best way to cover these places?

Hi, Our family (incl a 4 yo) is traveling to Tokyo on 21 Nov - 3 Dec. Would love your advice on how is the BEST (valuable) way to cover these places. We are flying in to Narita airport.

1) Hakone/fuji
2) Izu Peninsular (Ito and nearby)
3) Kyoto and couple of side trips incl Nara, Himeji and Osaka (optional)
4) Disney Tokyo

Thanks for the advice.

I assume that you will also fly out of Narita.

I recommend to use a 7-day Japan Rail Pass for your round trip to Kyoto.

Hakone, Fuji and Izu can be combined into a single trip either as a side trip from Tokyo or directly before or after Kyoto.

Yea, I was initially going to do that until I realized that alot of the Kyoto accommodations were taken up.

Thus, I'm thinking of taking a 4 days Kyoto package with JTB which travels via the nozomi or hikari.

Would probably do Hakone/Izu before kyoto. In terms of passes and transportation, what would be the most economical way?

Day1 NRT-Tokyo
Day2 Tokyo
Day3 Tokyo
Day4 Tokyo Disney
Day5 Hakone/Fuji
Day6 Izu
Day7 Kyoto
Day8 Kyoto
Day9 Kyoto
Day10 Nara
Day11 Himeji
Day12 Osaka
Day13 Kyoto
Day14 Kyoto-NRT

Using JR Pass from day 7 to 14 should be the best plan

Or another good itinerary
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2400_tokyo_12.html

a good plan
Day1 NRT-Tokyo
Day2 Tokyo
Day3 Tokyo
Day4 Tokyo
Day5 Tokyo Disney
Day6 Hakone/Fuji
Day7 Izu
Day8 Kyoto
Day9 Kyoto
Day10 Kyoto
Day11 Nara
Day12 Himeji
Day13 Osaka
Day14 Kyoto-NRT

Using JR Pass from day 8 to 14 should be the best plan

Or another good itinerary
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2400_tokyo_12.html

Doris,
if you have problems finding hotel in Kyoto: With the JR Railpass ShinOsaka is only 15 minutes by shinkansen from Kyoto and offers many hotels around the railwaystation.

It sounds like a good idea since Kyoto's hotels are all rather expensive during the month of Nov. Thanks for the tip.

Apparently, the JR East is offering a special price for the 3-day flexi pass at 10,000 yen!

What Uji san, Ts and I mentioned is the 7 day JR Rail Pass valid for all Japan at Yen 28300. The 10 000 special price is for the JR East Pass 3 flexi days, but this pass is not valid west of Tokyo, it does NOT cover the area between Tokyo and Kyoto , Himeji, Nara and Osaka.

Oh sorry. I know about the 7 day JRP. What I'm saying is that if I book the 4 days Kyoto free plan package with JTB, then I'll need the JR East for my travels within Tokyo.

The 4 days package by JTB covers round trip nozomi or hikari train ride to Kyoto.

If I purchase the 7 day JRP, it'll be rather expensive to book the 3 nights stay in Kyoto. Having said that, I would need to take care of my own transport within Kyoto.

then I'll need the JR East for my travels within Tokyo.

The JR East Pass does not pay off for travels within Tokyo! A normal person spends 200 to 600 yen per day on urban JR transportation in central Tokyo (a little bit more if you make side trips into the suburbs or neighboring cities), while a 3-day JR East Pass costs 10,000 yen. It only makes sense if you make some major trips outside of Tokyo.

Many tourists,including my buddies and I, stay in Osaka or Kobe then travel to Kyoto for the day, taking full advantage of our JR pass or another pass. Kyoto, Kobe, Nara and Osaka are all close to one another. You often have more chances to get a hotel outside Kyoto.