JR Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass

I will be travelling from Kansai Airport - Kyoto - Kanazawa - Kyoto - Okayama - Naoshima - Teshima - Osaka - Koyasan - Osaka - Kansai Airport so it seems the JR Kansai Hokuriku Pass with an Icocu ? prepaid is my best option (including day trips while in Kyoto). I understand I can Take a Sanyo Shinkansen from Osaka to Okayama with the pass. Does this mean not directly from Kyoto to Okayama? That I will need to take a JR rapid to Shin-Osaka? Can someone please clarify this as I would prefer to catch the Nozomi directly from Kyoto if possible? Thanks for the clarification.

Shinkansen between Kyoto and Shin-Osaka is operated by JR Central. So here's the reply I had from JR West as my situation is similar:-

" As you already know, the Kansai WIDE Area Pass is not valid for the Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka station and Kyoto station. If you would like to take the Shinkansen (non-reserved seat) from Okayama to Kyoto, please purchase the ticket (1,420 JPY: Basic fare ticket 560 JPY + the Ltd. Exp. ticket for the non-reserved seat 860 JPY) for the Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Kyoto before you board the train. "

No shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Kyoto station. Yes you heard correct. You can even look at the passes on the JR West website.

The rapid is only 10 minutes slower, and it will take about 10 minutes to transfer.

Thank you CDY and Hakata14 for your responses they are both helpful. This is what I thought but just wanted to make sure I understood what I was reading properly. And is the Icocu Pass my best option to use when I cannot use the JR pass? (I do understand this is a 'top up' card and not a prepaid). I need to use it to go from Kyoto to Osaka, Oksaya to Koyasa (and return) and to use travelling around Kanazaw, kyoto and Osaka when JR options are not available. If anyone can suggest something better I would appreciate it.

My advice for Koyasan and it's what I did when I went there is to buy the Heritage ticket. That ticket is very useful ticket, it gives you a round trip for 2 days, unlimited ride on buses in Koyasan and some discount coupons. You can buy at Namba stations. But I bought mine at Kansai airport on a Nankai counter.
Wish you a very good trip! Koyasan was one of my favorite stays in Japan!