2 Week Japan Itinerary

Nov. 16 - Dec. 1

D1 Tuesday: Arrive Narita at night (buy train pass from NRT to Tokyo)
D2 Wednesday: Activate 2-week JR pass, explore Tokyo
D3 Thursday: Hakone
D4 Friday: Tokyo
D5 Saturday: Nikko
D6 Sunday:
Morning: Check out Akihabara and Harajuka/Yoyogi for Cosplay characters
Afternoon: Leave Tokyo to Kyoto

D7 Monday: Kyoto
D8 Tuesday: Kyoto
D9 Wednesday: Kyoto
D10 Thursday: Nara & Mount Koya
D11 Friday: Osaka - Meeting a friend there
D12 Saturday: Hiroshima/Miyajima
D13 Sunday: Fukuoka to watch the last day of the Sumo Tournament (buying tickets in advance)
D14 Monday: Travel 6 hours from Fukuoka to Tokyo
D15 Tuesday: Leave Tokyo

How is this itinerary? I'm reading that Hakone is underwhelming. Should I just skip Hakone and spend a whole day in Tokyo instead? I've just spent 6 months in New Zealand, so I don't care to see too much nature, although I really do want to catch the Autumn leaves. I'm traveling alone and buying the 2-week JR pass. One last thing, excluding the JR pass, will I be ok with a budget of $1,000?

I can't speak about Hakone, but the rest of your itinerary looks solid. I'm a little concerned about your budget though, especially considering the current state of the USD to the Yen. Hopefully it bounces back some by the time of your trip, but I still think you should allow for a minimum of at least a couple hundred more dollars for the trip if you need to. I think it goes without saying, but I take it you're planning on staying in hostels?

I like Hakone, the loop is touristy but fun. It's nice to get a break from the cities. Good onsen and some good hiking. But if you're not interested in scenery, hiking or onsen baths then it might be better to spend another day in Tokyo.

About travel budget: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2410.html

Surely the OP will use a credit card and an ATM card? and not carry $1000 cash, only about 20 000 yen, bought in the USA?

The OP wouldn't run into any issues bringing $1000 through customs, but they'd be better off exchanging travelers' cheques as they offer a better exchange rate. When I last visited Japan I exchanged $1000 in travelers' cheques at Narita. There's little to be worried about having that much cash on yourself in Japan.

I plan to Couch Surf for most of the time, so hopefully that will reduce a lot of the costs. If still not enough, I can easily get a few hundred more dollas. I'm an American Exchange student currently in New Zealand. So I suppose I'll just buy traveler cheques here and then exchange them at Narita.

Thank you for the tips.

Actually I just spoke to someone who just came from Japan. Because I don't want to pay two conversion costs (USD to NZD to Yen), he told me just go to take my debit card to an Internation Post Office in the airport and just withdraw money there, and that should give me the best rate.