Plan of travel to Japan

Hi!
What do you think about this itinerary and what passes I need.

1 - Home -Kyoto
2 - Kyoto
3 - Kyoto-Nara-Kyoto
4 - Kyoto-Arashiyama
5 - Kyoto-Himeji-Kyoto
6 - Kyoto
7 - Kyoto- Miyajima
8 - Miyajima-Hiroshima-Kanazawa
9 - Kanazawa
10 - Kanazawa-Shirakawago-Kanazawa
11 - Kanazawa-Nikko
12 - Nikko
13 - Nikko-Ashikaga(?)-Tokyo
14 - Tokyo
15 - Tokyo-Hakone
16 - Hakone-Tokyo
17 - Tokyo
18 - Home

Thanks

You're wasting some time travelling out and then back to Kyoto to then travel back out again in the same direction.

For instance, you have:

5 - Kyoto-Himeji-Kyoto
6 - Kyoto
7 - Kyoto- Miyajima
8 - Miyajima-Hiroshima-Kanazawa


But Himeji lies between Kyoto and Hiroshima. You could visit Himeji on your way to Hiroshima/Miyajima.


Not knowing what time of day your flight arrives, nor how long of a flight it will be and if you will be jet-lagged or not but I'd almost switch your itinerary around like this:
(I am assuming that you are landing at an airport near Osaka, most likely the Kansai International Airport - KIX)

1 - Home-KIX-Hiroshima (KIX to Hiroshima is about 2.5 hours)
2 - Hiroshima - Miyajima
3 - Hiroshima - Himeji - Kyoto
4 - Kyoto
5 - Kyoto - Nara - Kyoto
6 - Kyoto - Arashiyama - Kyoto
7 - Kyoto
8 - Kyoto
9 - Kyoto - Kanazawa
10 - Kanazawa
11 - Kanazawa - Shirakawago - Kanazawa
12 - Kanazawa - Nikko
13 - Nikko - Ashikaga(?) - Tokyo
14 - Tokyo
15 - Tokyo - Hakone
16 - Hakone - Toyko
17 - Tokyo
18 - Home

Thanks,
Our flight arrives to KIX in 6pm.

I like itinerary but from Kyoto:
5 - Kyoto-Himeji-Hitoshima
6 - Hitoshima-Miyajima
7 - Miyajima-Kyoto

And what do you think about rail passes?
Best regards

1. If you do Kyoto and the surrounding area, Nara/Uji. Plus some trips to Osaka. Getting a Kansai pass may be worth it. After finishing the side trips, focus on Kyoto only. Use your pass solely for outside Kyoto trips to burn through your pass.


2. Then onto Hiroshima/Miyajima stopping by Himeji and maybe Okayama/Kobe.
Then to Kanazawa and onto Tokyo. All this done within 7 days
Okayama 1/2 day
Hiroshima + miyajima 1 1/2 days
Kanazawa 3 days
Shirakawago + Takayama 1 day
Toyama or Kaga Onsen 1 day
Reach Tokyo night for 7th day then the 7 days JR Pass is worth it. Again burn through it as much as you can to make full use. But don't burn yourself out too much or then it won't be a relaxing travel.