Rail Pass or Individual Tickets?

Hello,
October Travel Plan is - Narita arrival, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Tokyo, back to Narita. 2/3 days at each destination. 14 day stop.
Is a Japan Rail Pass worthwhile or should I buy individual tickets? Would like to use Shinkansen where available.
Should I pre-book any of the tickets?
Many thanks,
PJ

Narita to Hiroshima return (with or without Kanazawa) is generally slightly cheaper with the JRP than single tickets. Plus it does cover some other incidental travel you will be doing in/around those locations.

I think a 14 day rail pass would be perfect and save you money.


Tokyo to Kyoto = 13800
Kyoto to Osaka = 600
Osaka to Hiroshima = 10500
Hiroshima to Kanazawa = 16000
Kanazawa to Tokyo = 14400
Narita/Tokyo round trip N'EX = 4000
Total = 59300
14 day rail pass = 46390
Save about 13000 with 14 day JR pass.

One thing to note is that pass is 14 calendar days. If you are staying 14 nights, that's 15 days and you might need to cover one way airport fare.

Total = 59300

That estimation is not correct.
Your actual JR regular cost is much lower.

You do not always pay JR basic fares by legs of your itinerary,
but can pay a basic fare for the route of successive legs
(unless you turn back),
which mostly results in a lower cost.

For example,
you can travel from Hiroshima via Kanazawa to Tokyo
at around 26000 yen
(12960 yen as basic fare + around 13000 yen as surcharges),
because you can pay the basic fare for the whole route
and the validity term of the basic-fare ticket (7 days) is enough for your trip(s).
This cost is lower than
when you pay separately the basic fares for your two legs until and beyond Kanazawa
(16950 yen as basic fares + around 13000 yen as surcharges).

Have you confirmed that you cannot reach or leave Japan at Haneda Airport [HND]?
Where in Tokyo will you stay?
Would you visit also Miyajima Island?

To travel between Narita Airport [NRT] and Tokyo,
you have some low-cost options.

When your ways from and back to NRT are within 14 calendar days, a 14-day JRP (46390 yen, paid in your currency) sounds suitable.

When your way back to NRT is on Day 15 or later,
the following combination seems better cost-wise.

Airport bus (+ railway) to Tokyo
: about 1000 to 1200 yen.
JR with regular tickets from Tokyo via Kyoto to Osaka
(by Shinkansen Hikari (#) until Kyoto)
: 14140 yen (#).
JR with 7-day JRP (including the way back to NRT)
: 29110 yen, paid in your currency.
Total cost for the major legs
: around 44500 yen (#).

cf.
Airport bus (+ railway) to Tokyo
: about 1000 to 1200 yen.
JR with 14-day JRP(including the way back to NRT)
: 46390 yen, paid in your currency.
Total cost for the major legs
: around 47500 yen.

# :
When you go without seat reservation to Kyoto,
the Shinkansen surcharge is lower by 520 yen,
at the same price for Hikari and Nozomi;
a JRP user cannot choose Nozomi.

Thank you all. I'm arriving from overseas into Narita, stopping 13 nights/14 days so the 14 day JR Pass sounds best unless anyone wants to correct me. Very much appreciated as is the video guide on how to obtain my pass after arrival.