Senior travellers 12 days Japan

I'm sure you'll be getting a better feel for it as you study the map of Japan further, but as suggested, the Tokaido Shinkansen runs stopping at Shin-Osaka station (in Osaka), then stops at Kyoto station, and then goes to the city of Tokyo while making a few stops in between. So it's really up to you to depart from Osaka or Kyoto.

But a lot of Shinkansen trains start from Shin-Osaka. So if you decide to not reserve seats days in advance (which makes traveling flexible), it would be easier to sit from Osaka than Kyoto.

By the way, you don't need to go all the way to Tokyo station on your way home. Get off your Shinkansen at Shinagawa station and change to a direct Keikyu train to Haneda Airport. It's much easier and quicker. You can't use your JR pass on this Keikyu company train, but no JR trains go into Haneda anyway.

@Uco - Thanks for a very such useful reply. Can I ask you one more thing, How many types of passes to I need for transport - I feel a little lost. We are getting the JRpass to travel from Tokyo to Osaka/Kyoto and back to Tokyo Haneda airport and we are also getting the Hokane Free Pass for the fun things to do in Hokane. What other transport do we need to look at.

I wrote a relatively long answer for you, but decided to ask you a short question before I post any answers.

You wrote:
We are getting the JRpass to travel from Tokyo to Osaka/Kyoto and back to Tokyo Haneda airport

Could you tell us the official name of the pass you are talking about? Usually the "Japan Rail Pass" is so-called "JR Pass" and that doesn't cover Haneda, but perhaps you are talking about something else. You can post a link or something of the information you obtained about the pass.

@Uco - I thank you for your long answer which I agree with but the only thing I am so confused about is the transport system and which passes or tickets I might need for this trip. All I know is there is a JR pass but it doesn't cover all the places we are going to and I also know there is a Hakone Free Pass which has various transport inclusions around Hakone area. That is all I know so any further guidance would be very much appreciated.

Uco:
Usually the "Japan Rail Pass" is so-called "JR Pass" and that doesn't cover Haneda,

Actually Japan Rail Pass covers Tokyo Monorail (Monorail Hamamatsucho -- Haneda Airport International Terminal -- Haneda Airport Terminal 2).
http://www.japanrailpass.net/en/about_jrp.html

Please note that Hamamatsucho Station of JR is on the Yamanote Line and the Keihin-Tohoku Line only.
You cannot get there by another JR line between Shinagawa and Tokyo.

4 June Osaka and back to Haneda, Tokyo for flight back to Australia

When in the day is your flight departure scheduled?
It sounds better to get close to the airport on the previous day; there might be a few unexpected happenings.

How are your preferences?
Won't you visit Nara or Himeji?

Have you decided where you will stay overnight?

To Omotenashi,

Thank you for your clarification. I suppose it slipped my mind. (A lot of things slip my mind these days.)


To Matimu,

Perhaps you should contact a travel agency near you to discuss your itinerary and purchases. That's what I usually recommend to people who get confused when planning their trip. But if you're interested, please feel free to read what I wrote below.

First of all, remember that "passes" allow limitless travel within a certain area and date. Meanwhile, anyone can buy "tickets" at the spot, each time when board a train/bus to travel from one spot to another. So passes can save you money only if you are using transportation as frequently as the pass is designed for. And there are numerous types of passes depend on how you prefer to travel.

I'm going to assume you're using the "7-Day Ordinary Japan Rail Pass" which costs 29,110 yen. Details of the pass are written in the following link.
http://www.japanrailpass.net/en/about_jrp.html

Now, there are many railway companies in Japan. In Tokyo alone, there are more than 10 including JR, Keikyu, Tokyo Metro, Toei, Tobu, Keisei, Seibu, Keio, Odakyu and Tokyu. Each company has a different fare system for its many train/bus lines.

The Japan Rail Pass basically only allows you to ride transportation operated by JR company, with a few exceptions. Among the exceptions is, as suggested by the other poster, Tokyo Monorail. The Monorail to Haneda is not run by JR, but you can use Japan Rail Pass for it. Meanwhile, there are many ways to get to Haneda. Among them, the following are 2 examples.

(A) From Shinkansen, change trains 2 times. You can use the Japan Rail Pass, so no additional charge is required.
(B) From Shinkansen, change trains only 1 time to a Keikyu train. You only need to pay an extra of 410 yen one way.

If I were you, I would choose (B), but it's up to you.

By the way, an ordinary ticket (not the pass) from Tokyo area to Osaka area cost only 17,500 both ways including the Shinkansen express fee, and (long story short) with this ticket you can travel back and forth Kyoto if it's within 4 days. So unless you decide to travel longer, or unless you decide to travel further such as to Hiroshima, a 29,110 yen Japan Rail Pass doesn't really save you money.

All these things can be easier to understand if you could let a travel agent "draw/illustrate" it to you. But I hope this helps.

17500 seems very cheap if you include the shinkansen express fee.

Tokyo to Kyoto 13,080 yen unreserved seat ticket (+320 yen for reserved seat)
Tokyo to Shin-Osaka 13,620 yen unreserved seat ticket (+320 yen for reserved seat)

Actually cancel that. I see what you did with the ordinary ticket usage over the four days. Clever.

