Which regional pass to buy?

Hello, me and my friend will be in Japan for two weeks, and we have a question related to the famous JR passes actually :)

Here's our plan:

Day 1: Land at Haneda Airport at 23:55
Day 2-3-4-5: see around Tokyo
Day 6: take the train(s) from Tokyo to Osaka, see around Osaka that day
Day 7-8-9: see around Kyoto by taking the train from Osaka to Kyoto each day and back to Osaka via train
Day 10: take the train from Osaka to Nara, and back to Osaka via train
Day 11: take the train from Osaka to Tokyo
Day 12: go to Haneda Airport for departure

So my question is, which would be more convenient for our journey in terms of costs and efficiency?

a) purchasing Hokuriku Arch Pass * 2 & an IC card
b) purchasing Kansai Area Pass for Osaka/Kyoto/Nara travels & tickets for Tokaido-Sanyo shinkansen & an IC card

Thanks in advance for your help!

a) purchasing Hokuriku Arch Pass * 2 & an IC card
--> no, it doesn't cover your route at all (alright, it covers Osaka-Kyoto)

b) purchasing Kansai Area Pass for Osaka/Kyoto/Nara travels & tickets for Tokaido-Sanyo shinkansen & an IC card
--> for these 3 cities, you only need the Kansai "mini" pass (3000 yens for 3 days, whereas the regular pass is 4800 yens for 2 days): https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/pass/kansaimini/

But it looks pretty inefficient to stay for 5 nights in Osaka, and make day trips out every single day. Why not base yourself in Kyoto instead? Unless the price difference is really big, it would be much more comfortable to stay in Kyoto.

The Hokuriku Arch Pass can be good if you want to spend some time to see Kanazawa on the way there or back. And yes, it is worth seeing. But that route takes you 2 extra hours each way compared with the more direct Tokaido route. If you have no interest, then the pass would give you scant savings and you might as well save some time and just get regular fare tickets with a Nozomi train down the Tokaido route.

The Kansai Area Pass simply does not pay off for just going between the cities that are close to each other.
It might make sense if going to its furthest reaches, like a visit to see Himeji. A Kansai Mini Pass would make more sense, but actually, in Kansai there are several non-JR trains that may be better for you, depending on where exactly you are going. In that case, just the IC card would serve you just fine.

Thank you very much for your answers!

@Mellye our plan was to see Kyoto for 3 days, Osaka for 1 day and Nara for 1 day -- while basing ourselves in Osaka. We thought we'd experience Namba and Dotonburi in the evenings instead of giving a separate timeslot to Osaka; while also staying the nights there. I don't know, Kyoto seemed like it would be inferior to Osaka in terms of convenience (transportation, accomodation etc) and a friend also recommended this kind of itinerary so we said why not? And we're not done yet with the accomodation but from what I've seen in Airbnb, the prices are slightly better (if not much better) and what I was doing is to check the apartments near Osaka and Shin-Osaka stations

@Ken we actually have no interest in Kanazawa :/ and I admit that not having Tokaido Shinkansen as a part of Hokuriku was very disheartening. Hokuriku Shinkansen is free with JR Pass but yes, it takes some time :/ We don't know if we'd go to other parts of Himeji, but so far we will do our best to explore Kyoto's finest places, see temples in Nara and make the best out of Osaka (maybe even Kobe?)

Thanks again a lot for your recommendations. In the end, Kansai Mini Pass is for 3 days but we will be needing that pass for 4 days -- plus we have vouchers for several lines in Kyoto too. Hokuriku really seemed captivating but in the end we decided to purchase Kansai Area Pass for coverage, and opted for Nozomi ticketse to travel between Osaka and Tokyo.

Will have a 4-day chika card for Tokyo subway lines, and a Pasmo Password or Suica Welcome as well just in case.

Thank you so much! So excited!

It seems there is no rail pass to save your cost greatly.

Unless you use the Hokuriku Shinkansen,
Hokuriku Arch Pass would not be the best deal.

Ken:
A Kansai Mini Pass would make more sense, but actually, in Kansai there are several non-JR trains that may be better for you, depending on where exactly you are going.

JR-West Kansai Mini Pass saves your JR cost slightly for Osaka -- Kyoto round trips.

Mellye:
But it looks pretty inefficient to stay for 5 nights in Osaka, and make day trips out every single day.

Indeed.
I would go from Tokyo to Kyoto, stay there for three nights,
then go to Osaka, stay there for two nights,
then go back to Tokyo.

For your Nara trip,
Nara Kotsu 1-day bus pass may be suitable.

we will be needing that pass for 4 days -- plus we have vouchers for several lines in Kyoto too.

Unless you add a destination (like Kobe or Himeji),
It may be difficult to make benefit from Kansai Area Pass.

----

Days 6, 11 and 12:

Pair of JR round-trip basic fare tickets
to get from Tokyo via Osaka to Nara then back to Tokyo
within 10 days
: 17620 yen per adult, after the 10 percent round-trip discount.

Shinkansen surcharge for your NOZOMI / HIKARI train ride,
with your seats reserved,
between Tokyo or Shinagawa and Kyoto or Shin-Osaka
: 5610 to 6210 yen per adult per way by NOZOMI
/ 5290 to 5890 yen per adult per way by HIKARI.

cf.
Shinkansen surcharge for your train ride
without seat reservation
between Tokyo or Shinagawa and Kyoto or Shin-Osaka
: 4960 yen per adult per way.

Regarding where to stay in Osaka. While I personally would NOT stay in Osaka at all (I have been for weeks on end on business trips), I would most definitely not stay in Shin Osaka area. It�fs the most dull part of the city. Office buildings, shopping malls and big roads only. Around Osaka station would be definitely better. And yes, best would be staying in Kyoto the entire time.

Regarding your train passes not sure if you understood but specially around Kyoto and Osaka there are MANY train lines that are NOT operated by JR but other train companies. Where that pass cannot be used. Based on where you stay and where you go some of these private train lines might be more convenient. And prices aren�ft that high to begin with anyway.

Regarding IC cards you wrote �gWill have a 4-day chika card for Tokyo subway lines, and a Pasmo Password or Suica Welcome as well just in case.�h But you really need only 1 IC card per person. Buy which ever is most convenient for you but don�ft buy 2/person. IC cards can be used nationwide. (Yes, PPs there are a few exceptions in some pretty remote areas, but the OP is not going to run into these with her/his itinerary)

Maybe read the section about rail passes and IC cards on this web page. It kind of seems you are dead set on getting �ga pass�h for everything, like the Tokyo subway pass. But actually these passes may not pay off. It totally depends on what you�fll do every day. You might very well be best off with only an IC card and a return ticket Tokyo - Kyoto/Osaka.

Btw, you can easily visit Nara and Osaka from Kyoto so it would make most sense to me to just stay in Kyoto instead of changing hotels to Osaka.