First time Japan itinerary (July)

Decided to do a last-minute trip to Japan next month with my husband. We often travel long-haul but aren't used to booking ahead for trains/hotels and are finding it hard going to decide on a route. We haven't even booked flights yet but rough dates are 10-23 July, arriving in Narita on 11 July (from UK).
How does this sound for an itinerary for a first-time visitor?

Day 1 - Arrive, acclimatise to Tokyo.
Day 2 - Tsukiji fish market at 4am. Ginza and the Imperial Palace Garden. Maybe Asakusa district.
Day 3 - Leave Tokyo, travel to Magome / Tsmago via Nagoya - stay overnight
Day 4 - Morning in Magome/Tsmago then travel to Nagoya for sumo (if can get tickets). Overnight either Nagoya or travel to Kyoto?
Days 5, 6, 7 - Kyoto (inc a day trip to nara)
Day 8 - Kyoto (late train back to tokyo)
Days 9, 10, 11, 12 - Tokyo
Day 13 - Nikko Day trip
Day 14 - Leave (early flight)

Is it worth getting JR pass for more than 7 days on this route?

Looking at dates, I think we might be in Kyoto during Gion Matsuri. Will getting hotels and trains be problematic at this late stage?

On 16 July, I think it is a public holiday - do tourist attractions close on public holidays? I was thinking of visiting Nara that day.

Will we still be able to get sumo tickets for Nagoya?

Many thanks for any advice you can give!

7 day would probably be sufficient, though it's worth checking individual rail trip costs on Hyperdia to assess whether you make a saving by having a pass at all.

Also, if you get a 7 day and activate it the day you leave Tokyo, you may want to plan a day trip on Day 9 when you're back in Tokyo just to maximise its use, since it'll expire at the end of that day.

Will getting hotels and trains be problematic at this late stage?

I checked the accommodation fee on Rakuten travel site (Japanese).

On 16th, for example, The Westin Kyoto provides a twin room at 35500 yen. On 17th, they provide 15000 rooms and on 18th the rate drops down to 11350 yen. Of course, the price depends on each hotels and on each reservation sites, but in general, the rate changes drastically during these days. The summer season is "off season" for Kyoto, except for the Gion matsuri days and the Okuribi day (16th Aug).

On 16 July, I think it is a public holiday - do tourist attractions close on public holidays?

No. Since many tourist want to go to the tourist attractions on holidays, they should be opened: This is the Japanese way :).

Amy,

If this trip is going to be your first , I would recommend Takayama and Kanazawa instead of Magome / Tsumago.

You might be considering the hike between Magome / Tsumago? I did the hike a few weeks ago, frankly did not find it that interesting.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5900.html

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2167.html

Thanks all.

Yes, we did consider Takayama but I wondered if we had enough time given that it looks further away (to travel to) than Magome/Tsumago and I only allocated two days to the Tsumago bit in the first place. My husband is really keen to see some countryside/mountains in Japan but not sure how to accommodate this. Would it be worth cutting days in Tokyo or Kyoto? Or is 2 days enough for a flying visit to Takayama?
Thanks!

[Tsukiji Market]

Note that Tsukiji Market will be closed on 11, 16, 25 and all the Sundays in July 2012.
If you try your lack to see a tuna auction, I recommend shifting it to a later day. Considering you should be there early in the morning when it will be evening in London, I feel you had better wait more until you will get used to Japan time.
Reservation for the event is to be made on the first-come-first-served basis from 05:00 of Japan Standard Time, i.e. 21:00 of British summer time.
I also recommend finding a room of a hotel near the market.
(The nearest station is Tsukijishijo on Toei subway Oedo Line, but even the earliest train arrives later than 05:00.)

Tsukiji Market is a wholesale market, which is a business place and basically not designed for tourism; visitors are demanded to follow some rules and expected to behave in a good manner.
- http://www.shijou.metro.tokyo.jp/pdf/topics/tsukijiguide2.pdf
- http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3021.html

[Magome & Tsumago or Takayama]

A Magome & Tsumago trip requires shorter time but may include waiting for a train or bus for over 30 minutes.
According to current timetables, if you depart from Tokyo around 06:30 and travel via Nagoya, you can spend about 4 hours 40 minutes in either Magome & Tsumago or Takayama and turn back to Nagoya around 18:05.
(This simulation is on the assumption that you will not walk but take a bus in order to move from Magome to Tsumago.)
- http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6076.html
- http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6077.html
- http://www.japan-guide.com/bus/kiso.html

[Magome & Tsumago or Takayama]

Details of my simulation are shown below.

In a Magome & Tsumago trip, moving time is shorter but waiting time can be longer.

Tokyo 06:26 / Shinagawa 06:34 --[Shinkansen Hikari]--
08:20 Nagoya 09:00 --[Ltd. Exp. (WideView) Shinano]--
09:48 Nakatsugawa 10:30 --[bus]--
10:55 Magome 13:20 --[bus]--
13:46 Tsumago 16:04 --[bus]--
16:13 Nagiso 16:55 --[Ltd. Exp. (WideView) Shinano]--
18:06 Nagoya.
(Note: Not all Ltd. Express trains stop at Nagiso.)

Tokyo 06:26 / Shinagawa 06:34 --[Shinkansen Hikari]--
08:20 Nagoya 08:43 --[Ltd. Exp. (WideView) Hida]--
10:55 Takayama 15:36 --[Ltd. Exp. (WideView) Hida]--
18:02 Nagoya.