Kansai area pass or direct booking?

Hi we shall visit Japan in mid-Oct. The only time we may use JR is during our trip from Kyoto to Hiroshima and back same day. We were advised the Kansai area pass would work out to be cheaper than direct booking + it would cover the ferry also in Hiroshima That is how we planned it. But now we are planning to take it little easy as our return flight is early morning next day ( Kyoto to Osaka Airport by bus) . So we would like to come back from Hiroshima just by visiting the peace park and museum. Just wondering, will it be much faster if we buy JR bullet train ticket snd travel directly from Kyoto to Hiroshima and back by bullet train all the way ( though it will be somewhat costlier). ? Kindly suggest. Thanks

5 minutes quicker each way. Not worth trying to dodge the pass.

Also. If only going to Hiroshima city for a few sights. I'd save your money and time and pick somewhere closer to Kyoto to visit.

Thanks H for the info.
Just to understand, I believe we have to change train for Hiroshima ( we would like to visit the peace park and museum, if nothing else). if we use the pass. But without the pass, we get direct option. Is that correct? May be we still may not gain much time as you said.

Can you also suggest the right link for buying pass/ ticket.. so many options there.. Also, where do we collect the physical ticket.. any counter in Narita airport?
Thanks again,

Please ignore the last post. Got the required info from JR west site. Thanks

You may be using a few misleading terms - by "Kansai area pass" I take it you really mean "Kansai-Hiroshima Pass", is that right? And yes, you would save money over buying regular fare tickets. You could also use the pass for the local JR bus in Hiroshima. The one thing you can't do with it though is ride the shinkansen with it between Kyoto and Shin-Osaka Stations - but you can use ltd express and JR rapid trains which take about 10 minutes more.
It's not hard to buy train tickets if you want to go that way. You can use the machines or go into the ticket office (the latter could have quite a line though).
Given the time it takes to get to Hiroshima, I strongly urge you to do more than just see the Peace Park & Museum, and then leave. Hiroshima is much more than a city that got bombed. At least see the beautiful Shukkeien Garden as well. And try the Hiroshima style okonomiyaki at Okonomi-mura.
https://goo.gl/fAz4ax

Thanks Ken for pointing out.. Yes it is Kansai Hiroshima pass only. Will try to cover more of Hiroshima as both of you suggested.

I am getting the pass online from JR west site ( opens before one month only) . As I have understood, we can do the reservation also online but physical pass + reservation slip have to be collected from a JR station( say Kyoto) before travel. Just wondering, can we collect it from Narita airport on arrival from JR office there.
Thanks again.