to buy a JR pass or not?

I'm planning a trip for Japan next June and I must say the trains a confusing me greatly. Mainly because there are so many options it seems...

I plan on staying in Tokyo for about 2 weeks and will be staying in a hostel near the Asakusa station. I plan traveling around the area of Tokyo for the majority of the trip and taking a day trip to Kyoto. I plan on hitting up most hot spots in Tokyo, like Harajuku and such.

Now, it seems more ecnomical to me to just buy train (and maybe bus) tickets as I go around Tokyo seeing as they cost a varying range of few 100 yen, and to just buy a ticket to Kyoto the morning I go which appears to cost about 8000 yen (this is round trip yes?).

What I'm trying to ask is am I missing something here? Will things rack up to equal the JR pass anyhow?

Sorry I don't have an exact travel plans yet, I'm more concerned planning out money right now.

Here's one way to look at it:

Roundtrip from Tokyo to Kyoto will cost you 27,440 yen. A one week JR pass costs 28,300 yen. In essence, for an extra 900 yen, you could have all-you-can ride on any JR trains for a week.

I'd personally go for the pass.

Jen,

As you mentioned, taking the bus would be cheaper than the train. Please refer to:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2363.html

If you have any additional questions, please let us know.

Cheers,

George

I would get the week pass, plan your Kyoto trip to get the best use out of it (you might want to visit Nara, or Osaka while down there). If you are arriving or leaving via Narita, then use the JR Pass on that day too - save you another 3120yen and take the Narita Express into Tokyo.
Don't forget to visit Narita City on the way out.... or in.
For the rest of your time in Tokyo, yeah, use subway single tickets, or get a Suica.

First of all you need to know that,unlike Mexico, London, Rome and Paris, capitals that have a very long history and lots of historical monuments, Tokyo has only been a capital since the late 19th century and was nearly totally destroyed in 1923 then again during WW II. as a result it doesn't have many historical monuments, unlike Kyoto, the capital for 1000 years. This means that you shouldn't spend 2 weeks in Tokyo and only 1 day in Kyoto. The more so considering that Kyoto is over 500 km away (3 hrs one way by fast train).
Going around Tokyo is best done by trains and subways. Buses in Tokyo, as in many towns (Paris,London etc.) are slow and confusing. In Tokyo you will likely only visit 2 to 3 neighbourhoods each day. You have a choice between single tickets (one pay by the distance by the way) a hassle as you have to find the fare on a huge map then get tickets from machines that have many buttons. it is easier to either 1-get prepaid cards with so many yen. Every time you use them the fare is deducted when you exit or 2-get cards good for one day or two or.. these many not be a saving if you don't travel enough each day or 3-get a Suica card that can be re-loaded with more yen and also can be used on JR trains and trains/ subways from other companies. The transit map of Tokyo looks confusing but is not that bad as lines have colours to identify them and you will only use a few lines. The colour for a line is also used on the signs and the platforms. I pretty much go around downtown Tokyo using the JR Yamanote loop line (check it on Google)90% of the time. Tokyo has 23 neighbourhoods but you don't need to visit each one of them! each one is a self contained town with offices, housing,stores and restaurants etc. The same big department stores and other stores are found in many of these neighbourhoods.I would choose 4 main touristy neighbourhoods at most then 3 more that are the old quaint less touristy Tokyo. Of course you need to get a good guidebook and read it several times to get to know places. You should also check on this site, at the very top: A-Z,Travel, Living. lots of great info including about passes..Going to Kyoto and back by bus look cheaper than a 7 day JR pass but 1-you will not be able to sleep and may not feel safe. 2-any other trip will be extra. The 7 day JR pass allow you not only to visit Kyoto but also Nara and Osaka, 2 towns very close to Kyoto (get a hotel in Osaka or Kyoto for the visit to the Kansai). You should stay in the Kansai for at least 4 days (1 1/2 in Kyoto,1 in Nara,1 in Osaka). The early morning trip to Kyoto from Tokyo is the 1/2 day making a total of 4 days. This leaves 3 days on your 7 days JR pass.1 day for the morning return trip to Tokyo with an afternoon trip to Yokohama plus 1 day in Nikko, 1 in Kamakura. You can also use the JR pass on the Yamanote loop line within Tokyo. Hope this isn't too confusing? Do you have any experience of trains and subways in Europe? Japan's are similar.

Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkasen Hikari and Kodama faretable: http://tinyurl.com/5h9o3s

Huh, I didn't know the trip to Kyoto from Tokyo was 3 hours one way. And now I know a trip to Kyoto does equal on JR Rail 7 day pass. Hahaha.

This 3 hour trip thing one way now makes me realize a one day trip to Kyoto is not practical. But I was planning on keep my hostel accommodations all in one place to simplify things...

I suppose...I could end the trip with Kyoto. Check out of my hostel in Asakusa and head over to Kyoto and stay there for 3 or 4 days. The 3 hour train ride back down to Tokyo to get to Narita should mean I should plan my return flight in the afternoon or possibly early evening, and just hang at the airport for a bit.

Well now to make this work I have to find a good hostel in Kyoto. :p

Also, here's another question. The rail pass is good for unlimited rides for those 7 days yes? I know that sounds like a stupid question but I just want to really clarify that.

Yes, the JR pass offers unlimted travel, except for the NOZOMI (which you don't need).
When we stayed in Japan 3 years ago we stayed in Tokyo and Kyoto for roughly a week each.
There are lot of daytrips from both cities.
If you include places like Himeji and Hiroshima you might even think about a 2 week pass.

Jen,
You should consider an "Open Jaw" plane ticket. It does not cost extra and it allows you to arrive in one city (Tokyo?) and return from another. (Osaka?). Then you can buy a 7-day JR Pass for around Tokyo and a cheaper JR West Pass for around Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, Himeji, Hiroshima, etc.).