7 day pass, should I make my trip shorter?

Hello,
I'm going to Japan from around March 26th to April 13th. I'm in the process of buying my tickets and the availability is limited since I'm buying them with miles.

It's pretty much a given that I will leave March 26th, arriving in Tokyo the 27th. I planned on staying two weeks, but that falls on a Thursday, so I thought I should stay until Friday.

Now I'm not so sure since I can't afford a 14 day pass, I think I would maybe have too much time in Tokyo.

My itinerary is not finished at all, but this is more or less what I was thinking. Please focus on where to go each day to use only 7 day pass.

1 Tokyo, Arrival (March 27th)
2 Tokyo, Western Tokyo Full Day
3 Tokyo, Asakusa and Odaiba Full Day
4 Tokyo, Kamakura
5 Tokyo, Ghibli
6 Takayama - Kyoto
7 Kyoto
8 Kyoto, Nara
9 Kyoto
10 Mount Koya ??? (Maybe Shirakawa-go)
11 Osaka - Hiroshima - Miyajima
12 Mijayima - Himeji - Tokyo
13 Tokyo
14 Tokyo
15 Tokyo
16 ??
17 ??
18 ??

Lots of things not in there, but I definitely want to stay in an affordable Ryokan with good Kaiseki. I also should mention that I don't want to see too many temples / shrines.

We have a 2 person budget of around 4,600 dollars without plane tickets. Maybe a little more.

Now I'm not so sure since I can't afford a 14 day pass, I think I would maybe have too much time in Tokyo.

You should seriously consider taking an overnight bus to Kyoto, or maybe taking the bus to Takayama and then a bus from there to Kyoto. Then exploring Kyoto and surrounds, then activate a 7-day JR Pass to cover you from Kyoto - Hiroshima - ?? - Tokyo.

My itinerary is not finished at all, but this is more or less what I was thinking.

I'd re-consider the order due to cherry blossoms and probably do something like this:-
Tokyo - (overnight bus) - Kyoto (/Nara/Yoshino/Osaka/Hikone) - Hiroshima/Miyajima - Koyasan - Kanazawa - Shirakawago - Takayama - Tokyo.

Read all of the above pages on Japan-guide.

I'd skip Himeji due to the renovation, see Hikone Castle instead.

Highway bus:-
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2366.html

Please focus on where to go each day to use only 7 day pass.

Try and re-do your itinerary given my above suggestions if you like them.

I definitely want to stay in an affordable Ryokan with good Kaiseki

There are a variety of options to suit whatever budget in Kanazawa and Takayama. Use Japaneseguesthouses or Japanican to search.
http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/db/ishikawa/index.htm
http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/db/takayama/index.htm
http://www.japanican.com/ryokan/

Enjoy your trip!

Thank for the suggestions. I will analyze them and get back for more suggestions, since i want to make my hotel reservations as soon as possible.

Are Cherry Blossoms seen better in Kyoto? What are some suggestions for a beginner in viewing them? I hear it gets crowded.

Cherry Blossoms is rather nationalwide event. Each city, town, prefecture have it own promoting viewing spots.

If you don't like a crowd, you can go to mid-size suburban town and see it. You can see it in Takayama and Hikone.

And yes, famous cherry blossom spots in a huge metropolis get crowded.

If, as GC3 suggested, you take a partial route of Tokyo-Matsumoto-Takayama-Kanazawa-Kyoto in one direction or another, you won't need a rail pass for a chunk of it. When I went, I flew into Tokyo, then took a train to Matsumoto, then buses to Takayama, Shirakawa-go and Kanazawa (buses are the most direct way). I activated my 7 day JR Pass when I left Kanazawa for travelling round the Kyoto, Hiroshima etc. area and then back to Tokyo. I then spent a few days there just using SUICA.

I believe that the cherry blossoms usually blossom first in the West/South and then move up the country, which is why GC3 is suggesting you go early to Kyoto and then move upwards back to Tokyo.

