which rail pass should I purchase

Hi there: Planning to visit Japan for first time in Dec 2016. Flying in to Kansai Airport in Osaka. Would like to visit:
1. Kyoto for 2 days (sun and Mon and would like to visit manga museum, iwatayama monkey park, fushimi-inari-taisha shrine, nishiki market),
2. Tottori for 2 days (Tues and Wed to visit conan museum),
3. Okayama on Thurs,
4. Yamaguchi on Fri,
5. Tokyo for 3 days on Sat, Sun and Mon (ghibli museum, gundam front theme park, anime center,
6. Osaka for 3 days on Tues, Wed and Thur (osaka castle, instant noodle museum, pokemon centre).
Is this a doable plan or too much?
Which pass for transportation would be better to travel to all these different places? Any accommodation that you would recommend (travelling alone).

I think your pace is doable. I am not sure that two days in Tottori is necessary, but if you also plan to visit the sand dunes, OK. I would consider as day in Isumo.

And you pass right by Hioroshima and Miyajima Island to go to Yamaguchi.

You have 7 days outside the Osaka/Kyoto area, and if you plan to stay seven nights away from the Kansai area, it makes getting a 7 day JR Pass difficult, because you need the 8th day to get back to the Kansai area.

Are you open to travel on a night train? You could activate the 7 day JR pass on day 3 (Kyoto to Tottori) and then take a night train back to the Kansai area on the final day of the JR Pass. It would drop you off in Okayama, which might be where you want to go.)

There is a 5 day Kansai Wide area pass, that might also work out well, to help you on the other days. You have 12 days listed on your trip, which usually means that you will need 13 days of coverage (the final day is to get back to the airport).

If your itinerary is flexible, you could push things around so that you could have 7 day JR Pass to start, and then finish with a 5 day JR Wide area pass. A night train could also be used to and from Tokyo.

You could just get a 14 day pass, but I am trying to reduce the cost. Using nobi-nobi seats on a night train also saves you on hotel costs.

The other five day Kansai pass is the Kintetsu pass, which gets you from the airport to the Namba area, as well as some transportation between Osaka and Kyoto (and Nara, if you plan to go there). It can also get you to Nagoya, if you plan to visit the Osu shopping area.

As for hotels, I usually stay in a single at a business class hotel, a Ryokan, or at a hot springs resort. I have also done a Temple stay in Koyasan. I find the business class hotels have internet, and I can Skype my wife in the mornings and evenings.

I also don't know how much time on your first and last day to visit places. You list going to Kyoto on the first day, but do not mention when you arrive at KIX, and when do you have to get to KIX on your final day. If, for instance, you are to arrive at KIX at 3:00 PM, but the time you go through customs, and travel to Kyoto, it may be dark. Going to Namba may be a better alternative, because you could always walk around dotonburi that evening.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4001.html

Are you still flexible on your dates as to where you are staying?

Are you interested in Fireworks? There is some in Atami (between Tokyo and Kyoto) on Dec 4th, 11th, and 18th.
http://www.atamispa.com/event/hanabi/

What about the winter Illumination in Nagoya, Nabana no Sato?
http://www.japan-guide.com/blog/scott/121127.html

I given you some passes to consider. I will need more information to be more exact.

Dear ebaychucky311
Thank you so much for your reply and all the invaluable information.

To: ebaychucky311
Hello, thanks for your advice again. After reconsidering, I don't think I'll need two days in Tottori and instead will use that day for Hiroshima, and the ferry to Miyajima. I had initially considered buying a JR West Sanyo Sanin pass for a week, and then purchasing a 7-day nation-wide JR pass, but it would actually be more expensive. The main idea is to spend the first half exploring bits of Kansai, and reaching Yamaguchi for its fish market on the weekend, which is when all the food stands open. I then end the trip with Tokyo where the bulk of any shopping will occur, and finally Osaka since that is where my flight departs.

The initial plan is to take an overnight train to Tokyo, which will require me to travel from Yamaguchi to Okayama, and then take the night train there. The main concern is registering an available seat in time, since it can only be done within the country with a JR pass. Could you expand a bit more on splitting the JR passes? How far will the suggested 7-day JR pass cover?

While fireworks and winter illusions seem interesting, those activities will probably be decided upon once I'm in Tokyo, and how quickly I'm able to do the things planned. I am interested in visiting Nara on the route if possible though.

Concerning flights, I have already accounted for that in the itinerary. I arrive in Osaka late Saturday night, and leave Japan early morning Friday.

Thanks for your time

Please give me dates, so that I can work from those.

I am going to give you an idea what I would do, based on what I know.

Since you are planning to use the night train, I would do things in Kansai region first, using a Kintetsu pass. I would exchange the 7 day JR Pass at the airport, and try to book the Night train there. This will give the longest time until the actual use of the night train, and will give you the best probability of getting a reservation.

So...
Saturday - Arrive, use airport transfer of Kintetsu pass to get to Namba. Walk around Namba that night.
Sunday- Thursday - 5 day Kintetsu pass to get around Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, and possibly Nagoya. You may need an IC card to supplement the pass.
Friday - Thursday - 7 day JR Pass. End up back in Namba.
Friday - use final airport transfer from Kintetsu pass to get back to the airport.

This is a loose idea, and it allows for some flexibility.

I just said activate the 7 day JR Pass for Friday-Thursday. I'm going to give you some better details as to what I would do:

I am going to assume that you end up in Kyoto on Thursday.

Friday - Travel Kyoto to Hiroshima - Drop luggage off at hotel. Visit Miyajima Island and Hiroshima. Stay in Hiroshima for one night.

Saturday - Check out of hotel, have them hold your bags. Take a day trip to Yamaguchi (about 1 hour away by train). Return to hotel and collect luggage in the late afternoon (sunset will about 5:00 PM). Travel to Okayama (40 minutes). Check into the hotel for two nights.

Sunday - Day trip to Tottori (about 2 hour train ride, each way)

Monday - Check out of Hotel. Have them hold your luggage. Visit Okayama. Collect luggage and take night train to Tokyo. (Note: if you can't get a night train reservation, take a Shinkansen to Tokyo in the evening, It just over a 4 hour train ride, so if you depart late afternoon {4:22 Hikari}, you will arrive at 8:40 PM).

Depending on if you can get a night train reservation, you will stay in Tokyo for either two or three nights.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday - Tokyo. Check out of your hotel on Thursday morning, and once again, have them hold your luggage. spend your final day in Tokyo. Take a late afternoon train back to Osaka Namba area. Including the local trains in Osaka, it's about a 4 hour train ride. I you finished visiting all the places in Tokyo early, you could take an earlier train to Osaka, and visit Osaka, or Kyoto, or even Himeji Castle. Stay on Osaka for one night.

I have tried to reduce the packing and unpacking of luggage, and had you stay in fewer hotels. I hope this helps you organize your trip.

Good luck on your trip.

Hi ebaychucky311
Thank you both very much for your time in helping me plan out my trip. Since I wish to end my trip in Osaka and Tokyo due to souvenir purchases, I assume I can flip the plan around and take the 7-day JR pass, and end with the 5-day Kansai pass. I like the idea of day trips to Tottori and Yamaguchi, which definitely saves me some stress over handling luggage.

I arrive in Osaka, JP (Kansai Int) on Dec 3 @ 21:30 and leave on Dec 16 at 20:25.

If you are aware of any good youth hostel in these areas, please let me know as well.

Feeling some confidence in better solidying and booking plans, so thanks again!