I believe that Hakata14 and Stikiting have both given good advice. The seven day pass method covers most of your distance travel, with the following exceptions:
Narita Airport to Tokyo (day 1) - With a 14 day pass, this would be covered by the NEX (Narita Express). There are limo busses, and the Keisei Skyliner that are lower cost options.
Tokyo to Takayama (day 5) - With the 14-day pass, this is a Shinkansen to Nagoya, and then a Limited Express to Takayama. The Nohi bus line has a direct bus from Shinjuku, which take about a hour longer to get there. The Nohi is 6900 yen, and is a lot less expensive, but if you go the 14 day pass, it is included.
Takayama to Kanazawa (day 6) - I am not sure about this one. Most people travel by bus, so that you can stop at Shiirakawa-go. If you plan to do this, the 14 day pass will not be used.
Tokyo to Odawara (Hakone, day 13) - If you have a 14 day pass, you can get the "free area" version of the Hakone free pass, which will save you about 1000 yen. You will also get there a lot faster on a Shinkansen.
Odawara to Narita Airport (day 14) - Once again, the NEX is included on the 14 day pass. If you do not have the 14 day pass, you will return to Shinjuku on the private train on the Hakone free pass, and then have to get to the airport from there. Once again, the 14 day pass will save you time with a Shinkansen to Tokyo, and a NEX to the airport.
The two other days not covered by the pass are in Tokyo, and the pass will get you around on the Yamanote loop, or if you have some other place to go outside the loop (Yokohama, Kamakura, there are other places too). These are minor cost days, but the pass can help.
Overall, I believe the 7 day will be a little less cost in funds, but you will also have a time cost involved. The other thing to think about is regular -vs- a green pass. I have been told that the Nagoya to Takayama train ride, with a wide view Limited Express train, is one of the most scenic rides in Japan. If you plan to get a green first class pass, then go for the 14 day version. The first class compartment is in the front car, and you will have a view out the front of the car. Get the first row, right side seats.
One thing I don't know about this train, is how it hooks up with the train coming from Kyoto. A Limited Express train also departs from Kyoto and Nagoya, and they both link up together at Gifu Station. It's kinda weird, because they are both called the Wide View Hida but they have different numbers. For instance, both the WV Hida 16 and WV Hida 36 depart from Takayama at 15:35, but they split into two trains at Gifu Station. I don't know which one is in front, but that would be the one you would want the first row, left side seat. There is about a 7 minute delay in Gifu, to de-couple the two trains. This happens in other places, such at the night train to Tokyo, but the two trains have different names. The Sunrise Seto and the Sunrise Isumo link together at Okayama station.
If you have trouble getting a berth on the sunrise Seto, ask about going on the Sunrise Izumo (same train, different name) in Himeji.
|