Clever

But it's no secret. We grew up with this system. The validity is written clearly on your ticket and any JR staff will explain that. The longer the distance, the longer the validity of the basic fare ticket. Unfortunately, for some people it seems to be complicated.

@Omotenashi
@Uco
@hakata14
@Zacu daisuki

Thank you all for your replies. You are all very kind.

@Omotenashi - Our flight back to Australia on 4 June is a late flight at 20.55 . So I think if we leave Osaka early in the day, we will have enough time all day to get from Osaka to Haneda and to be able to deal with possible unexpected happenings. We have booked our accommodation in all the main places, Tokyo, Hokane, Kyoto and Osaka and from those places we will try to see as much as we can. Perhaps day trips etc.

@Uco - You have provided very clear and easy to understand information which we will follow. It gives us a lot to think about when planning our transport. Your suggestion to speak with a travel agent is something we did not think about but will definitely do. We thank you so much for your time in replying with so much information.

@Hakata14 - thanks for your input.

@Zacu daisuki - we are looking forward to tasting the beautiful food in Japan. Thank you.


PS: If all the people are like you in Japan then I'm sure we are going to have a wonderful time.

@Uco The longer the distance, the longer the validity of the basic fare ticket.
But while the validity is longer, the rules is no back-tracking so it does not apply to return tickets the same way as one way tickets. Tokyo to Hiroshima - good discount, Tokyo-Kyoto return, not for Y17500, otherwise JTB wouldn't be selling discount tickets for Y22,600.

JapanCustomTours, thank you for pointing that out! And Hakata14, you did make a correct point! I totally miscalculated the price and misinterpreted the rules. It's supposed to be 27240 yen for a round trip between Tokyo area and Osaka area using Shinkansen, and you can get off at Kyoto and continue using the ticket as long as it's within 4 days, but you cannot go "back and forth". I am very sorry for causing confusion.

In any case, just so that the OP will not get confused any further, the general idea I wrote will not change. And either way, the OP should talk to a professional (instead of anonymous internet users like me) and clear everything out.

So if you use a JR pass for the final seven days...

Odawara to Kyoto 11880 yen
Kyoto to Osaka 540 yen
Shin-Osaka to Tokyo 13,940 yen
Tokyo to Narita T2 2820 yen
Total = 29180 yen, (same price as a 7 day pass, borderline savings).

The Kyoto to Osaka and Tokyo to Narita can also be done cheaper using other non JR alternatives.

Tokyo to Narita T2 2820 yen

This is needless, as long as you fly out from Haneda Airport as you now plan.

When you travel by JR from Osaka via Tokyo to Narita Airport (Terminal 2 or 1) within 5 consecutive days, you can pay a basic fare for the route until the airport, which should result in less total amount compared to paying basic fares separately for the two sections until and beyond Tokyo.

Kyoto to Osaka 540 yen

The correct price is 560 yen.

you can travel back and forth Kyoto if it's within 4 days.

For Tokyo -- Nagoya -- Kyoto | Osaka,
a JR (one-way) basic fare ticket is good for 4 consecutive days,
and a pair of JR round-trip basic fare tickets is good for 8 (= 2 x 4) consecutive days.

The longer the distance, the longer the validity of the basic fare ticket.

When you travel by JR a little further to Nara Station ,
a pair of round-trip basic fare tickets is valid for 10 consecutive days,
and a 10 percent round-trip discount applies to the basic fare for each way.

Tokyo | Shinagawa -- Nagoya -- Shin-Osaka -- Osaka
: 8750 yen as a basic fare for each way, even with a pair of round-trip tickets.

Tokyo | Shinagawa -- Nagoya -- Shin-Osaka -- Osaka -- Nara
: 8640 yen as a basic fare for each way when you buy a pair of round-trip tickets.
: 9610 yen as a basic fare for each way when you buy two one-way tickets separately.

Odawara to Kyoto 11880 yen
Tokyo to Kyoto 13,080 yen unreserved seat ticket (+320 yen for reserved seat)

To be accurate, this gap is not always 320 yen.

The amount of a Shinkansen surcharge for a ride with your seat reserved varies by seasons and days; the amount of a surcharge for a ride without seat reservation is fixed throughout the year.
For a Shinkansen Hikari or Kodama ride, the gap in the mount is either 320 yen, 520 yen or 720 yen.

To take a Shinkansen Nozomi train with your seat reserved, you pay a few hundred yen more.
When you go without seat reservation, the amount of a Shinkansen surcharge is the same regardless of whether Nozomi, Hikari or Kodama you choose.

Well if going to Haneda Airport which I missed wherever it was. Then with 2500 yen less worth of travels. A 7 day JR pass will not pay itself off for this trip.

Same point still made.

Of course if they are flying in/out of Narita then the Y4000 round trip ticket applies, and then they can get the Y22,600 round trip ticket from Japanican to get to/from Osaka. (I had to ask Japanican some specific questions about their pass/voucher because they gave one of my staff misleading information about it last week - they hid the actual terms and conditions on their website in a non-obvious place.)
However, throw in any decent side trips in Tokyo or around Kansai, and the JPR starts to become a good option. Ultimately it depends on the final schedule they choose.