Hope this helps.

Thank you all. Would the Seishun 18 Kippu or a night bus pass pay-off more than individual fares? I like the idea of going to all the places around Kyoto and then when it runs out I can finish Kyoto and head to Tokyo with a night bus or train.

So, do you think that with my budget I should stay the extra days? I realize the answer depends on me too, but I would value your opinion. I wouldn't want to run out of funds.

Been trying to plan better and I feel a little overwhelmed, but maybe my plans are getting better.

1: Narita - Tokyo - over night bus to Kyoto
2: Kyoto
3: Kyoto
4: Kyoto
5: Kyoto - Nara
6: Koyasan - temple overnight (JR pass start)
7: Koyasan - Osaka
9: Hiroshima - Miyajima
10: overnight Miyajima
11: Miyajima - takayama (Ryokan?)
12: Takayama - Tokyo (JR pass last day)
13: Tokyo
14: Tokyo - Kamakura
15: Tokyo - Ghibli
16: Tokyo

I bet you can further organize it better. Have in mind I'm thinking of dropping Shirakawago since it takes a lot of time and money to get there. Also I'd be staying in Koyasan and a Ryokan.
I also don't plan on going to Nikko since it would be too much money and little to do besides the temples. I think I will be templed out by that time.

I saw some interesting passes, but I'm not sure which will be better. JR Seishun 18 Kippu, All Kansai passes are interesting, and the Highway bus pass.

THANK YOU!

I should point out that by the time I get to Tokyo, we would have been like 30 hours "on the road", so I'm not sure if we would be able to make an overnight trip, but I see that as an opportunity to force me to sleep on the bus.

we would have been like 30 hours "on the road"

How can you estimate it as so long?
You can avoid overnight bus trips.
As is suggested by GC3, you can visit Takayama on the way to Kyoto.
And, non-overnight buses are available to get from Shinjuku to Takayama and from Takayama to Kyoto.
- http://www.nouhibus.co.jp/english/tokyo.html
- http://www.nouhibus.co.jp/english/kyoto_osaka.html

From Takayama you can make a daytrip to Shirakawa-go, which can be a good choice if you do not stick to snow scenes.

Takayama is located apart from Shinkansen networks. From Miyajima you can get to Tokyo earlier by taking one or two Shinkansen trains from Hiroshima to Shinagawa / Tokyo. (With a Japan Rail Pass, you are highly likely to change Shinkansen trains.)

Koyasan is served by Nankai, not a JR company.
A Koyasan World Heritage Ticket may be a good choice.
- http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_012.html

For a Nikko trip, Tobu Nikko Passes are worth considering.
- http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_002.html
If you do not pay extra for Ltd. Express, I recommend you would visit Nikko during 8 - 12 April, avoiding possible crowdedness.

Anyway, you had better check accesses to/from spots you will visit and validity of passes / discount tickets.
For example, a Seishun 18 Kippu results in a very long journey because it does not allow you to take an express train wherever non-express JR trains are available, in other words almost everywhere on JR rail networks.

we would have been like 30 hours "on the road"
How can you estimate it as so long?
Sorry, what I meant is, our flight as a whole has several stops, and will take us 30+ hours to get to Japan.

I was thinking of leaving Takayama for later in the trip to take it as an opportunity to relax in an Onsen. Why is it better to do it on the way to Kyoto instead of later? I'd just like to understand.

I'm trying to minimize transportation costs, so I'm willing to sacrifice a little of comfort, but not waste too much time either.
That's why maybe some overnight trips might help. What do you think?

