input on my 12 days itinerary

Hi everyone,

Here is my planned itinirary for a trip in May, backpacking solo, first time in Japan.

I would be very grateful for your input.
Do you think it is too ambitious?

I would still need to calculate, but I am not sure if a JR pass is worth it.

Are trains really always on time or is it a myth? Hyperdia sometimes suggests connections of only a few minutes...

day 1: arrive in Tokyo Narita 10.45am, explore around Asakusa and Ueno
day 2: explore Tokyo (Ginza, Roppongi, Shbuya?)
day 3: explore Tokyo or day trip in Nikko?
day 4: explore Tokyo in the morning (Shibjuku?), then take the train to Kamakura (arrive around 3pm), visit temples, take Enoden train to Fujisawa and sleep there.
day 5: Travel from Fujisawa to Hakone-Yumoto via Odawara (arrive 9am), Visit with the Hakone free pass, then take the Fujkyu bus at 7.20pm from Gotemba station to Kawagushiko. Sleep in Kawagushiko.
day 6: Day trip in the area: Fuji Sengen shrine, 5th level of Mt.Fuji, wind cave, Shiraito Falls, lake Motosuko. Sleep in Kawagushiko.
day 7: Travel from Kawagushiko to Matsumoto via Otsuki (arrive at 11.28 am). Visit Matsumoto (castle) and lunch breack.
(Alternative: travel from Kawagushiko to Matsumoto in the evening of day 6 and sleep in Matsumoto.)
Take the 5.05pm bus to Takayama (arrive 7.25pm), sleep in Takayama.
day 8: Visit Takayama in the morning, then take 11.26am train to Kyoto via Nagoya (arrive 2.47pm). Sleep in Kyoto.
day 9 to 12: explore Kyoto and the surroundings, including 1 day trip in Nara. Sleep in Kyoto
day 13: return home (Kansai airport)...

Thanks!

1. Focus on your purpose why you want to go to Japan.
2. Ginza, Roppongi, Shibuya, Shinjuku, each can be explored for a day or two or more, though they are mainly for shopping and to get a glimpse of Japan modern look etc.
3. Day4, move out earlier to Kamakura.
4. Don't understand the Day5-6 trip, someone more knowledgeable in this are should help out.
5. Any reason why you want to stop by Matsumoto or Takayama? Takayama section seems like a wasted trip with too little time allocated for that part of itinerary.
6. If you leaving by Kansai and this is your itinerary, JR pass will probably not worth it.
7. On very occasion, train will be delayed due to various incident/accident, otherwise if the train states 7:00 Depart, it will depart at 7:00:00. Though if train arrives earlier, they will wait till the designated time before departure.

I'm not sure about day5-6 trip, though it seems rather packed, someone should advise you on this 2 days.

I do mean, on very rare occasion. (Actually seems quite often on certain JR line...)

I would still need to calculate, but I am not sure if a JR pass is worth it.

Passes won't pay off for your itinerary.

Are trains really always on time or is it a myth? Hyperdia sometimes suggests connections of only a few minutes...

Yes, you can expect them to be on time. Only rarely are they late.

day 1: arrive in Tokyo Narita 10.45am, explore around Asakusa and Ueno
day 2: explore Tokyo (Ginza, Roppongi, Shbuya?)
day 3: explore Tokyo or day trip in Nikko?

Each area of Tokyo requires at least a half day to a full day to explore. I'd consider dropping Nikko to reduce the pressure on your Tokyo time.

day 4: explore Tokyo in the morning (Shibjuku?), then take the train to Kamakura (arrive around 3pm), visit temples, take Enoden train to Fujisawa and sleep there.

Most of the Kamakura temples close around 5 so this plan only allows a visit to one temple, maybe two. I'd either move the Shinjuku part to another day (day 3 perhaps) or drop Kamakura.

day 5: Travel from Fujisawa to Hakone-Yumoto via Odawara (arrive 9am), Visit with the Hakone free pass, then take the Fujkyu bus at 7.20pm from Gotemba station to Kawagushiko. Sleep in Kawagushiko.

That's gonna be a long day.

day 6: Day trip in the area: Fuji Sengen shrine, 5th level of Mt.Fuji, wind cave, Shiraito Falls, lake Motosuko. Sleep in Kawagushiko.

Will you have a rental car? Because the buses are not very frequent around that side of the mountain.

day 7: Travel from Kawagushiko to Matsumoto via Otsuki (arrive at 11.28 am). Visit Matsumoto (castle) and lunch breack.
(Alternative: travel from Kawagushiko to Matsumoto in the evening of day 6 and sleep in Matsumoto.)

It's a four hour journey, so morning of day 7 would make more sense.

Take the 5.05pm bus to Takayama (arrive 7.25pm), sleep in Takayama.
day 8: Visit Takayama in the morning, then take 11.26am train to Kyoto via Nagoya (arrive 2.47pm). Sleep in Kyoto.

I'd spend more time in Takayama and go to Kyoto later in the afternoon.