Is a JR pass necessary for my trip?

I am staying in Japan for 10 days and I was planning to stay in Tokyo for around 5/6 days and also visit Fuji Mountain.

Additionally I plan to go down to Kyoto for a couple days... There will be 4 of us travelling. What is the best and cheapest way to do this and is a JR pass necessary to be able to visit these places?

Help in sorting this issue out will be greatly appreciated :)

If you do a round trip between Tokyo and Kyoto by shinkansen within 7 days, then a 7-day Japan Rail Pass pays off.

As Uji said, JR pass will pay off as long as you complete a round trip Tokyo-Kyoto-Tokyo journey within 7 days. The train is quick and comfortable and I totally recommend this option.

However, if you're looking for the cheapest option and are not stopping off anywhere between Tokyo and Kyoto, you can try the overnight buses, which will cost maybe $120 USD cheaper than a 7 day rail pass (plus a night of accomodation), but it's not the most comfortable journey.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2366.html

I only suggest the bus option because the only other place you are going to other than Tokyo and Kyoto if the Fuji area. And JR doesn't make sense for getting to the Fuji area (i.e Kawaguchiko or Hakone). So for that trip, I would suggest a highway bus (couple of hours) from Tokyo.

Domestic flights are very good value and may actually work out cheaper than the rail pass, not to mention cutting down your travel time by a considerable amount.

Planes may be cheaper but it is a mistake to believe they save time..You can take a train 5 minutes before departure, especially if you have a reservation (I have done it many times in Europe and Japan) and major railway station are always right downtown. Taking a plane means going from downtown --often from that main rail station-- to the airport, checking in at a counter after waiting in a line-up, going through security, waiting for the gate to open and finally walking into the plane. At the other end one has to wait for the luggage then take a train or bus, cab etc. to downtown. In the case of Kyoto the closest airports are in Osaka (Itami) or Kobe. For a trip as long as 600 km fast trains (like the Shinkansen and TGV) win over planes every time.

Tokyo Kyoto Tokyo: JR Pass: planes not worth it for this trip at all. AND having the Pass then opens up all sorts of possibilities: AND you can use it in Tokyo on JR lines (Yamanote, Chuo etc)

BTW JR needs to look at the whole Hakone Mt Fuji area for its network..just a random observation

: What is the best and cheapest way to do this and is a JR pass necessary to be able to visit these places

By which ways do you hope to visit Mt. Fuji and then travel to Kyoto?
Just to shuttle between Tokyo Sta. and Kyoto Sta. for one time, presumably regular tickets are the better.
28,300 yen per adult: 7-day JR Pass for ordinary-class seats, not valid for Nozomi trains.
(A JR Pass covers all JR trains except those of Shinkansen Nozomi service.)
26,040 to 26,840 yen per adult: Fare and charges for reserved ordinary-class seats on Hikari / Kodama, with two one-way fare tickets each valid for 4 days.
26,640 to 27,440 yen per adult: Fare and charges for reserved ordinary-class seats on Nozomi, with two one-way fare tickets each valid for 4 days.

Your routes and the total cost depend on conditions such as:
- from which airport(s) you enter and leave Japan,
- from which direction you view or climb Mt. Fuji,
- from which place you take way to Kyoto.
So, will you explain your plan more in details, please ?

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Thank you all for your advice I am very appreciative for your responses.

I am sure the trip will be unforgettable :)

Hey Omotenashi, in response to your questions...

We really wanted to take a day trip or so early one morning and go to Mt Fuji for a climb and return back to Tokyo that same day. Is that possible / impractical as I see many people spend a night or two there.
We would leave for Kyoto from Tokyo after staying in Toyko for 5/6 nights. Then we plan to return back from Kyoto after approximately 2 nights.

It appears that the JR pass will not get us to Mt. Fuji. So we would be getting the pass only to go to Kyoto and back easily within 7 days.

If we are already getting the JR pass... Is there anywhere else outside of Tokyo that would be nice to visit that we can stop at coming back from Kyoto in order to utilize the JR pass a little better?

We arrive to Japan at Narita airport and also fly back home from Narita airport too.

Thanks heaps for all the advice :)

As to climbing Mt. Fuji, I guess here are advisors who know it more and better. Of course japan-guide.com has some articles on Mt. Fuji.
- Mount Fuji
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2172.html
- Climbing Mount Fuji
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6901.html
Also these pages of another site may help you, especially when you climb Mt. Fuji from Kawaguchiko.
- Mount Fuji hiking
http://www.fujisan.ne.jp/nature/fujitozan_e.php
- Access Guide
http://www.fujisan.ne.jp/access/index_e.php

: Is there anywhere else outside of Tokyo that would be nice to visit that we can stop at coming back from Kyoto in order to utilize the JR pass a little better?

To make it cover the travel back to Narita Airport on Day 10, you can activate your 7-day JR Pass on Day 4 at earliest.
I guess youfd better set a trip to another place before Kyoto than on the way back from Kyoto.
If you come back from Mt. Fuji with all the things going well and still have enough stamina, or if unfortunately you cancel Mt. Fuji trip due to bad weather, then you have an option to tour another place. If something delays your coming back or you get too tired, you can give up the option and can lessen the number of the sites you visit in Kyoto.

If I am asked where Ifd like to visit on my 7-day trip in this summer other than Kyoto - Osaka - Nara area, my answers would include Yokohama.
- Expo Y150
http://www.japan-guide.com/event/yokohama-expo/
- A Grand Exposition for Yokohamafs 150th Year Official WebSite
http://event.yokohama150.org/en/index.html

At Narita Airport, JR-East and Keisei companies each have two stations:
- Narita Airport Stn. (Terminal 1)
- Airport Terminal 2 Stn.
Check which terminal your flight is going to use.

Example of itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Narita Airport, move to hotel in Tokyo.
Day 2: Trip around Tokyo.
Day 3: One-day or 2-day round trip to Mt. Fuji.
Day 4 or 5: Activate 7-day JR Pass.
Day 6 (before noon): Move to Yokohama.
Day 6 (daytime & evening): Trip in Yokohama.
Day 6 (night): Stay at hotel in Yokohama.
Day 7 (daytime): Trip in Yokohama.
Day 7 (evening): Move to hotel in Kyoto.
Day 8: Trip around Kyoto.
Day 9: Trip around Kyoto.
Day 10: Move to Narita Airport.

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thanks for that you have been incredibly helpful...

maybe u can come give us a tour around haha...

hope all is well and thanks again for all the advice :) i am sure we will now be able to make the very most of this trip

all the best... dino