Japan itinerary

My partner and I are 25 and will be travelling through Japan for the first time from May 10 - June 2. I have spent days putting together this itinerary below, and before I start booking accomm/transport wanted to check and see if it's look good to all you experienced travellers.

At the tail end of the trip I've allocated Mon 29 May and Tues 30 May to Osaka, however I only need one of these days (which will be spent on a day trip to Nara) in Osaka so therefore have one extra free day to allocate somewhere else in the itinerary. Thoughts on which location needs an extra night?

Also, looking at the route below, is a JR pass worth purchasing?

10 May Arrive in Tokyo 5pm.

11 May Tokyo (day trip to Shibazakura at Hitsujiyama Park in Chichibu)

12 May Tokyo

13 May Tokyo (day trip to Nikko)

14 May Tokyo

15 May Tokyo (sumo wrestling tournament)

16 May Tokyo (baseball match, Yomiuru Giants v Yakult Swallows)

17 May Tokyo to Hakone (8.26am-9.21am train)

18 May Hakone to Kanazawa (11.49am-15.48pm train)

19 May Kanazawa

20 May Kanazawa (bus to) Shirakawago 8.10am-9.25am then (bus to) Takayama 2.35pm-3.25pm

21 May Takayama to Kyoto (13.35pm-18.47pm)

22 May Kyoto

23 May Kyoto

24 May Kyoto

25 May Kyoto

26 May Kyoto to Naoshima (8.30am-10.37am)

27 May Naoshima to Miyajima (8.28am - 11.05am)

28 May Miyajima to Hiroshima (10.55-11.48) and then Hiroshima to Osaka (16.57-18.33pm)

29 May Osaka

30 May Osaka (Nara day trip)

31 May Osaka to Koyasan (9.41am-11.30am)

1 June Koyasan to Osaka (15.27pm-17.24pm)

2 June Osaka

Looks reasonable to me. At least you're not trying to go absolutely everywhere as some people are wont to do. Though personally I might add a couple more destinations, but this very much depends on your preferred travel pace.

I would keep Osaka, since otherwise you really only have 1 day there (and even that I'm guessing is departure day,) but if I were add a day elsewhere I would say Nara. One day trip doesn't really do it justice. Though Osaka/Kyoto/Nara are so close together that they can be treated pretty interchangeably; i.e. you could stay in one place, spend a few days checking each out, and then decide where you want to spend more time exploring further.

Regarding the JR pass, you'd have to run the numbers to be sure, but my guess is it's not worth it. If you were to do it, it'd be to cover the Tokyo-Hakone-Kanazawa-Kyoto sequence, but that probably doesn't justify a pass.

On May 29, if you cannot find Osaka that attractive, many do the Himeji-Kobe combination or each location alone in a day. Mine was Himeji/Kokoen (Himeji) - Minoh Park (Osaka) combination in a day.

I would also echo the use of JR Pass as mentioned by gfoulk for Tokyo-Hakone-Kanazawa & Takayama-Kyoto trains. You can have at least an extra day or 2 if you use that when in Kyoto. However, any JR regional or nationwide pass within Kyoto city is an overkill.

Based from Hyperdia, for the travel from Hakone to Kanazawa, the Hikari from Odawara will leave at 12:08 with transfer in Maibara for Shirasagi that will arrive in Kanazawa at 15:49. If in the March 4 timetable update will reflect that schedule then that is ok. Anyway, Hyperdia will reflect the update.

If you have time in Shirakawago, visit Gokayama as well. Depends on your budget.

If ordinary JR Pass (JPY 29,110) is too much, you may shell out for individual tickets:

Odawara (transfer in Maibara) to Kanazawa - JPY 13,600 NR seats
Takayama to Kyoto via Wide View Hida - JPY 7,130 NR seats
(or Takayama to Nagoya via WHV then Hikari to Kyoto - JPY 9,180 NR seats)
*Kyoto Station to Inari - JPY 140*2 for return
*Inari to Uji - JPY 240*2 for return
*Kyoto Station to (Saga-)Arashiyama - JPY 240*2 for return
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Total: JPY 21,970 (or JPY 24,020), which is lesser than JPY 29,110 JR Pass
*assuming you are going to those locations

If you bought an IC card in Tokyo, bring it as well to Kyoto and Osaka unless you have a plan for refund.

For Kyoto to Hiroshima, you can use Kansai-Hiroshima or Setouchi Pass good for 5 days which you can use going to Nara.

If your flight home is via KIX, depending on your time there is a bus from Koyasan leaving at 13:30 bound for KIX.