The order of the sites you will visit may depend on
for which night you can reserve accommodation especially in Koyasan, Miyajima Island and Takayama,
and for which day you can reserve admission to Ghibli Museum, Mitaka.
- http://www.lawson.co.jp/ghibli/museum/ticket/english.html

[Hiroshima, Miyajima, Takayama and Shirakawa-go]

It sounds nice if you can reserve accommodation
for the two or one night from 7 or 8 April in Miyajima Island
and for the night from 9 April in Takayama.
: You can use a 7-day Japan Rail Pass from 7 through 13 April, making it cover rail fees for your way back to Narita Airport [NRT].
: At Hiroshima Port, the tide will become low at 48 cm at 14:36, 8 April 2013 and high at 331 cm at 9:01, 9 April 2013. The timings may differ a bit at Miyajima Port, but if weather permits, you can catch two scenes of Itsukushima Shrine with a large gap in tides.
: You can make a daytrip from Takayama to Shirakawa-go.
: If time permits, you might consider staying for one more night in Takayama.

Between Miyajimaguchi Station and Miyajimaguchi Peer of JR West Miyajima Ferry you probably will need to go through an undergrounds pathway. Feel free to ask a station attendant how to get to the peer. The ferry fares are covered by a Japan Rail Pass.

It requires about 6 hours or more to get from Miyajima Island to Takayama City.
According to current timetables, if you leave Miyajima Island after 9:00, the next rail connection begins after 11:00 at Miyajimaguchi and ends at 17:08 at Takayama.
With a Japan Rail Pass you cannot take NOZOMI or MIZUHO trains, so you probably will need to change Shinkansen trains until reaching Nagoya.

[Narita Airport, Tokyo and Kamakura]

1:Narita - Tokyo - overnight bus to Kyoto

When will your plane arrive?
I suppose you had better take a rest after a long chain of flights.... Consider staying for the night in Tokyo, near the departing place of the bus.

A one-way Suica & N'EX package can be a good choice.
- http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/suica-nex/index.html

Rail diagrams may get revised in March, so check the newest timetables.
At a JR-East counter in NRT you can turn in your Exchange Order for Japan Rail Pass, check timetables, get your Suica & N'EX package and try reserving seats
of Narita Express (which requires reservation) for Narita Airport / Airport Terminal 2 -- Tokyo / Shinjuku, Shinjuku / Shinagawa / Tokyo -- Airport Terminal 2 / Narita Airport,
of Shinkansen for Shin-Osaka -- Hiroshima, Hiroshima -- Nagoya, Nagoya -- Shinagawa / Tokyo,
and of Ltd. Express (WideView) Hida for Nagoya -- Takayama, Takayama -- Nagoya.
- http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/customer_support/service_center.html

If you visit Kamakura and Ghibli Museum, Mitaka after coming back to Tokyo, Shinagawa area sounds nice to stay in.
From Shinagawa Station it requires less than 1 hour to get to Kamakura Station or Mitaka Station, and you can take a direct Narita Express train to get to NRT.

[Kyoto, Koyasan, Nara and Osaka]

If you take a non-JR highway bus to Kyoto, the bus will probably arrive close to Hachijo Gates, not close to Central Gate [Karasuma Gate] of Kyoto Station.

Nankai does not have a station in Kyoto City.
You can purchase a Nankai Koyasan World Heritage Ticket
at a KNT branch on the Hachijo side (open from 10:00)
or at a JTB branch on the Karasuma side (open from 10:00 or 10:30).

I recommend you would stay in Shin-Osaka area or another area along subway Midosuji Line before heading to Hiroshima.
Shin-Osaka Station is the only Shinkansen station in Osaka City.

Kyoto - Nara

You will make a daytrip to Nara, right?

Kyoto: Track 8, 9 or 10 {Miyakoji Rapid, in 45 min. or so} Nara.
: The one-way rail fare is 690 yen.
JR Nara Eki: Pole No. 1 {Bus Line 70, in 9 min. or so} Todaiji Daibutsuden.
: The bus fare is 200 yen per ride.
: From the 10th to 16th hours, the Line 70 buses depart twice an hour from JR Nara Eki.
Todaiji Daibutsuden {Bus Line 70, in 3 min. or so} Kasuga Taisha Honden.
Kasuga Taisha Honden {Bus Line 70, in 11 min. or so} JR Nara Eki.
: The last bus departs at 17:21.
Nara: Track 3 {Miyakoji Rapid, in 45 min. or so} Kyoto.
: Trains running for others also use Track 3.

