Most economical rail passes

KIX to okayama nights with side trips to takahashi, Kurashiki, Himeji. tkamatsu 2 nights with side trip to naoshima. Kyoto 6 nights with side trip to nara, kanazawa 3 nights, then train to matsumato for few hours and bus to takayama 2 nights, hida wide xpress to Hiroshima 3 nights with side trip to miyajima. fujikawaguchiko-machi 1 night, then Tokyo 4 nights. my older daughters will meet us in Kyoto for the last part of our trip. What would be the best railpass for them and what would be the best railpass for our trip. thank you for any input and advise.

Kind of hard to say....you're jumping all over the place with no real flow. Are you able to adjust your itinerary to make it a more East Japan to West Japan flow?

Hi john what would be a better route for this itinerary separating it into a east and west trip. which rail passes would be the most economical. thank you

What he means is that you're bouncing all over the country with your plans. Can you rearrange the order of your destinations? You really should be looking at a map of Japan.
First you mention going down to the Chugoku Region (Okayama, etc), then up to Kanazawa, then go even deeper south past Okayama to Hiroshima....
If you can combine Okayama, Hiroshima, Takamatsu etc into one side trip it would save you an enormous amount of time.
https://goo.gl/V6K1jx

Combining Kanazawa, Takayama, Shirakawago if you like, and Nagano could form another part of your trip.
https://goo.gl/WKGLMN
https://youtu.be/lvtACNNuLUs

It's doubtful given the length and destination list of your plans that there is a silver bullet rail pass to suit you perfectly. You might look at the various regional rail passes, which can cover at least some of your plans - such as:
JR Kansai Hiroshima Area Pass
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_kansai_hiroshima.html
JR Kansai Wide Pass
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_08.html

Thank you Ken for the input. We are spending one week in Hokkaido at the start of our trip and then flying to Osaka. we have one week to travel there before my two older daughters join us for the remainder of the trip. I left Hiroshima and miyajima till the last part of the trip as these were places my older daughters wanted to see.

Considering your situation, I would suggest you to buy 2 Kansai Hiroshima Area Passes, one for your Okayama-Takamatsu trip and another for Hiroshima trip. Your daughters should buy one Kansai Hiroshima Area Pass. You need to restrict your Okayama-Takamatsu trip within 5 days of pass validity.

After Kyoto go west to Hiroshima using the pass. And then go to Kanazawa. Your pass will cover as far as Tsuruga thereafter you pay the fare for Tsuruga to Kanazawa, 4170 yen for non-reserved seat.

http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=TSURUGA&arv_nod...

From Kanazawa buy Three Star Option Ticket 5500 yen to visit Shirakawago, Takayama and then Matsumoto.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&ved=2a...

Take JR from Matsumoto to Kofu (3560 yen, base fare plus limited express fare, reserved seat) and then bus to Kawaguchiko (1470 yen). There might be direct bus (probably seasonal).

There are several ways to travel from Kawaguchiko to Tokyo. Direct bus is convenient (1950 yen).

Thank you frog for this itinerary. It will work well in my plans. I had previously included the takayama to Nagoya route on the hida wide xpress for the scenery even though this was a longer route.

I see the three star option ticket can be used to march 31 2020. will it be available again for my travel in may of 2020. Thanks.

I see the three star option ticket can be used to march 31 2020. will it be available again for my travel in may of 2020. Thanks.

I can't say for sure, but this pass is sold for several years (strictly, this is a new pass but there was identical pass for several years) so I believe they will sell this pass also after April 2020 though the price might get higher by a few percent due to the rise of the consumption tax.