JR Pass vs Other

Hi All,

I'm going to Japan in May 2008 with 3 friends for 20 days, with the rough itinerary of:

Day 01: Tokyo
Day 02: Tokyo
Day 03: Tokyo
Day 04: Fuji Five Lakes / Mount Fuji / Hakone (Overnight Trip)
Day 05: Tokyo
Day 06: Tokyo
Day 07: Tokyo
Day 08: Tokyo
Day 09: Kamakura
Day 10: Nagoya
Day 11: Ise (Day Trip)
Day 12: Takayama
Day 13: Kanazawa
Day 14: Kyoto
Day 15: Kyoto
Day 16: Kyoto
Day 17: Kyoto
Day 18: Kyoto
Day 19: Osaka
Day 20: Osaka

We're trying to work out the best mode of transportation (ie. 21 day JR pass + extra tickets ... 14 day JR pass for 1st and 2nd week + extra tickets... 7 day JR pass for 2nd week only + extra tickets, etc).

Could someone please advise us on what would be more beneficial based on our itinerary?

Thanks!

I recommend to use a 7-day Japan Rail Pass from day 8 or travel by regular tickets entirely:

The only major trips and related costs are as follows:
Tokyo-Nagoya-Ise: about 12,000 yen by shinkansen
Ise-Takayama: about 7500 yen by express trains
Takayama-Kanazawa: 3300 yen by bus
Kanazawa-Kyoto: about 7000 yen by express trains

The total cost for the above trips is slightly higher than that for a 7-day Japan Rail Pass.

You could theoretically travel even cheaper by using highway buses instead of shinkansen and express trains.

All the other journeys are minor journeys and do not justify the purchase of a Japan Rail Pass.