Best pass for Hakata to Wakayama?

We are travelling to Kyushu and the Kii Peninsula in March/April. We will have car most of the time in Kushu and will again hire one in Wakayama, I am looking at the best way to travel from Hakata to Wakayama with a two day stop in Okayama.

Although we would only use it for 4 days, would it be best to purchase a Sanyo Sanin JR pass? It appears to be cheaper that the two main train trips (Hakata to Okayama and Okayama to Wakayama) and we could also use it around Okayama, going to Kurashiki and Bitchu Takahashi etc.

Can we also use this pass around Wakayama itself?

Is there any other pass I should be looking at for this trip?

Hakata to shin-osaka 15,xxx yen
SHIN-Osaka to Wakayama 1140 yen.

Pass = 19,000

Need to find out if you can do another 3000 yen of travel to break even.

That is different from the price I worked out. Is the price different if we are stopping for two nights in Okayama?
The itinerary is:
Hakata to Okayama 26th March
stay Okayama to 28th March and visit Kurashiki, probably Bitchu Takahashi and maybe more.
Then Okayama to Wakayama 28th March and sight see around Wakayama afternoon of 28th.
We would of course like to travel on the fastest trains we can to utilise our time in each place as much as possible.

Hi!

Yes, the price would be higher with the stopover in Okayama. Hakata14 is also using the local trains from Shin-Osaka to Wakayama that involve a transfer vs. taking the Limited Express Kuroshio. It doesn't add a lot more to the cost, ~1300 yen with a seat reservation, but if you can make the Limited Express Kuroshio it might be more pleasant. The locals take about 100 minutes while the Kuroshio is a bit more than an hour.

If I remember correctly, you would pay ~15,000 yen for your ticket from Hakata to Shin-Osaka. You would then get off at Okayama, could spend two days there but any JR travel around Okayama would not be covered, then use the rest of your 15,000 yen ticket to continue on from Okayama for an additional 3000 yen to cover the express fees. However, at that point, you pretty much have covered the cost of the pass.

I hope this helps! :)

Two further questions, Can I use Nozomi on a JR Pass?
If I simply booked a ticket from Hakata to Wakayama using Nozomi and LTD. EXP KUROSHIO 13, can I stop in Okayama along the way for 48 hours?
If I can't use Nozomi (as is suspect) what other fast trains go on this route?

Yes to can stop for 2 days if using the pass. It is a seven day pass. Use for seven days in a row.

Yeah if you stop at okayama and break the trip up. It adds 3000 yen to trips.

Ltd exp vs rapid is only 600 difference between shin-osaka and wakayama.

I'm sure that the pass will be conveinent. But it isnt gonna be a huge cost saver. There are slightly cheaper options available. But if you wanna move fast and freely. The pass is the way to go.

Thank you for all your help!

Hi!

YES, You can use the Nozomi with the JR West Sanyo San'in Pass between Hakata and Shin-Osaka and seat reservations are free as well. You can not take the Nozomi anywhere east of Shin-Osaka (like Kyoto, you need to switch to a limited express or local to go there, which are covered by the pass, )

Honestly, if you want to do a 2 day stop over in Okayama and you would prefer to take the Kuroshio Limited Express and have a seat reservation on it, you will be slightly ahead with the pass as otherwise you are looking at: 15,000 yen for the ticket from Hakata to Shin-Osaka, 3000 yen additional fee for your stop over in Okayama (not inclusive of any JR trains you want to use while in Okayama) and anywhere from 1100-2400 to get from Shin-Osaka to Wakayama depending on if you use a local or a Kuroshio with a reserved seat. The pass is 19,000 yen, I'm getting 19,100 for your trip even if you use a local to Wakayama. (15,000+3000+1100) You could cut the fares a little cheaper if you don't reserve a seat from Hakata to Shin-Osaka and Okayama to Shin-Osaka, but honestly, for the 1000 yen savings I'd rather have a reserved seat, especially if your party is bigger than 1 person. If you plan to take a JR line anywhere while you are in Okayama the pass will cover that. With the Kuroshio without any reserved seats I am getting a total of (14,480+2500+2210==or 19190) I'd personally rather pay 19,000 yen and have reserved seats.

I'm not sure why Hakata says it is only 600 yen more for the Kuroshio, I am getting 2210 yen for the Kuroshio without reserved seats from Shin-Osaka to Wakayama on Hyperdia. It's 1140 yen by subway/local, but will be more crowded for at least some of the trip.

Good luck!

What a great answer thank you. We will be four people travelling together and the other couple will definitely have a pass so it seems clear we should have one too, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't wasting money doing it this way.
Thanks to everyone!