Japan Rail Pass or Individual Rain Ticket

Hi all,

Need your sharing and advice concerning Japan Rail pass matters.

This is the first time we travel to Japan.
Basically, we would like to travel to Japan about 14days with a group of people end of this years (winter time). The travelers included 6 adults, 1 senior citizens (70 + year olds) and 1 child (6 years old).So, we are expected this trip is more relax as 2 dependents might walks very slow.

Need your advice as follows:-

1) Kindly advice based on below itinerary and travel groups with 2 dependents. Kindly advice whether we shall purchase 7 or 14days pass or individual rail tickets? Kindly advice what is most convenience and budget based on where we stay, travels.. etc..

2) I am a little bit confuse with the rail line system in Japan. Correct me if I am wrong, there are now there are Kansai/East/West/Hakaido/Sinkoku regional pass etc.. Please advice which regional pass should I purchase.

2)Kindly advice any budget rail company, website for us to book with.

3) Kindly advice when shall we purchase the rail tickets/pass. Any different in term of cost if we purchase in advance? Will this fully booked during 1st to 3rd of DEC.

Below are our itinerary:-
1) Tokyo (6 days)
- First Group arrived at Narita Airport
- Second Group arrived Haneda Airport(2300HRS)
- Stay in Apartment next to Shimokitazawa Station.
- Places to travels included Mt.Fuji areas, Tokyo Museums, Tower, Disneyland, Tokyo Fish Market, Geisha Deisha @ Kannonura street, Tokyo time square at Shibuya.

2) Kyoto (3days)
3) Nara (1day)
4) Kobe (1day)
5) Osaka (3days)
- Departed from Osaka Kansai Intl Airport

** Item 2-5 yet to fix travel itinerary and hotels.

Appreciate your sharing and guidance.

Thanks in advance.

- Since the only real long-distance train travel you are planning is just Tokyo - Kyoto, 7 or 14 days Japan Rail Pass do not pay off. It will be better to buy individual JR Shinkansen ticket (from Tokyo to Kyoto). For Narita Airport to Tokyo and for local travel "within" Tokyo, first group could take Narita Express (maybe with NEX Tokyo Direct Ticket) and then buy a SUICA (prepaid card).

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_nex.html

- I am not familiar with regional passes, so I hope someone else can help you with that :)

- There is no budget rail company; for fast travel you can take JR Shinkansen (from Tokyo to Kyoto), or if you want to go really budget, you could take overnight/long-distance bus, but I do not recommend it for lack of comfort.