24 Day Japan Itinerary in March 2013

Hello all,

I'm planning my 1st trip to Japan in March this year and this is a draft itinerary.

1) Is it good to take this path of travel?

2) Am I spending too many / little days at any place?

3) Is it worth it to get a 14 JR Pass?

Thank you for help.

1/3 Tokyo Narita (Activate JR Pass on arrival)
1/3 Yudanaka
2/3 Yudanaka - Snow Monkey, Shibu Onsen(trip)
3/3 Takayama
4/3 Takayama - Shirakawa-go(trip)
5/3 Kanazawa
6/3 Kanazawa
7/3 Osaka
8/3 Osaka - Nara(trip)
9/3 Hiroshima
10/3 Hiroshima - Miyajima(trip)
11/3 Fukuoka
12/3 Fukuoka
12/3 Yufuin
13/3 Kurokawa Onsen
14/4 Kyoto
15/4 Kyoto
16/4 Kyoto
17/4 Kyoto - Mount Koya(trip)
18/4 Kyoto
19/4 Tokyo
20/4 Tokyo - Ise Shrines(trip)
21/4 Tokyo - Kamakura(trip)
22/4 Tokyo - Nikko(trip)
23/4 Tokyo
24/4 Tokyo Narita

You might need a 21 days pass with your current itinerary.

On day 1 travelling from Narita to Yadanaka - JR unreserved will cost you about 7,000 yen.

On day 3 from Yadanaka to Takayama - JR unreserved will cost about 8,500 yen.

On day 5 from Takayama to Kanazawa - JR unreserved will cost about 4,000 yen.

On day 7 from Kanazawa to Osaka - JR unreserved will cost about 7,200 yen.

Osaka to Nara - 780 yen x 2 for return.

On day 9 from Osaka to Hiroshima - JR unreserved will cost about 9,750 yen.

Hiroshima to Miyajima - 570 yen x 2 for return.

Day 11 Hiroshima to Hakata (Fukuoka train station) - JR unreserved will cost about 8,500 yen.

Day 12 Hakata to Yufuin - JR unreserved will cost about 4,230 yen.

Day 13 Yufuin to Hita (closest station to Kurokawa) - JR unreserved will cost about 2,180 yen.

Day 14 Hita to Kyoto - JR unreserved will cost about 17,300 yen.

Day 19 Kyoto to Tokyo - JR unreserved will cost about 13,020 yen.

Just based on the above calculation, i will get a 21 day pass (57,700 yen), obviously you could reserve all your seats where it is available if you are on JR pass. If you opt for a 14 day pass (45,100 yen), you will have to take bus on top of the 45,100 yen for the 14 day pass. For me i would go the the 21 days pass to save the hassle of booking bus etc.

Between Hiroshima and Miyajima consider staying overnight in Miyajima to enjoy the evening lit-up around the island.

If going all the way down to Yufuin and Kurokawa Onsen, consider allocating more time in Kyushu and take in nearby Beppu and Mt. Aso.

If you like flower especially tulip, Huis ten Bosch should not be missed. Although its tulip festival is going to be held on Mar 23, blooming is said to start Mar 2. We went mid March and fully enjoyed the colourful flower fields. If you can be there before March 10 you can even enjoy its evening illumination.
http://www.huistenbosch.co.jp/event/tulip_2013/ (tulip)
http://www.huistenbosch.co.jp/event/hikari_2012/ (illumination)

If you are going for Hui ten Bosch and decide to spend more time in Kyushu, try to include Nagasaki and maybe Kumamoto as well.

Instead of travelling back and forth Ise Shrine is better done en-route from Kyoto to Tokyo. Also note that 2013 is the year for the 20-year rebuilt.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4300.html

Note that your itinerary includes some places not covered by a Japan Rail Pass.
Ise Shrines are not located around near Tokyo.
- http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4300.html

If you use JR every time when it's possible, getting a 21-Day Japan Rail Pass can be cost-saving than paying for regular fees. However, I suppose you can save the total cost by making minor changes, taking other rail discount options and using highway buses if you do not mind.

e.g.
1500 yen: Narita Express train: Narita Airport / Airport Terminal 2 to Shinjuku: With a ticket in a one-way Suica & N'EX package.
4500 yen: highway bus: Shinjuku Station West Entrance bus terminal to Nagano Station bus stop.
1110 yen: Local train(s): Nagano to Matsumoto.
3100 yen: highway bus: Matsumoto bus terminal to Takayama bus center.
4300 yen: highway bus: Kanazawa Station to Osaka Station.
780 yen: Yamatoji Rapid Train: Osaka to Nara.
690 yen: Miyakoji Rapid Train: Nara to Kyoto.
(After Kyoto, Mount Koya and Ise Shrines trips)
28300 yen: 7-day Japan Rail Pass: traveling Hiroshima, Miyajima, Kyushu Region then Tokyo.
680 yen: Kamakura Enoshima Pass: Kamakura daytrip