Kyoto: Track 4 or 5 {Special Rapid, in 30 min. or so} Osaka.
: The one-way rail fare is 890 yen to Shin-Imamiya.
Osaka: Track 1 {Yamatoji Rapid, in 15 min. or so} Shin-Imamiya: West Gate.
: Trains running for others also use Track 1.
Nankai trains and cable cars are available between Shin-Imamiya and Koyasan.
The route to Osaka depends on the location of your accommodation.

Enjoy your trips!

I forgot to mention your possible Nikko trip.
If time and weather permits for you to make a Nikko trip, please note that with a Tobu Nikko Pass, you will need to start a Tobu section from Asakusa Station.
You can purchase a Tobu Nikko Pass at a Keisei counter in NRT.

There are some days where you have extremely long trips and it may be better to break things up a little. And you can't use your JR Pass for most of the trip to Koyasan, so if I were you I would activate it the day you leave, when you get on your first shinkansen.

I'd suggest something more like this (though obviously you may be able to make it better as its only a rough suggestion):

1: Narita - night in Tokyo
2: Tokyo day - over night bus to Kyoto.
3: Kyoto
4: Kyoto
5: Kyoto - day trip to Nara
6: Kyoto to Koyasan - temple overnight
7: Koyasan - Hiroshima/Miyajima (JR Pass start)
8: Hiroshima/Miyajima
9: Miyajima - early train to Osaka
10: Osaka - early train to Kanazawa
11: Kanazawa - evening train to Takayama
12: Takayama - and optional halfday trip to Shirakawago (bus)
13: Takayama - Matsumoto (bus), then evening train to Tokyo. JR Pass end.
14: Tokyo - Kamakura
15: Tokyo - Ghibli
16: Tokyo and depart

Takayama - Matsumoto bus is not covered by JR Pass but it's not very expensive and it's the most direct way to get there. You can see Matsumoto castle in half a day and the onward train journey to Tokyo is easy (and covered by the pass).

It's up to you where you have a ryokan stay, but you can find them in Miyajima, Takayama and Kanazawa for all budgets.

A JR East pass would mean that you could bus to Kyoto and still journey around part of Japan. They have a 10 day pass and there's still a lot to explore. I stayed in Niigata, visited Kasugayama castle ruins, and went to everywhere near Tokyo last year. Hakone is another good spot.

Hello, first of all, I want to thank everyone for their advice. I'm still processing some of what you wrote. So far, I have changed the schedule around a bit since now I will spend 18 days since the flight changed.

01 We: Narita - night in Tokyo
02 Th: Tokyo day - over night bus to Kyoto.
03 Fr: Kyoto
04 Sa: Kyoto
05 Su: Kyoto - day trip to Nara
06 Mo: Kyoto to Koyasan - temple overnight
07 Tu: Koyasan - Osaka (JR Start)
08 We: Osaka
09 Th: Osaka - Early train to Hiroshima/Miyajima
10 Fr: Miyajima - Kanazawa
11 Sa: Kanazawa - evening train to Takayama
12 Su: Takayama - Ryokan
13 Mo: Takayama - Matsumoto (bus), Tokyo. JR Pass end.
14 Tu: Tokyo
15 We: Tokyo - Ghibli
16 Th: Tokyo - Kamakura
17 Fr: Tokyo - Nikko (if I get a pass, getting there is expensive)
18 Sa: Tokyo and depart

- On day 7, I changed it since Osaka is closer, is there a reason for going to Hiroshima first?
- I noticed I didn't have a Sunday in Tokyo, but I'd like to see the youth dressed up. Any suggestions?
- I will need the JR pass, will see if the Kanto pass is worth it, or maybe the Sheisun Kippu. Will add prices to everything later.
- I will try and book all hotels according to this schedule to see if it's doable. Any recommendations on which areas to stay? I'm interested in Khaosan Hostels since they are cheap and clean.
- I dropped Shirakawago, I will have enough overnight experiences and since it's far and expensive, it's not worth it.
- Don't know if I mentioned it, but I'm traveling with my husband and this will be kind of a anniversaty trip of sorts.

