: 22000 yen per adult.
Matsumoto -- Takayama roundtrip by Nohi Bus / Alpico Kotsu
: 2500 yen per adult (after a discount given to a JR East Pass holder).
Total: up to 24500 yen per adult.

Thank you for all your answers!

omotenashi: No, I'm not only going to Takayama. I'm planning to go to Hakone, Kamakura, Nikko, Ginzan Onsen (I know I have to take an additionnal bus to this one too), and wander around Tokyo 3 more days.
So I think the JR East Pass will pay off.

But I never heard about the Kanto Pass?

Anyway thanks again for your help.

Tamara

I see…. Then a JR East Pass surely pays off in a roundtrip from Tokyo to Oishida (with "O" pronounced long) by Shinkansen to visit Ginzan Onsen in Yamagata Prefecture.

Hakone is not served by JR. You can travel to Odawara Station by JR, but when you travel with a JR East Pass, you cannot choose Tokaido Shinkansen, because it is operated by JR-Central.
- japan-guide.com: Hakone Free Pass
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_008.html
: Odakyu Electric Railway spells this pass as "Hakone Freepass" in its website.
: You can purchase a Hakone Freepass at a ticket vending machine in Odawara Station of Odakyu.
http://www.odakyu.jp/english/traffic/howto/ticket/

Public transportations inside Nikko City are operated by non-JR companies. You can use Shinkansen from Tokyo / Ueno to Utsunomiya then Nikko Line to Nikko. Please note that on JR Nikko Line only a small number of trains are available.

For your Nikko trip, you can take a JR - Tobu through Ltd. Express train with a JR East Pass connecting Shinjuku and Tobu Nikko. Only very few through trains are available in a day, but that may be a good choice especially if you have a good access to/from Shinjuku Station / Ikebukuro Station of JR.