2 week trip to Japan

Hello,

I am going to be in Japan from 4 to 19 april. I will be in Tokyo with friends till 12 april.
I have to be back in Tokyo friday the 17th.

So I have time to visit places outside Tokyo from monday till thursday and would like to visit Kyoto, Osaka and Kanazawa... I know this is quite a lot in little time, if somebody should have some advice of the best way to visit this three places in four days and to see as much as possible, I would appreciate it! I don't know the best way of travel would be for these destinations? rail pass? every suggestion/ comment is welcome :)

Thank you in advance!

A 7-day rail pass using the Shinkansen between Tokyo and Kyoto would pay for itself. Other rides to Kanazawa and Osaka would make it definitely worthwhile. By the time you got to the airport and checked in, you could almost be in Kyoto using trains.

12 - Shinkansen to Kyoto overnight
13 - Kyoto overnight
14 - day trip Nara, Kyoto overnight
15 - day trip to Osaka. Kyoto overnight
16 - Express Kyoto-Kanazawa overnight
17 - Kanazawa-Tokyo, Hokuriku Shinkansen

You could drop Nara and add another trip to Osaka or add a day to Kanazawa. It's a quick ride from Kyoto to Shin-Osaka on the Shinkansen, so you wouldn't lose much time not being located in Osaka unless you wanted to be there at night.

I also couldn't get the new Hokuriku Shinkansen from Kanazawa to Tokyo to show up in Hyperdia or Jorudan, but it's supposed to start 15 March.

This might help with the Hokuriku Shinkansen
http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+120883

If you're going to spend a long time in Tokyo, do you want to go to Osaka, or would you rather spend time in some quieter places to get some variety?

I'd drop Osaka, and probably Kanazawa (if you only have one day to see it, including travelling, you'll be too rushed). Instead, I'd stay in Kyoto for 4 days, with the option of a day trip to Nara.

Thank you for the information!

If it's possible I would visit Osaka, but the travelling should be achievable. I don't mind it, but I don't want to rush 4 days. I thought about Osaka because of the castle I wanted to see and Kanazawa for the historic authentic atmosphere, but other proposals are definitely welcome.

There is so much to see in Kyoto, do you have experience in what would be best to visit (worth seeing) in a logical order?

Is the 7 day rail pass (national?) the best way for transportation between Toyko, Kyoto, Osaka and Kanazawa? And if I would only go to Kyoto and Tokyo if the schedule wouldn't be attainable?

Thanks in advance!

I second Winter Visitor's suggestion of dropping Kanazawa if you're only there for a day. If you're looking for authentic and historic feel, Kyoto and Nara will offer you that. Do keep in mind that with traveling involved, you will only be limited to a few hours before the attractions close in Kanazawa.

You could possibly do Osaka and Nara in the same day. I started my early morning in Nara and then took an afternoon train to Osaka. I was staying in Kyoto at the time so I made it back around 22:00-23:00. If that's too rushed for you then I would suggest dropping Nara and just add a day to Kanazawa.

You could also try something like this:

12 - Shinkansen to Kanazawa overnight
13 – Kanazawa overnight
14 – Kanazawa to Kyoto overnight
15 - Kyoto overnight
16 - Nara/Osaka overnight in Osaka or in Kyoto
17 – Osaka/Kyoto to Tokyo

If you want to see a castle, I'd skip Osaka (it's a concrete reconstruction) and go see a real castle in Himeji. It's only an hour Shinkansen ride from Kyoto. Renovations on Himeji's castle are scheduled to be finished by the end of March.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3501.html

I disagree with some of the comments above regarding Kanazawa - I think it is possible to do it in one day without feeling rushed. Of course, it all depends on what you want to see and do. You could do it on the last day of your trip, starting in Kyoto, spending the day in Kanazawa, and then taking the Hokuriku shinkansen back to Tokyo in the evening.
My main reason for visiting Kanazawa was the garden. If you are at all into japanese gardens, then you have to visit Kenrokuen. I started from Kyoto in the morning (took the first Thunderbird express of the day) and was back in Kyoto around 8pm. Other than the garden, which was amazing, I was able to visit geisha district and do a short tour of one of the geisha houses, go to the gold leaf museum (suprisingly interesting) and few of the nearby gold leaf shops, and finish my visit with a stroll through the samurai district (a bit less interesting than expected).

As for Kyoto, my top 5 must-see sights would be (not no particular order):

Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavillion Temple)
Ryoan-ji
Ginkaku-ji
Gion
Fushimi Inari shrine

It is probably possible to visit the first four in one day, and the last one could be done on your way back from Nara.

Other sights wort visiting in Kyoto, if you have the time:

Kiyomizu-dera
Nijo castle
Arashiyama bamboo forest
Sanjusangendo
Nishiki market

THank you all for the great advice,

The great lines of my trip to Japan will be as follows:
april 4: arrive at Narita in the morning
april 4 -12 Tokyo and daytrips from Tokyo to Kamakura, ..
april 13-16 Kyoto and trips to Kanazawa, Nara, Himeji
april 17 Toyko
april 18: departure 7 am Haneda airport.

Hotels/ryokan are booked in Tokyo and Kyoto

I only have some practical questions about transportation:
which ways of transportation would be best and what kind of card/pass can I use for which transportation?

From Narita to Tokyo?
While I am in Tokyo with sidetrips?
In Kyoto with sidetrips?
From Tokyo to Haneda?
I thought about buying a Suica card and a full JR pass 7 days (12 to 19th april)
Would this be ok? Do I need anything else for transportation or are there better ways?

I guess I should be at Haneda 3 hours in advance 18th april, so I probably should spend the night at the airport. How should I get there and when is the last train; bus, subway tp get there?

Any suggestions to do Saturday afternoon after arriving with a jetlag?
What can be visited in Tokyo on a Sunday? I guess many things will be closed? Or is this not the case? Maybe there are special activities?

I would buy a pasmo prepaid card for transportation from Narita to Tokyo and travel within Tokyo with sidetrip to Kamakura. (How much money should I need for the card for 7 days?)

I would use the 7 day JR national pass for the travel from Tokyo to Kyoto, Kyoto to Kanazawa, Nara and Himeji, Kyoto to Tokyo and Tokyo to Haneda airport. Does this seem ok? When does the JR pass start? When used for the first time or when changing the voucher for the actual pass at the airport?

The voucher for the JR Pass can be exchanged any day you wish. It is at this time when you tell them the date when you wish your pass to start. Once you have the pass, you can reserve any train you wish even if the pass is not active yet. The pass will be active on 00:01 of the calendar date you stated to them and is printed on the pass. It will expire at 23:59 on the 7th day. There are few exceptions to this, but based on your itinerary, you won't be running into any of them.