Thank you. Will be back in a couple hours.

I just put Osaka that way round because it takes less time to get from Koyasan to Miyajima than it takes to get from Miyajima to Kanazawa. But it's your trip so of course, whatever works best for you!.

The "youth dressing up" (by this I assume you're talking about Harajuku) doesn't happen so much these days and even though the pedestrian heaven is running again in Akihabara, street performances are banned. So I wouldn't worry too much about seeing these things.

If you haven't already, I would also suggest that you check whether you want to add that extra day in as a whole day in Osaka, or whether you would rather use it for a whole day in Kanazawa. The cities are very different and it depends what you most want to see.

As for areas to stay - a lot of the towns/places you're staying are compact enough that they don't have distinct areas as such - so just choose based on your preference or convenience. There is a J-hoppers hostel in Takayama if you want to avoid paying for a ryokan 2 nights. And there are some good deals to be had in other locations too - check out hostelworld.com.

Of the larger places, I'm not familiar with Kyoto or Osaka, but for Tokyo I'd suggest trying to stay somewhere which is convenient for your various arrivals/departures so you don't have to drag luggage around. Depending on your plans for airport transport and where you catch the bus to Kyoto, you may want to think about staying near-ish to Shinjuku, Ueno or Tokyo stations, for example. But really, it's easy to get around the city for sightseeing and especially from any stations on the Yamanote line.

If you want to get a flavour of Shirakawa-go without going there. you could visit Hida Folk Village at Takayama for a pleasant couple of hours.

In terms of seeing the youth dressed up in Tokyo - cosplaying near Yoyogi seems to be in decline - I didn't see much when I was there last year. I daresay if you go for a walk round Harajuku you'll see some interesting outfits though!

I think you and your husband will have a fab time!

07 Tu: Koyasan - Osaka (JR Start)

In Osaka City, subway can be more useful than JR.
I would start using a Japan Rail Pass from Day 09.
If you can reserve admission to Ghibli for Day 16 (= 11 April) or Day 17 (= 12 April),
you can make a Kamakura trip on Day 15 with JR fares covered by your Japan Rail Pass.
(Ghibli Museum, Mitaka will be closed on Tuesday, 09 April 2013.)

10 Fr: Miyajima - Kanazawa

It requires 6 hours or so.
In Shin-Osaka Station, Shinkansen tracks are on the 4th floor. The concourses are on the 3rd floor. You can pass through Transfer Gate between Shinkansen and non-Shinkansen zones. (Note that if you exit the station through another gate, you will need to enter the station again.)

11 Sa: Kanazawa - evening train to Takayama

You will need to change trains at least once in Toyama Station.
If there is a good connection of two Ltd. Express trains, it requires about 2 and half hours.
Expect enough time to change platforms in Toyama.

13 Mo: Takayama - Matsumoto (bus), Tokyo.

I recommend you would catch the earliest bus which is to depart from Takayama Bus Center at 7:50, maybe having a breakfast on the bus, in order to reach Matsumoto in the morning.
- http://www.nouhibus.co.jp/english/matsumoto.html

According to current JR timetables, there is no direct train running from Matsumoto Station to Tokyo Station in the afternoon. Ltd. Express trains run not via Shinagawa and most of them are destined to Shinjuku.

So Shinjuku area sounds good to stay in for your last days, but make sure to check the location because there are many hotels gathered and scattered there.